Supplier guide to government procurement

The Queensland Government's procurement approach enables Queensland businesses of all sizes to supply goods and services to the Queensland Government.

When completing tenders, you may be asked to meet government economic, ethical, social, or environmental, social and governance objectives.

You will also be required to meet responsible supplier requirements as outlined in the Procurement Assurance Model and Queensland Government Supplier Code of Conduct 2026.

For more information, contact us:

phone: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)
email: betterprocurement@epw.qld.gov.au.

Meeting tender requirements related to boosting and decarbonising the economy

When procuring goods and services as part of the Queensland Government's procurement approach, government seeks to use its purchasing power to deliver value for money and broader benefits for Queensland communities, the economy and environment.

Pillar 5 of the Queensland Procurement Policy 2026 outlines our commitment to driving practical economic, environmental and social impact – this includes working with businesses that contribute to Queensland's economic resilience, support inclusive employment and help transition the economy towards net zero emissions by 2050.

For example, this includes:

minimising environmental impacts and supporting green industries and technologies, including promoting decarbonisation solutions in supply chains to reduce waste and contribute to resilient communities
promoting emissions reduction in agreed procurement focus areas that support the achievement of Queensland’s emissions reduction target, in alignment with sector emissions reduction plans and other climate initiatives
pursuing improved environmental outcomes, including reduction in waste and increased use of locally recycled materials.

When preparing for government procurement opportunities, be ready to respond and provide supporting information to demonstrate how your business meets any of the above requirements, as requested in the quote or tender.

When an agency is conducting a procurement activity that is classified as significant, this may be considered under a purposeful public procurement evaluation criterion alongside cost and other non-cost factors.

For example, when demonstrating how your business supports a decarbonised economy, consider whether and how your business:

recycles
reduces waste and use of plastic
reduces hazardous and toxic substances use, and ensure their correct disposal
reduces the use of energy, water or other resources, for example
- use solar power or other renewable energy
- use water saving taps
- use energy efficient light bulbs
- have measures to reduce energy, water and waste, minimise environmental impacts (e.g. waste and emissions reduction).

Business Chamber Queensland's ecoBiz program is a free service that helps Queensland businesses with less than 200 full-time equivalent employees cut costs across their energy, water and waste bills.

The program provides:

free benchmarking assistance to help track resource use
one-on-one on-site coaching sessions with a sustainability expert to help identify opportunities to implement initiatives to cut costs, reduce carbon emissions, and be more sustainable.

When completing a response to a quote or tender:

make sure you include what you're already doing or what you can commit to
when choosing to commit to an initiative, outline these plans in your tender response
have evidence (e.g. policies, processes, procedures, plans, systems, references, certificates of compliance) of your current or planned contribution, as we may request it.

Resources

Learn about the Queensland Procurement Policy 2026.
Learn how to improve your tender approach.
Find out about social enterprises.
Explore ideas on how to manage water use in your business.
Read more about solar power for your business.
Get involved in the ecoBiz waste program.
Find a social enterprise
Learn about the Queensland Social Enterprise Council.
Read Social procurement – frequently asked questions.
View our webinar on procurement for government contracts for information about the tendering process and how to write a competitive bid.

Meeting tender requirements related to supplying ethically and supporting good jobs

Content is being reviewed to align with the Queensland Procurement Policy 2026.

When procuring goods and services as part of the Queensland Government's procurement approach to government procurement, the Queensland Government prioritises businesses that support the strengthening of Queensland jobs and the delivery of long-term economic, ethical, social and environmental value for current and future generations of Queenslanders.

Supplying ethically

The Queensland Government prioritises businesses that supply ethically and contribute to delivering sustainable value. This includes businesses that:

comply with the Queensland Government Supplier Code of Conduct 2023
comply with the Ethical Supplier Threshold, including paying fair wages to employees with disability (using the Supported Wage System where appropriate)
address ethical risks such as modern slavery in their supply chains, including when procuring textiles, clothing and footwear products, and food and beverages sourced from animals
avoid purchasing ‘dumped goods’ (imported goods sold cheaper than the price charged in the country of manufacture, or below the cost of manufacturing the goods)
contribute to ending domestic and family violence
provide pathways to mainstream employment for disadvantaged Queenslanders
contribute to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

When you complete a response to a quote or tender:

make sure you include what you're already doing or what you can commit to
if you choose to commit to an initiative, outline these plans in your tender response
have evidence (e.g. policies, processes, procedures, plans, systems, references, certificates of compliance etc.) of your current or planned contribution, as we may request it.

