As announced at this year's supplier conference, DFAT is continuing to drive demand for Indigenous goods and services, stimulate Indigenous economic development and grow the Indigenous business sector.

Australia is committed to providing opportunities to assist indigenous peoples, both in Australia and overseas, to overcome social and economic disadvantages. We are proud to be the home of the world's oldest continuous culture. Indigenous Australians are represented in every aspect of public life, and have the enduring support of the Australian government and the broader community. DFAT has been applying Australia's Indigenous Procurement Policy beyond its minimum requirement for Official Development Assistance (ODA) and non ODA goods and services, and by July 2018 will further apply the Policy beyond its minimum requirement requiring tenderers for large value aid projects to describe how they will give effect to the Indigenous Procurement Policy and facilitate Indigenous participation and stimulate Indigenous entrepreneurship and business development through submitting an Indigenous Participation Plan.

Further, in delivering on our promises through Australia's membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council (2018-2020), by July 2018, DFAT will require tenderers to describe how they will involve women, culturally and linguistically diverse people and people with a disability as part of their head office or in the delivery of the project services, and how the tender identifies and addresses barriers to inclusion and opportunities for participation to enable them to benefit equally from the project.

The proposed Request for Tender document that will give effect to these changes is below. Comments can be sent to: aidcontractreview@dfat.gov.au. DFAT will discuss this and other issues at its next supplier engagement event on 10 April – see registration details. The proposed Request for Tender document is being shared to seek comments from delivery partners and stakeholders, but also to continue to ensure that delivery partners are aware of any changes in tendering policy and have time to respond appropriately.

Proposed Request for Tender template [Word 128 KB]