General and simple sourcing provides for:
- General sourcing – typically for projects that have some degree of complexity, and are long term, are high cost or high risk. It is envisaged that most engagements should use this template.
- Simple sourcing – typically for low risk, simple scope, short term engagements or low cost engagements.
Indigenous procurement Policy – mandatory
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 Request for proposal amendments – Indigenous Procurement Policy – high value contract template .
Endorsement to proceed
The Project Officer must obtain endorsement 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 template (DOCX, 55.91 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 will allow the Project Officer to develop the procurement strategy with certainty and 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 the relevant Commonwealth agency wishes to determine which panel consultants will have the capacity to undertake large scale or long term work.
The Project Officer must not include narrative that requires a detailed response on the panel consultants approach/available key personnel or indicate that the procurement area will conduct an assessment on any such response to this letter. It is purely a communication tool to ascertain interest.
The panel consultant's response is not to be evaluated nor does it constitute a binding agreement.
Expression of interest letter template (DOCX, 47.15 KB)
Prepare request for proposal
The Project Officer must develop the RFP using the provided template. These RFP templates are mandatory and cannot be substituted. These templates are not to be altered outside of what the drafting guidance notes allow. 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.
General sourcing request for proposal template (DOCX, 148.16 KB)
Simple sourcing request for proposal template (DOCX, 100.67 KB)
Issue request for proposal
The Project Officer issues the RFP to the panel consultant, either via email using the details provided on the Who to engage and Scope of services page or via AusTender. Tendering guidance has been provided in the following document.
Tendering guidance (PDF, 547.58 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. A sample Addendum and Information Document template is included below. These should be substituted for the relevant Commonwealth agencies equivalent templates.
Addendum example (DOCX, 58.37 KB)
Information document example (DOCX, 63.6 KB)
Receiving proposal response
The invited panel consultants will provide a response for evaluation or provide notification declining the opportunity to submit a proposal. Tendering guidance has been provided in the following document.
Tendering guidance (PDF, 547.58 KB)
Tender evaluation
The evaluation board evaluates all received proposals in accordance with the approved Evaluation Plan and can consider using the below templates to support this activity.
Defence users of the panel
All members of the tender evaluation board must execute the AF220 Defence Conflict of Interest Declaration Form.
Note: The Tender Evaluation and Protocol is mandatory for use by the Department of Defence, Capital Facilities and Infrastructure Branch (CFI). Other areas of Defence and Agencies accessing the panel may substitute this document with their own equivalent tender evaluation and probity protocol, subject to their agency’s requirements.
Tender evaluation and probity protocol (PDF, 771.85 KB)
Conflict of interest declaration template (DOCX, 56.55 KB)
Confidentiality deed template (DOCX, 56.26 KB)
Tender evaluation board report
When the proposal evaluation is complete, the evaluation board develops the Tender Evaluation Board Report (TEBR) using these templates.
Note: These templates are mandatory for use by the Department of Defence, Capital Facilities and Infrastructure Branch (CFI). Other areas of Defence and other Agencies accessing the panel may substitute these documents with their own equivalent documents, subject to their agency’s requirements.
Registration evaluation board report template (DOCX, 64.24 KB)
Tender evaluation board report template (DOCX, 102.33 KB)
Probity Advisor’s report template (DOCX, 43.18 KB)
Negotiations
Following approval of the evaluation through an approved TEBR, these templates should be considered for use as required for negotiations.
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 (DOCX, 70.24 KB)
Negotiation outcome report template (DOCX, 58.13 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.
Note: This template is mandatory for use by the Department of Defence, Capital Facilities and Infrastructure Branch (CFI). Other areas of Defence and other Agencies accessing the panel may substitute this document with their own equivalent document, subject to their agency’s requirements.
PGPA section 23 commitment approval template (DOCX, 65.86 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. Project Officers must ensure all annexure attachments are included when executing the Official Order and issuing to the panel consultant.
The Project Officer must issue a letter of non-acceptance to all unsuccessful panel consultants, which provides an opportunity to debrief on the proposal. Debriefs must be offered to both successful and unsuccessful panel consultants.