Under State Purchasing Policy, the Director General of Education, Training and the Arts is required to issue agency-specific purchasing procedures that govern conduct of purchasing within the department.
The department conducts purchasing activities with utmost probity. Purchasing is conducted ethically, honestly and with fairness to all participants. Appropriate records are maintained to ensure transparency of the process and to provide evidence of accountability. The department's purchasing officers are appropriately trained and understand their obligations and responsibilities in respect of the use of public money.
All purchases that utilise funds contained in department or school bank accounts are subject to specific responsibilities regardless of the source of those funds, including, for example, funds collected from students, parents and fundraising activities.
Dealing with suppliers requires distinct delegations to be exercised:
Purchasing delegations and expenditure delegations cannot be exercised by the same person except in the case of Corporate Card.
The Director-General of Education, Training and the Arts delegates authority for purchasing activities to officers who have completed the appropriate training or purchasing certification. If an officer with a delegation vacates a position, the next appointee does not assume the delegation until they have obtained training or certification. It is not delegated directly to a position.
| Purchasing Delegations for Purchases | Purchasing Training or Certification |
| Up to $20,000: | Department's internal purchasing training package; OR Queensland Purchasing Level 1 Certification. |
| Between $20,000 and $100,000: | Department's internal purchasing training package; OR Queensland Purchasing Level 2 Certification. |
| Over $100,000 to $250,000: | Staff within Strategic Procurement Section or Facilities Services Branch with Queensland Purchasing Level 3 Purchasing Certification at a minimum. |
| Over $250,000 (but not Significant): | Staff within Strategic Procurement Section or Facilities Services Branch who have Queensland Purchasing Level 4 Purchasing Certification at a minimum. |
| Generally in excess of $1M or High Risk (Significant) | Staff within Strategic Procurement Section or Facilities Services Branch with Queensland Purchasing Level 4 Purchasing Certification at a minimum. |
Purchases can be made from competitively neutral commercialised business units of the Crown (e.g. SDS) up to $100,000 without need for a competitive quote process.
The department achieves value for money while ensuring openness and accountability by following minimum procedural thresholds:
Exemption from requirement to seek competitive tenders
| Value of Procurement | Exemption from Competitive Tender Requirements* |
| Purchases up to $100,000: | Assistant Directors-General, Central Office Directors, Regional Executive Directors and Principals may grant exemption when:
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| Purchases over $100,000: | Assistant Directors-General may grant an exemption:
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| * Decision to grant an exemption is recorded for audit purposes and approving delegate ensures reasons for exemption sufficiently justify department 's actions and satisfy State Purchasing Policy requirements. | |
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© The State of Queensland (Department of Education and Training) 2006.