Probity

What is Probity in Procurement?

Probity refers to the ethical standards of honesty, fairness, transparency, and accountability that Australian government agencies must maintain throughout every procurement process. It ensures that public money is spent properly, all suppliers are treated equitably, and procurement decisions can withstand scrutiny.

Key Principles of Probity

Probity in Australian government procurement is built on several core principles:

• Fairness — all suppliers receive the same information, the same opportunity to ask questions, and are assessed against the same criteria
• Transparency — the process, Evaluation Criteria, and decision rationale are documented and can be explained
• Impartiality — evaluators must not have a Conflict of Interest or any bias towards or against particular suppliers
• Confidentiality — tender responses are kept confidential and not shared between competing suppliers
• Accountability — decisions are documented and defensible under review or audit

How is Probity Maintained?

Agencies use several mechanisms to ensure probity:

• Probity advisers — independent advisers engaged for high-value or sensitive procurements to oversee the process
• Probity plans — documented procedures that evaluation teams must follow
• Conflict of interest declarations — evaluators must declare and manage any conflicts
• Secure document handling — tender responses are stored securely and accessed only by authorised personnel
• Evaluation records — detailed scoring and rationale are documented for each response

What Happens When Probity is Breached?

Probity breaches can result in:

• The procurement being suspended or cancelled
• Legal challenges from disadvantaged suppliers
• Audit findings and reputational damage for the agency
• In serious cases, disciplinary action or criminal prosecution for individuals involved

Tips for Tenderers

• Do not contact evaluation panel members — all communication must go through the nominated contact officer.
• Declare any conflicts of interest in your response.
• Report suspected breaches — if you become aware of information leaks or unfair treatment, raise it formally.