Tenders and Grants Complaints Procedures
Funding and Procurement Complaints Procedures
This page provides information about the procedures for making complaints regarding funding and procurement processes
Introduction
The Department of Health and Ageing’s (DoHA) role is to achieve the Australian Government’s priorities for health and ageing. In order to achieve these priorities DoHA invests a substantial amount of Commonwealth monies in programs via a range of procurement and funding activities.In order to ensure administrative transparency the Department has a fair, equitable and non-discriminatory complaints handling procedure.
This document provides guidance to participants in a procurement or funding process as to the procedure for lodging a complaint about either of those processes.
Process for lodgement
Should an organisation or individual wish to lodge a dispute or complaint about a procurement or funding process they should do so by advising in writing the Departmental Contact Officer for that process. The complainant should provide details of the basis upon which the dispute or complaint is being lodged, including:- a clear statement as to what the complainant considers was defective in the tendering/funding process;
- copies of, or references to, evidence of information to support the complaint; and
- a statement as to what the complainant wishes to achieve from the complaint process.
The Departmental Contact Officer, and his or her manager will attempt to resolve the matter.
The Department will advise the complainant of the decision in writing within a reasonable timeframe, which will usually be within 15 working days of receiving all written correspondence relating to a complaint.
If the complainant is not satisfied with the Department’s response then the complainant may seek an independent internal Department review of the complaint.
The internal review officer will promptly notify the complainant in writing to advise of their appointment and the expected time frame for making the internal review decision. The notice will also include any request for further information that may be required to conduct the review. The complainant will be given no less than 15 working days to provide any further information unless the matter is urgent.
The internal review officer will notify the complainant in writing of the decision within the timeframe specified in the original notice.
Where the complainant is not satisfied with the Department’s response, they may lodge a complaint with the Commonwealth Ombudsman.