1. Purpose

1.1 This policy outlines the University’s approach to the principles, standards, and expectations that govern all procurement activities. It ensures that the sourcing and acquisition of goods and services is conducted in a manner that is fair, transparent, and efficient, while delivering value for money and adhering to applicable legal and regulatory obligations.

1.2 This policy is consistent with the University’s requirements under the Queensland Procurement Policy (QPP). Should inconsistencies exist between this policy and legislated provisions the latter prevails to the extent of the inconsistency.

1.3 This policy must be read in conjunction with the linked Procurement – Procedures.

2. Scope and application

2.1 This policy applies to:

(a) all University staff, students, contractors and third parties acting on behalf of the University;

(b) all University expenditure, regardless of funding source (e.g., operational, capital, research, or other grant funding), when the University is the purchaser of goods, services, or works; and

(c) establishment of procurement arrangements, including government arrangements, sector-wide agreements, supplier panels, consortia agreements, and University-endorsed digital marketplaces.

2.2 This policy does not apply to:

(a) grant transactions when the University is the recipient or provider of research or philanthropic grants which are managed in accordance with Internal Research Grants Schemes – Guideline (login required), Externally Funded Research – Academic Policy, Learning and Teaching Grants, Awards and Fellowships - Academic Policy, and Sponsorship – Operational Policy;

(b) property transactions, including purchase, sale, lease, or license of land or buildings, which are managed in accordance with the Property Acquisition - Procedures;

(c) non-addressable spend including statutory payments, taxes, insurance premiums, council rates.

(d) memberships and accreditations for professional associations;

(e) engagement of staff through University payroll (including casual or sessional employment); or

(f) payments made to students, including but not limited to scholarships, bursaries, and practicum or placement payments.

3. Definitions

3.1 Refer to the University’s Glossary of Terms for definitions as they specifically relate to policy documents.

Acquisition refers to the procurement end-to-end process of obtaining goods and services, from identifying a need through to receiving and paying for the deliverables. It encompasses all procurement phases including planning, sourcing, contract award, ordering, delivery, and contract close-out. Acquisition focuses on the completion of the transaction and fulfilment of the requirement, including financial, legal, and logistical aspects.

Buying guide refers to an endorsed instructional tool that provides category-specific direction on how to engage a particular established procurement arrangement. It outlines the approved sourcing pathway, value thresholds, required documentation, evaluation expectations.

Established procurement arrangements refers to pre-existing supplier arrangements that the University is authorised to use. These include Queensland Government Common-Use Supply Arrangements (CUSAs), Standing Offer Arrangements (SOAs), supplier panels, sector or consortia agreements, and University-endorsed digital marketplaces. These arrangements provide pre-agreed terms, pricing, and conditions and must be used in the first instance where applicable.

Non-addressable spend refers to categories of expenditure that are not subject to procurement influence or commercial levers due to their inherent nature or constraints. This includes payments that are statutory, regulatory, or non-discretionary in nature, such as taxes, government charges, insurance premiums, and court-ordered payments. It also includes student-related transfers such as scholarships, bursaries, or stipends, as well as internal transfers, grants, and legacy contractual commitments that cannot be renegotiated.

Purchasing refers to the operational process of raising and approving purchase orders (POs), confirming budget availability, and initiating payment for goods or services in line with an approved contract or sourcing outcome

Shared value refers to procurement and commercial practices that create mutual benefit for the University and the wider community by contributing to the Queensland Procurement Policy’s (QPP) purposeful public procurement outcomes. This includes using the University’s purchasing power to support local workforces and suppliers, strengthen regional supply chains, increase opportunities for small, family and medium businesses, Indigenous and social enterprises, improve environmental outcomes, and encourage inclusive employment practices, all while achieving value for money and meeting the University’s operational requirement.

Sourcing refers to the process of identifying, evaluating, and selecting suppliers to meet the University’s requirements for goods, services, or works. It includes all activities from defining the need, developing procurement strategies, conducting market engagement (such as tenders or quotes), assessing responses, and awarding contracts.

