Doing business with council

Current tenders can be found by visiting this link Vendor Panel.

Public Openings are held 2.30pm Tuesday's at Bundaberg Regional Councils Main Administration Building 190 Bourbong Street, Bundaberg.

Vendor Panel is an e-tendering solution created by Vendor Panel to streamline the tendering and quotation process between business and local government in Queensland, and is primarily used for request for tenders, quotations and expressions of interest.

The features of this e-tendering service for your business are:-

• Free access to local government tenders;
• Fast downloading of Council tender documents;
• Easy uploading of responses to Council tenders; and
• Receive new tender email notifications by creating one or more advanced searches.

To register your business click here.

Suppliers can easily download tender documents and respond to a tender via Vendor Panel.

Helpful Supplier Resources below:-

• Supplier Overview Webinar
• Supplier Hub - Includes video testimonials from Suppliers on the platform
• Marketplace FAQ's
• Vendor Panel Support Resources for Suppliers(PDF, 1MB)

Tenders for panel arrangements are advertised via Vendor Panel. Suppliers are encouraged to register at Vendor Panel.

Council's panel arrangements contain Pre-qualified Suppliers who have been assessed by Council as having the technical, financial and managerial capability necessary to perform contracts on time and in accordance with a requirements.

The assessment process is undertaken by inviting tenders to establish a panel of pre-qualified suppliers.

Council's current panels are shown below:

Local Buy is the LGAQ contract and tender services company. It facilitates business relationships with local government and their suppliers.

Local Buy's core business is the creation of contractual arrangements for goods and services that can be used by Queensland councils, aggregating the demand for these goods and services to achieve better pricing and conditions, and eliminating the need for councils to establish their own supply contracts.

To find out how you can get on a Local Buy contract:

• Visit www.localbuy.net.au
• email contracts@localbuy.net.au; or
• Phone 07 3000 2280

Does Council have a Preferred Supplier list?
No, Council does not have a Preferred Supplier list. Council may tender for a preferred supplier arrangement for goods or services for a period of 2 years should it be determined they are able to obtain better value for money by accumulating the demand.

How are Preferred Supplier arrangements advertised?
The invitation is made by advertisement in a newspaper that circulates in the local government area (normally Bundaberg News Mail) and displayed on BRC's website.

I'm a new supplier to the area and I wish to do business with Council, who do I talk to?
Council's Procurement team are happy to help suppliers with any questions.

Email: purchasing@bundaberg.qld.gov.au

Phone: 1300 883 699 and ask for Strategic Procurement & Supply section.

Who do I contact if I have an Account enquiry?
Council's Account Payable team.

Email: ap@bundaberg.qld.gov.au

Phone: 1300 883 699 and ask for the Accounts Payable section.

How and when are the current Prequalified or Approved Contractor panels reviewed or refreshed?
Approved contractors/suppliers on the panels will be notified by Council of the intent to refresh the panels (normally every 12 months). This will allow suppliers to add or remove items and to refresh pricing for the next 12 month term. Council will advertise in the local newspaper (normally Bundaberg News Mail) and on BRC's website to allow new businesses to apply to join existing panels. For more information about doing business with Council, check out Doing Business with Council - A Guide for Suppliers & Contractor.

Who do I contact for further information?
Council's Procurement Team are happy to help suppliers with any questions.

Email: purchasing@bundaberg.qld.gov.au;

Phone 1300 883 699

Useful Websites

• Small Business Safety Webinar
• Small Business Program Webinar
• Guides & Fact Sheets
• Codes of Practice Queensland
• Safe Work Method Statements
• Starting a business
• Creating safe work

Useful Documents

• Advice Sheet - Safe Work Procedures
• Guidance on OHS in Government Procurement
• Hazardous Substances Checklist
• How to Manage WHS Risks Code of Practice 2011
• Manual tasks risk management worksheet
• Process for developing safe work procedures

The Work Health and Safety Act (Qld) 2011 places a statutory obligation on Council to provide, so far as is reasonably practicable, a safe workplace for all workers and others who may be impacted or affected by the work we do. This is widely known and accepted. What perhaps is not as well-known is this same legislation defines employees, contractors, subcontractors, apprentices and trainees, work experience people and volunteers as workers.

Therefore to meet our obligations in this regard, we must ensure we are satisfied the safety systems and work processes of all these ‘workers’ are adequate and do not expose workers or others to unacceptable risks. Council is required to ensure, so far as they are reasonably able, that anyone we are engaging to do or provide work, goods or a service for us:

• does in fact have the required expertise to ensure the work can be carried out safely.
• has in place the systems, processes and procedures to ensure the work can be carried out safely.
• is carrying out the work in a manner which does not create a health and safety risk for Council’s own workers or others at the workplace.

Contractors are required to:

• Provide evidence, to Council's satisfaction, of safety standards should they wish to be included in panel arrangements or be awarded tenders.
• Conduct their own risk assessments before starting work and put in place relevant controls on day to day operations where possible.
• Comply with reasonable direction given by Council in relation to WH&S.
• Take all practicable steps to ensure the health and safety of its employees and all other people who may be affected by their work systems and practices.
• Provide information and supervision to their employees in relation to hazardous or high risk work processes or materials.
• Promptly report any workplace accident, injury, illness, property or environmental damage which occurs during the carrying out of the work.
• Report any lost time incidents immediately to the BRC Supervisor.
• Provide confirmation they have understood general induction information by returning a signed copy of the BRC Contractor Handbook.

Purchase orders are placed for all purchases of goods and services other than those carried out by other means (i.e. corporate purchase card). These are legally binding documents that authorise suppliers to provide goods or services. Where a purchase order is issued, it must be issued prior to the supplier's acceptance of the offer and prior to the supply of any goods and services.

Contractors and suppliers should not supply any goods or services without first receiving a purchase order. Where a formal contract arrangement is not entered into, the purchase order will constitute the contract between the Council and the Supplier. This means the Supplier has accepted Council's Purchasing Terms and Conditions.