There are different methods for buying goods and services, depending on what you are buying and how much it is going to cost.
Before making a purchase, make sure you consider adequate planning, your budget, sustainable procurement and risk management.
This guide aims to:
- explain the different methods for buying goods and services and the steps you need to take
- explain government procurement policies and how they affect buyers
- highlight the requirements for each stage of the process
It includes information about:
- what you need to know to get started
- the purchasing process you need to follow at each threshold – below $50,000, between $50,000 and $250,000, or $250,000 and above
- why contract management is so important
The information in the guide is divided into the following sections:
- getting started with goods and services procurement: questions to consider when starting a goods and services procurement process no matter the value of the purchase
- purchases under $50,000: a guide to direct purchasing below $50,000
- purchases between $50,000 and $250,000: written quotes process for purchases between $50,000 and $250,000
- purchases $250,000 and above: step by step guide to conducting an open tender process
If you know what you are looking for, or have an idea of the value of your purchase, you can click straight through to the section you need. If you are new to goods and services procurement, you can click through all the pages chronologically to get an overview of how to buy. Throughout the guide, we provide links to relevant templates and guidelines you may need to conduct your procurement. The information provided here is intended to help you navigate the procurement process, however, you should always consult your agency’s internal guidelines and policies related to procurement.
This guide is for government staff wanting to buy goods and services. Other guides are available for buying community services.
If your product or service is available in an existing common use arrangement under Western Australia's whole-of-government contracts then you can refer directly to the buying guides and information tailored to your purchase.
Finance provides information on agency procurement and contracts via the Government Procurement Business Intelligence (BI) Reports. The BI reports enable agencies to analyse procurement related information across all public authorities.