ODA

Question

block. In my questions to DFAT at estimates on 12 February this year, I sought details on the nature of the July 2025 breach of DFAT's ODA related tender process, including the programs that related to the value of the contracts, the tenderers involved in this breach and the outcome of the breach. The response I received to question on notice No. 260 specified two programs where tenderers were excluded from consideration but provided neither the names of the tenderers nor the specific causes for exclusion. So I'm asking: what was the information provided in their tenders that led DFAT to conclude a 'real or perceived conflict of interest', and what are the criteria applied to arrive at this conclusion? Ms Cohen: Thank you for your question referring to those breaches that were responded to in the question on notice. The information, which I think I gave in my evidence when we spoke about this at the last session, was that the tender submission referred to a DFAT officer's name and therefore that was a breach of the conditions to declare any potential conflict of interest. Senator BARBARA POCOCK: That's one criteria for arriving at that kind of conclusion. Are there other criteria other than specifically naming, or clearly indicating, that you've got a prior relationship that's inappropriate to be relying on? I assume that's what that's about. Ms Cohen: Yes, that's right. There are a number of things that we ask the tenderers to complete-a number of conditions that we ask them to attest to. That would include things like conflict of interest or other potential confidentiality breaches or obligations. It's those kinds of things that we're looking for, and it's quite a detailed list that we check-that all of the tenders have conformed and attested to that sort of information. I don't have the full list here with me, but I could provide that on notice.

Answer

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Documents

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