The Department of the House of Representatives must comply with the Commonwealth Procurement Rules (CPR’s) when procuring goods and services.
You can make a complaint if you:
As a potential or current supplier to the department, you have the right to be treated fairly throughout the procurement process and to have complaints investigated quickly and without disadvantage.
Complaints under the Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018 (Cth)
The Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018 (the Act) establishes an independent complaint mechanism for government procurement processes.
The Act requires accountable authorities of relevant Commonwealth entities to formally investigate complaints that are made in accordance with the Act, and to suspend procurements during the investigation of a complaint under the Act, unless a public interest certificate is in place.
For more information and guidance on the Act, refer to Handling complaints under the Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018 (RMG 422) on the Department of Finance website.
General procurement complaints
A general procurement complaint can be made about any aspect of the procurement process for procurements undertaken by the department. It is encouraged to raise a procurement complaint by approaching the relevant procurement contact officer in the first instance.
If you are not satisfied with the response, you can make a formal complaint following details provided below.
How to make a complaint
To lodge a general complaint or complaint under the Act, email Finance.reps@aph.gov.au.
To help us resolve your complaint quickly, include the following information in your written submission:
- your name, supplier business name, ABN, address, phone number and email address
- details of the procurement including the service, estimated contract value, relevant times and dates, AusTender ID and UNSPSC code (if known)
- a factual and concise outline of your complaint and any Commonwealth Procurement Rules you believe we have breached or will breach
- any other information, documents or evidence to support your complaint
- if you intend the complaint to be a formal complaint under section 18 of the Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018
When we receive your complaint we will:
- acknowledge receipt in writing as soon as practicable
- assess whether it meets the criteria under the Act
- if appropriate, suspend the procurement unless a public interest certificate is issued
- investigate and work with you to resolve the issue within 10 business days
- let you know if it will take longer
At the end of the process, you will receive written advice on the outcome of the investigation if applicable and confirm with you if you consider the complaint to be resolved.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you can raise your complaint with the Australian Government Procurement Coordinator or the Commonwealth Ombudsman.