What's in a name? The new Commonwealth Procurement Rules

Key Points:

Commonwealth agencies need to familiarise themselves with the revised Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines.

The Department of Finance and Deregulation has revised the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines (CPGs), with the new Commonwealth Procurement Rules (CPRs) to come into effect on 1 July 2012.

This article outlines the changes to Commonwealth procurement effected by the new CPRs and the changes they introduce.

The CPRs are intended to update and clarify the existing CPGs and streamline procurement procedures for Commonwealth Agencies. The CPRs also focus on whole-of-government arrangements, notably co-ordinated procurement. While the core framework remains largely unchanged, the CPRs clarify requirements for the conduct of Commonwealth procurement activities.