Our commitment to fair procurement
We're bound by Commonwealth Procurement Rules when procuring goods or services. The Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018 created an independent complaint process that ensures we adhere to those rules and always follow fair procurement practices.
If you're aware of a violation of these rules within IP Australia, you can submit a complaint.
You can submit a written complaint by contacting us online. Your complaint should include:
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your name, supplier business name, ABN, address, phone and email
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details of the procurement including the service, estimated contract value, relevant times and dates, AusTender ID and UNSPSC code (if known)
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a detailed statement of all relevant events and facts
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a factual and concise outline of your complaint and the relevant rules that you believe have been breached
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the resolution you're seeking
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any other information, documents or evidence to support your complaint.
What happens next
Once your complaint has been received:
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we'll contact you and let you know action is being taken
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an authority will be appointed to undertake a formal investigation
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all procurements will be suspended during the investigation, unless a public interest certificate is in place.
When the formal investigation has been completed, we'll notify you about the outcome.
Our commitment to the Commonwealth Child Safe Framework
We are committed to ensuring that IP Australia is a safe place not just for children and young people but for all vulnerable people as everyone has the right to feel safe and be protected from harm and abuse.
As a result, we have extended the operation of the Commonwealth Child Safe Framework (CCSF) to include all vulnerable people, to ensure that all vulnerable people are protected if they are onsite or are otherwise interacting with IP Australia. We consider a ‘vulnerable person’ to be a person under the age of 18 or an individual aged 18 years and above who is, or who IP Australia reasonably determines, may be unable to take care of themselves, or is unable to protect themselves against harm or exploitation by reason of age, illness, trauma or disability, or for any other reason.
Our commitment to the protection of vulnerable people requires us to adhere to various legislation, policies and standards. All IP Australia employees and contractors are expected to treat vulnerable people with respect and act in accordance with the APS Code of Conduct and APS Values.
We are compliant with the 4 CCSF requirements and remain committed to continuous improvement. We will continue to identify and implement measures that strengthen our practices, ensure the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable people and support ongoing compliance and alignment with the CCSF.
At IP Australia, personnel may have direct or indirect contact with vulnerable people.
This interaction may include:
- IP Australia contractors or employees who are vulnerable people
- ad-hoc contact (for example, a vulnerable person onsite during school holidays, visiting the on-site cafe, attending staff events or using the carers room, children attending the on-site child care centre)
- vulnerable persons contacting IP Australia’s reception desk or Contact Centre
- mentoring opportunities
- contact through our website or social media accounts
- contact through recruitment activities
- contracts with suppliers
- work experience students and/or school groups visiting IP Australia.
We completed our annual risk assessment in October 2025 in accordance with the Commonwealth Child Safety Framework (CCSF). The assessment determined the overall risk of harm to vulnerable people is low, with effective controls and treatment strategies in place.
The review identified that while most roles at IP Australia do not involve direct contact with vulnerable people, there are occasional circumstances where such interactions may occur. Our commitment to flexible work arrangements have further reduced the likelihood of contact with vulnerable people.
We remain committed to regularly reviewing our risk profile and ensuring that risks to vulnerable people are effectively managed.
Our stance on modern slavery
We believe there's no place for modern slavery in the community or in the global supply chains of Australian goods and services.
The Commonwealth Modern Slavery Act 2018 (the Act) established a national Modern Slavery Reporting Requirement (Reporting Requirement) which has be enforced since 1 January 2019.
The reporting requirement helps us identify and address modern slavery risks and maintain responsible and transparent supply chains.
What is modern slavery?
Modern slavery describes situations where offenders use coercion, threats or deception to exploit victims and undermine their freedom.
Modern slavery:
- can occur in every industry and sector
- has severe consequences for victims
- distorts global markets and undercuts responsible business
- can pose significant legal and reputational risks to entities.