Supporting good jobs requirements

The Queensland Government also prioritises businesses that support genuine, quality, secure ongoing local jobs. This includes businesses that:

employ local workforces
upskill Queenslanders and provide Queensland manufacturing opportunities through employing local apprentices and trainees
help reduce long-term and youth unemployment
supply food and beverages that are made, grown or produced in Queensland, and are listed on the Queensland Government Food and Beverage Supplier Directory
comply with the best practice principles for projects worth $100 million and above, and declared projects
engage businesses that demonstrate any of the above as part of their supply chain.

When completing a response to a quote or tender:

make sure you include what you're already doing or what you can commit to.
if you choose to commit to an initiative, outline these plans in your tender response.
have evidence (e.g., policies, processes, procedures, plans, systems, references, certificates of compliance etc.) of your current or planned contribution, as we may request it.

Resources

Find out more about Buy Queensland 2023, including the Queensland Procurement Strategy 2023 – Jobs, Economy, Legacy, Confidence, and the Queensland Procurement Policy 2023.
Learn how to improve your tender approach.
Read the Queensland Government Supplier Code of Conduct 2023.
Find out how to establish a domestic violence workplace policy.
Read about Domestic and Family Violence Reform.

Supporting purposeful public procurement

The Queensland Government values suppliers that share its commitment to achieving strong outcomes for Queensland, and these businesses are at the front of the queue in procurement under the Queensland Procurement Policy (QPP) 2026.

What is purposeful public procurement

Purposeful public procurement is about using government purchasing power to deliver value that goes beyond price alone. When the Queensland Government buys goods and services, we consider how procurement can support broader economic, environmental, social and governance outcomes that benefit all Queenslanders.

Through the QPP 2026, the government uses its procurement investment to achieve these outcomes. This means that when you respond to a government procurement opportunity, it is important to demonstrate how your business supports the relevant purposeful public procurement outcomes requested in the quote or tender.

How it's part of value for money

The QPP 2026 integrates purposeful public procurement into how we define and assess value for money. Procurement decisions consider:

cost factors – including whole-of-life costs (acquisition, operating, maintenance, disposal)
non-cost factors – including supplier capability, experience, quality, fitness for purpose and risk management
purposeful public procurement – pursuing relevant government objectives, targets and commitments outlined in the QPP's 5 strategic pillars (Part 1).

It is not necessary to pursue every government objective in a single procurement. Instead, buyers will identify which economic, environmental, social and governance outcomes are most relevant to each procurement strategy and evaluation approach.

How it applies to different procurement types

Routine procurement (low value and low risk)
Government buyers must invite at least one local supplier, small and family business, or Queensland regional business to respond to every quote or tender, unless this is impractical (with reasons documented). This may include suppliers on common-use supply arrangements.

Significant procurement (high value and/or high risk—agency thresholds cannot be lower than $500,000 including GST)
Government buyers must apply a purposeful public procurement evaluation criterion to significant procurement activities unless there is a documented reason why it cannot be applied. This criterion:

must include between 2 and 4 of the purposeful public procurement outcomes outlined in the QPP 2026
carries a maximum weighting of between 10% and 20% of the total evaluation
assigns each selected outcome a weighting of between 5% and 10%.

The evaluation assesses how the supplier's response contributes to achieving the specific outcomes listed in the individual tender or quote.

Responding to tenders

When preparing to respond to significant government procurement opportunities, be ready to respond and provide supporting information to demonstrate how your business aligns with the specific outcomes listed in the quote or tender.

When completing your response:

address only the specific outcome listed in the tender (when responding to the purposeful public procurement evaluation criterion)
provide concrete examples of what you're already doing or what you can commit to delivering
have evidence ready (e.g. policies, processes, procedures, plans, systems, references, certificates of compliance) as we may request it
be specific and realistic about your commitments.

For more information about how purposeful public procurement approach apply to a specific tender and how best to respond, contact the contact officer as outlined in the tender request.

Also consider...

Read the Queensland Procurement Policy 2026.
Learn how to improve your tender approach.
Read about government's approach to social procurement.
Find out about social enterprises.
Get involved in the ecoBiz sustainability program.