Procurement and Contract Management Profession

The Procurement and Contract Management Profession is building an enduring professional workforce for the Australian Public Service.

Join this Profession

 

Contents

The Procurement and Contract Management Profession recognises procurement and contract management as a critical area of expertise; it offers professional development opportunities and is outlining career pathways to support a dynamic and proficient APS workforce.

The Procurement and Contract Management Profession brings together government officials to collaborate with peers and network with industry and government experts, helping grow a dedicated and engaged community that delivers better outcomes for the government, businesses, and Australian community.  

Who is this Profession suitable for?

Employees involved in procurement or contract management, including those who are new to the field, building their skills, or supporting, leading, or overseeing procurement and contract management activities.

Benefits of joining this Profession

  • Regular updates from experts and senior leaders detailing policy updates and new initiatives in procurement and contract management.
  • Events with guest speakers from government, professional associations and industry experts.
  • In-person networking opportunities encouraging peer dialogue and sharing of innovative practices.

Heads of the Procurement and Contract Management Profession

Julia Pickworth, Deputy Secretary, Industry and Commercialisation Group, Department of Industry, Science and Resources and Marisa Purvis-Smith, Deputy Secretary, Commercial Group, Department of Finance work together as Co-Heads of the Profession, bringing Commonwealth procurement expertise and industry experience to strengthen procurement and contract management capability across the APS.

Procurement and Contract Management Profession Strategy

The Procurement and Contract Management Profession Strategy sets out a clear vision for building a professional, skilled and adaptive workforce across the public service. It outlines practical initiatives to strengthen capability, create structured career pathways and enhance the professionalisation of procurement and contract management. 

The strategy creates a plan to attract, develop and retain specialist talent. This helps ensure best-practice government delivery and addresses the increasing demands of public procurement and contract management.

Work

APS Jobs
The APS Jobs website serves as a central platform for exploring careers within the Australian Public Service (APS). It provides job search tools, highlights career pathways, and shares general information about working for the APS.
APS Mobility Opportunities
The APS Mobility Framework promotes temporary moves across agencies and sectors, helping employees build skills, expand networks, support priority work and strengthen a connected, agile One APS culture.

People

Resources

Courses

Achieving value for money
This course provides a discussion on value for money, what that means and how it applies when conducting procurement and contract management activities.
Broader Economic Benefits
The Australian Government is committed to building a stronger, more prosperous and resilient economy where Australian businesses can be competitive on a domestic and international level. In this course you will learn about the range of measures that are in place to promote domestic economic growth through procurement.
Commercial Negotiation
​This course is designed to provide practical strategies and tools for navigating commercial negotiations within the Commonwealth Procurement Framework.
Commonwealth Procurement and Contract Management Microlearning Suite
​The Commonwealth Procurement and Contract Management Microlearning Suite is a new initiative designed to help APS officials build practical, actionable knowledge and skills in procurement and contract management.
Contract Management Basics eLearning
This course introduces the essentials of contract management, including the roles, tools, techniques, and methods contract managers use to add value. Participants examine key aspects of managing contracts and obtaining better performance and relationships with contractors and suppliers.
Contract Management in Practice
​This course includes management of the resulting contract to deliver value for money outcomes.
CPR Exemptions and Conditions for Limited Tender
This course provides APS officials with information necessary for applying CPR Exemptions and Conditions for Limited Tender.
Debriefing in Procurement
Debriefing is the process of providing feedback to tenderers after a procurement activity. Debriefing can enhance supplier relationships, promote transparency and accountability, and foster learning and improvement.  
Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy – Combined Procurements
​This course provides Australian Public Service procuring officials with a practical overview of the Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy and its application to combined procurements. Combined procurements are Construction Services procurements with a total estimated procurement value of $7.5 million that includes one or more Products categories with an estimated value of $1 million or more.
Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy – Construction Services
This learning experience provides Australian Public Service procuring officials with a practical overview of the Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy and its application to Construction Services procurements with a total estimated procurement value of $7.5 million or more.
Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy – Products
​This learning experience provides Australian Public Service procuring officials with a practical overview of the Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy and its application to Products procurements with a total estimated procurement value of $1 million or more.
Evaluating Tenders
This course equips staff with practical skills to evaluate tenders effectively, covering evaluation criteria, scoring, probity, value for money, panel roles and procurement decision-making
Exercising Procurement Delegations
​This course is a high-level overview of the procurement framework as it relates to non-SES delegates. It expands on the roles and responsibilities of non-SES delegates when making decisions and approving procurement activities.
Indigenous Procurement Policy
The primary purpose of the IPP is to stimulate Indigenous entrepreneurship, business and economic development.
Probity and Integrity in Procurement
​This course outlines how government funds are under constant scrutiny and uses real examples to demonstrate instances of poor management and decision-making by APS in the Procurement Lifecycle.  
Procurement and Contract Management Basics
Procurement and Contract Management Basics aims to provide APS employees with an introduction to Commonwealth procurement and fundamental knowledge and skills essential for contract management.
Procurement Basics eLearning
​This course advances procurement capability across the APS; to deliver value for money outcomes from Commonwealth procurement activities; and ensure APS officials understand and acquit their obligations in line with Commonwealth procurement requirements.
Procurement for SES Delegates
​This course is a high-level overview of the procurement lifecycle and provides guidance to SES delegates on their role and responsibilities in each phase, from planning through to contract management.
Procurement in Practice

This is a hands-on practical course. Participants use case studies and scenario-based simulations to plan and conduct procurement from phase 1 to 3 of the Procurement Lifecycle.

Procurement-connected Policies
The Procurement-connected Policies course provides APS officials with a basic understanding of procurement connected policies (PCPs) and their use in the procurement lifecycle.
​Industry Engagement and Market Research
​This course provides strategies and techniques to conduct market research and manage industry engagement whilst maintaining fairness and integrity.
​Procurement Risk Management 
Consistent with the scope, complexity and scale of a procurement activity, identifying and engaging with risk ensures risk management principles are applied systematically to a procurement activity.
​Using Panels
This course provides clarity around panels and standing offers in Australian Government procurement. It provides an overview of requirements, and when and how to use relevant panels.
Commonwealth Procurement and Contract Management Training Suite
This program aims to build the procurement and contracting capabilities of the Australian Public Service as the Commonwealth seeks to deliver more strategic value for money outcomes when undertaking the purchase of goods and services.
Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy Program
​The Environmentally Sustainable Procurement (ESP) Policy Program is a suite of courses providing Australian Public Service procuring officials with a practical overview of the ESP Policy and its application to relevant procurements.

What's New

Upcoming Events / Course - Sessions

Commercial negotiation - September

Date
Location
Australia wide (Virtual)
This course is delivered on 29/09/2026 by face-to-screen, consisting of one 4-hour session.
Department of Finance Commercial negotiation thumbnail image
All upcoming sessions
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