Value for money refers to obtaining the best possible outcome from the resources available, considering both financial and non-financial factors. It requires assessing whole-of-life costs and benefits, quality, fitness for purpose, risk, sustainability, supplier capability, and opportunities to create shared value, rather than focusing solely on the lowest price.

4. Policy statement

4.1 The University’s approach to procurement is guided by two defining value commitments:

(a) shared value whereby procurement exists to deliver social, environmental, and organisational impact for success; and

(b) value for money whereby all procurement decisions are directed through a balanced consideration of cost, quality, risk, and broader outcomes over the full lifecycle of the intended arrangement.

4.2 These commitments shape a procurement function that is strategic by design and essential to the delivery of the University’s teaching, research, innovation, and community impact. As a Queensland statutory body, the University complies with the Queensland Procurement Policy (QPP) and applies its principles to drive responsible, transparent, and outcome-focused procurement.

4.3 Procurement is a shared responsibility, all staff involved in procurement, whether identifying needs, approving spend, or managing contracts and supplier relationships, are accountable for upholding procurement standards, managing risk, and contributing to ethical and sustainable outcomes.

5. Principles

5.1

The University has implemented four procurement principles that reflect its commitment to public value, ethical conduct, and institutional impact. They give practical effect to the QPP by guiding all procurement activity to deliver value for money, uphold integrity and transparency, and enable economic, social, and environmental outcomes.

5.2 Principle 1: Achieve value for money

5.2.1 All procurement decisions must consider whole-of-life value, including quality, fitness for purpose, risk, sustainability, and broader impact.

5.3 Principle 2: Behave ethically, and embed integrity, probity and accountability in all procurement

5.3.1 Procurement is undertaken with integrity and openness, ensuring every decision is fair, transparent, and inspires confidence among community, suppliers and stakeholders.

5.4 Principle 3: Collaborate for more effective outcomes

5.4.1 The University engages collaboratively to maximise value, support integrated planning, partnering and leveraging government, sector and industry best practice.

5.5 Principle 4: Embed strong governance and planning

5.5.1 Procurement is underpinned by clear governance, informed decision-making, and integrated planning proportionate to value and risk.

6. Strategic procurement framework

6.1

The strategic procurement framework recognises that procurement is an enabler of the University’s strategic objectives and is integral to achieving value for money and shared value outcomes. The Director, Strategic Procurement and Major Contracts is responsible for the administration of the strategic procurement framework.

6.2 The University’s strategic procurement framework is documented in Figure 1.

Figure 1 – Strategic Procurement Framework

6.3 Key components of the strategic procurement framework

6.3.1 Guiding value commitments

6.3.1.1 The strategic procurement framework is guided by two value commitments which define the University’s intentions for all procurement activity:

(a) Value for money is our compass – procurement is guided by sound, risk-aware, and whole-of-life purchasing decisions that optimise outcomes beyond price alone.

(b) Shared value is our existence – procurement exists to deliver social, environmental, and institutional impact, strengthening the University’s role in the community and society.

6.3.2 Pillars

6.3.2.1 The framework is supported by five strategic pillars which build enterprise procurement capability and maturity:

(a) proactive engagement and planning – aligning procurement activity with strategic and budget priorities from the outset;

(b) digital tooling and automation – embedding efficient systems to streamline processes, provide transparency, and enable data-driven oversight;

(c) governance and Procurement Leadership Group – strengthening accountability and decision-making across significant procurement activity;

(d) spend for good – in line with QPPs Purposeful Public Procurement. Leveraging procurement to deliver social, environmental, and community benefits, ensuring procurement actively contributes to the University’s shared value commitments; and

(e) clarity of roles and responsibilities – ensuring staff and decision-makers understand their obligations, delegations, and accountabilities.

6.3.3 Foundations

6.3.3.1 The framework is underpinned by five functional enablers which support consistency and capability across the University:

(a) policy and process – which establishes clear principles, procedures, standards and supporting artefacts to support clarity, confidence and consistency to every procurement decision;

(b) supplier and partner engagement - which builds constructive relationships with suppliers to enable collaboration, innovation, and delivery of shared outcomes;

(c) capability and training - which ensures staff involved in procurement have the skills, knowledge, and professional support required to carry out their responsibilities effectively;

(d) performance tracking and improvements - which monitors procurement and supplier outcomes, identifying lessons learned, and embedding continuous improvement in practices and processes; and

(e) data-driven decision making - which leverages analytics, spend data, and market intelligence to inform strategy, planning, risk assessment, and decision-making across all procurement activities.

