Procurement complaint process
Published
Contents
How to make a complaint
Email Procurement Complaints to make a complaint. When you submit your complaint, include all the following information:
- the procurement title or reference number
- a statement of your complaint and the outcome sought
- information to support your complaint
- details of any resolution attempts
- the conduct that contravenes the relevant Commonwealth Procurement Rules
- how it effects your interests.
The APSC’s complaint process
The APSC will review your complaint via the following steps:
- receive your complaint through our Procurement Complaints mailbox
- acknowledge your complaint within 2 business days
- investigate your complaint and work with you to resolve it
- A report will be drafted under Section 19 of the Act
A delegate will be appointed who is not directly involved in the procurement process to:
- review the complaint
- consider recommendations
- notify you of the outcome, including the reason for the decision.
How to get a decision reviewed
The following processes can be accessed if you are not happy with the outcome:
- Commonwealth Ombudsman via their website
- Australian Government Procurement Coordinator via the Department of Finance website
- Federal Courts for complaints subject to the Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018 on the Federal Register of Legislation website.
Suppliers have rights under the Act for alleged contraventions of the relevant CPRs through the (Judicial Review) Act 2018 (Cth) (Act). The Act establishes a mechanism for complaints to be made for government procurement processes, specifically where a Commonwealth entity has breached the Commonwealth Procurement Rules (CPRs).