Procurement Complaints

This page contains information about making complaints in relation to procurement conducted by the Department of Social Services.

General Procurement Complaints

A general procurement complaint can be made to the Department of Social Services about any aspect of the procurement process for procurements undertaken by the Department. These are separate to complaints made under the Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018 or through the Procurement Coordinator. Further details are provided below.

General procurement complains can be made by completing the Online Complaints Form

To help us resolve your complaint quickly, include the following information in your submission:

  • your name, supplier business name, ABN, address, phone and email
  • 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
  • any other information, documents or evidence to support your complaint.

The department will engage with the complainant as far as practicable to resolve the complaint. If the complainant is unsatisfied with the outcome of the complaint, the complainant can raise their complaint with Australian Government procurement coordinator or Commonwealth Ombudsman.

JR Act Complaint - Complaints about breaches to Commonwealth Procurement Rules

The Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018 (the Act) establishes an independent complaint mechanism for government procurement processes. The Act requires the 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. The Act also places obligations on suppliers to take reasonable steps to resolve a complaint with the relevant Commonwealth entity before taking action in the Federal Circuit Court. For guidance on the Act, refer to Resource Management Guide No: 422 - Handling complaints on the Department of Finance website.

To lodge a complaint under the Act, email procurementcomplaints@dss.gov.au

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