How Council buys

Understanding how Brisbane City Council purchases can improve your chances of becoming a Council supplier.

Procurement

Procurement is the process of buying goods, services and works. This can include a range of things from roads, footpaths, recreational and community facilities, parks and trees to heavy vehicles, office equipment, professional services, utilities and more.

Council procurement is guided by Sound Contracting Principles set out in the City of Brisbane Act 2010  which are:

  • Value for money
  • Open and effective competition
  • Development of competitive local business and industry
  • Environmental protection
  • Ethical behaviour and fair dealing.

You can find out more about the Act on the Queensland Government website under City of Brisbane Act 2010.

Council will preference quotes and tenders from local business to support the development of local businesses. For purchases reasonably estimated to be less than $500,000, quotes will be sought from local suppliers, in the first instance, who are considered able to meet the requirements. For purchases reasonably estimated to be worth $500,000 or more, Council will usually publicly invite tenders, proposals or expressions of interest, which will include a 30% weighting for local benefits.

Once funding has been approved, the main steps in the tender process are:

  1. A strategy is prepared
  2. A request for tender is prepared
  3. The request is advertised
  4. Suppliers respond
  5. Tenders are evaluated and a supplier(s) are selected
  6. Contract is signed and managed
  7. Unsuccessful suppliers are notified.

Find information on each of these steps.

Better Brisbane Proposals (market led proposals)

The Better Brisbane Proposal (market led proposal) initiative was established to assist Council solve problems or address opportunities to enhance services for Brisbane. Unlike traditional procurement processes, Better Brisbane Proposals enables the best solutions to be co-created, with an agile and collaborative approach, to help make Brisbane better.

Find out more about Better Brisbane Proposals (market led proposals)

Procurement Policy and Plan

Council's Procurement Policy and Plan provides detailed information about Council's procurement activities. It includes a list of the significant procurements (worth $10 million and above) planned for the financial year and also many other large procurements worth above $1 million.

You can download:

Council's Principal Arranged Construction Insurance Program

For those organisations undertaking construction work on behalf of Council, it is important to know that Council has taken out Construction (public) liability insurance and Insurance of the Works policies as part of their Principal Arranged Construction Insurance (PACI) program. 

Find more information on Council's Principal Arranged Construction Insurance Program.  

Terms and conditions 

Learn about the:

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Brisbane City Council acknowledges this Country and its Traditional Custodians. We pay our respects to the Elders, those who have passed into the dreaming; those here today; those of tomorrow.