The DMO's commitment to efficient and effective competition requires that procurement is visible and accessible and that there is an opportunity for suppliers to do business with the DMO. The DMO's commitment to accountability requires that the Parliament and the public have the right to know the extent and type of goods and services needed to support Government programs, including the cost and who supplied it. This visibility is provided through the Australian Government Tender System (AusTender).
The DMO must report details of any contract or standing offer arranged with a value of $10,000 or more in AusTender. In the context of AusTender requirements, a contract means any agreement for the procurement of goods and services under which the DMO is obliged to make payment of public money to a supplier and includes a purchase order, oral or written contract or lease or corporate credit card transaction. Contract also covers agency agreements, that is, agreements for the procurement of goods and services under which an agency is obliged, or may become obliged, to make a payment of public money to another agency.
The Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines provide that if the Chief Executive of an agency considers gazettal of procurement details to be exempt under the Freedom of Information Act 1982, the Chief Executive may direct in writing that these details are not to be published.
In 2005–06, the DMO had a total of 22 contracts or standing offers with a total value of $27.8m exempted from publication because publication could cause damage to the national security, defence or international relations of the Commonwealth, in accordance with Section 33(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 1982.