The ACT Legislative Assembly has passed the Government Procurement Amendment Bill 2025, which it says will make it easier for local businesses to do work for the Government.
Minister for Finance, Rachel Stephen-Smith said the Bill includes changes that will make it simpler for the Government to engage with local small and medium enterprises and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses on limited tender procurements.
“This will help us continue to support Canberra businesses as well as meet our addressable spend targets under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Procurement Policy, which aims to grow the economic participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander enterprises in the ACT,” said Minister Stephen-Smith.
“It will also further support the important work of the ACT Public Service in Closing the Gap in economic outcomes for First Nations Canberrans.”
The legislation also simplifies how low-value, low-risk procurements are conducted while ensuring they remain transparent, evidence-based and achieve value for money, said the Minister.
“Currently, a disproportionate amount of administrative work is required by the Government and its suppliers for very low-value, low-risk procurements,” she said.
“This legislation removes the need for a written quote for procurements under $500, reducing the administrative burden and making it easier for suppliers to do business with the Government.
“Importantly, existing requirements that all procurements must be transparent, evidence-based and achieve value for money will continue to apply, regardless of their value.”
Other changes include:
- Better protecting the privacy of people who have not been involved in procurement decision making but whose names appear on a notifiable contract (for example, someone witnessing a document).
- Clarifying the procurements that need to be reviewed by the Government Procurement Board, with a focus on procurements of a higher scale, scope and risk.
- Other minor changes to simplify or clarify existing legislation.
The amendments will commence from 1 July 2026.
