Capital facilities and infrastructure specialist services (CFISS) provides for:
- Program specialist sourcing - related to embedded or non-embedded financial management, communications, procurement planning and support, program co-ordination and scheduling support, risk management, contract management or reporting and information co-ordination services.
- Project specialist sourcing - provides for the use of co-located consultant personnel as additional resources to support the planning and delivery projects.
Indigenous procurement Policy
For projects valued between $80k and $200k, or are in remote areas, Project Officers must conduct pre-tender due diligence to ensure alignment with the Defence Indigenous Procurement Strategy before using the panel.
Search the Supply Nation's Directory for suitable Indigenous enterprises before approaching DIP consultants. If an enterprise states that it is an Indigenous enterprise, but is not listed with Supply Nation, assurance that it is 50% or more Indigenous owned must be sought.
The Request for Proposal templates have been prepared for use with engagements valued under $7.5 million (GST Inclusive). Procurements at or above this threshold will attract additional requirements due to high contract value provisions of the Indigenous procurement policy. For every engagement that is estimated to be valued at or above $7.5 million (GST Inclusive), use the relevant template.
Delegate approval
The Project Officer must obtain approval to proceed from an authorised delegate, as required by the relevant Commonwealth agency, before sourcing panel services.
The Project Officer must consider the procurement value, market capacity, Commonwealth procurement rules, procurement policies, evaluation criteria and exercise of delegations requirements.
A Procurement and Evaluation Plan may be used to describe and justify the proposed procurement approach.
Procurement and Evaluation Plan (non-CFI) template (DOC, 100 KB)
Expression of interest letters
The Project Officer may develop expression of interest letters and issue to panel consultants to determine if they have the capacity to respond to a request for proposal (RFP). This may reduce the amount of documentation required as an RFP need only be developed for interested panel consultants.
This letter is particularly suited for more complex or risky projects where Defence wishes to determine which panel consultants will have the capacity to undertake large scale or long term work.
The panel consultant's response is not evaluated nor does it constitute a binding agreement.
Expression of interest letter template (DOC, 49 KB)
Prepare request for proposal
The Project Officer must develop the RFP using the provided template. Review the definitions above to determine which template to use.
The template annexures should be completed to the greatest possible extent before release. Some annexures are provided to be completed by the panel consultant in their RFP submission.
Note - please see below an Addendum document that must be used as a supplement to all Request for Proposal documents issued post 1 July 2024. This Addendum document reflects the application of the new Policy - Supplier Code of Conduct.
Addendum - July 2024 policy changes
Issue request for proposal
The Project Officer issues the RFP to the panel consultant, via the emails provided on the Who to engage and Scope of services page and following this guidance.
Email guidance for tendering (PDF, 177.06 KB)
Issue addendums or information documents
The Contact Officer may receive questions from tenderers that need to be answered by issuing an addendum or information document. Answers must be shared with all tenders. The tenderer must be given the opportunity to withdraw their question if they do not want the answer to be shared with all tenderers.
Addendum example (DOC, 330.05 KB)
Information document example (DOC, 83.5 KB)
Receiving proposal response
The invited panel consultants will provide a response for evaluation or provide notification declining the opportunity to submit a proposal. Receipt should be confirmed via return email following this guidance:
Email guidance for tendering (PDF, 177.06 KB)
Tender evaluation
The evaluation board evaluates all received proposals in accordance with the approved Evaluation Plan and must use these templates.
Tender evaluation and probity protocol (PDF, 770.4 KB)
Conflict of interest declaration template (DOCX, 41.17 KB)
Confidentiality deed template (DOC, 67.5 KB)
Tender evaluation pack template (DOC, 147.5 KB)
Tender evaluation process diagram (PDF, 95.53 KB)
Tender evaluation board checklist (DOC, 124 KB)
Tender evaluation board report
When the proposal evaluation is complete, the evaluation board develops the tender evaluation board report (TEBR) using these templates.
Registrant evaluation board report template (DOC, 217.5 KB)
Tender evaluation board report template (DOC, 196 KB)
Probity report template (DOC, 81.5 KB)
Negotiations and alternate proposals
Following approval of the evaluation through an approved TEBR, these templates should be used as required for negotiations or alternative proposals.
The panel consultant may be informed (without the Commonwealth accepting, or being taken to have accepted, the proposal) that the Commonwealth will negotiate certain or all aspects of their proposal.
Negotiation plan template (DOC, 123 KB)
Negotiation outcome report template (DOC, 85 KB)
Alternative proposal guidance (PDF, 55.62 KB)
Section 23 approval
The Project Officer will produce Public Governance, Performance and Accountability (PGPA) section 23 approval in accordance with approved TEBR and contract negotiation outcomes.
PGPA section 23 commitment approval template (DOC, 101 KB)
Issue official order
The Project Officer will prepare either an official order or a letter of non-acceptance.
The Official Order, which is part of the RFP, is formal notification from the Commonwealth to the panel consultant giving notice of acceptance of the proposal. This will form a contract between the Commonwealth and the panel consultant.
The Project Officer must issue a letter of non-acceptance to all unsuccessful panellists, which provides an opportunity to debrief on the proposal.