6.3.4 Core values

6.3.4.1 The strategic procurement framework is grounded in the University’s core values. In the context of procurement, these values enable the expression and reinforcement of desired behaviours and provide the ethical foundation for the University’s procurement principles. Accordingly:

(a) integrity is expressed through ethical, impartial, transparent, and accountable procurement practices, and reinforced by the principles of upholding ethics, integrity and accountability and embedding strong governance and planning;

(b) sustainability is expressed through procurement decisions that consider whole-of-life value and long-term impacts and reinforced by the principles of championing responsible procurement and delivering value for money; and

(c) community is expressed through partnerships and outcomes that extend benefits beyond the University and reinforced by the principles of collaborating for better outcomes and leading in procurement practice.

7. Procurement end-to-end process

7.1 The University’s procurement principles are implemented through a structured, procurement end-to-end process documented in Diagram 2 – Procurement end-to-end process. This process is designed to ensure that all procurement activity:

(a) delivers value for money;

(b) upholds integrity and transparency;

(c) supports the University’s strategic and operational objectives.

7.2 The procurement end-to-end process is structured in 3 phases:

(a) plan-to-strategy (P2S) defines the business need, aligns with strategic and budget priorities, confirms requirements, assesses risk, and identifies required procurement approach;

(b) source-to-contract (S2C) covers the formalisation of supply arrangements through market processes or existing contracts, panels, or established procurement arrangements. Ensures transparency, probity, and value for money in supplier engagement and contract establishment; and

(c) purchase-to-pay (P2P) covers the operational and lifecycle activities to fulfil the procurement, including requisitioning, receipting, compliance checks, supplier performance management, variations, and close-out.

7.3 The procurement process aligns with the University’s contract lifecycle management (CLM) model. The 3 procurement phases correspond to the following CLM stages with:

(a) plan-to-strategy (P2S) corresponding to Phase 0: pre-award;

(b) source-to-contract (S2C) corresponding to Phase 1: contract set-up; and

(c) purchase-to-pay (P2P) corresponding with Phase 2: contract management, and Phase 3: contract close-out.

7.4 All contracts, arising from procurement, are subject to governance, risk, performance, and close-out requirements proportionate to value and risk, in accordance with the Contract Management – Operational Policy and Procedures.

Diagram 2: Procurement End-to-End Process

8. Monitoring and reporting

8.1

The University monitors procurement activity to ensure the policy principles and expectations are being applied consistently, proportionately, and transparently across the procurement lifecycle.

8.2 Regular reporting is provided to the Procurement Leadership Group (PLG), which operates in accordance with the approved Terms of Reference.

8.3 Additional reporting can be provided to the Executive, Audit and Risk Management Committee, Planning and Resource Committee or Council in accordance with their respective Terms of Reference.

9. Authorities and responsibilities

9.1 As the Approval Authority, Vice-Chancellor and President approves this policy in accordance with the University of the Sunshine Coast Act 1998 (Qld).

9.2 As the Responsible Executive Member the Chief Financial Officer can approve procedures and guidelines to operationalise this policy. All procedures and guidelines must be compatible with the provisions of this policy.

9.3 As the Designated Officer the Director, Strategic Procurement & Major Contracts can approve associated documents to support the application of this policy. All associated documents must be compatible with the provisions of the policy.

9.4 This policy operates from the last amended date, with all previous iterations of policy on procurement are replaced and no longer operating from this date.

9.5 All records relating to procurement must be stored and managed in accordance with the Records Management - Procedures.

9.6 This policy must be maintained in accordance with the University Policy Documents – Procedures and reviewed on a standard 5-year policy review cycle.

9.7 Any exception to this policy to enable a more appropriate result must be approved in accordance with the University Policy Documents – Procedures prior to deviation from the policy.

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