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Learn about the Social Procurement Framework requirements for TAFE projects

Policy overview

The Social Procurement Framework (SPF) applies to all procurement activities undertaken by Victorian Government departments and agencies, including TAFEs.

The framework focuses on incorporating social and sustainable values into procurement activities to achieve the Victorian Government’s social procurement objectives and outcomes.

Project requirements

Project requirements under the SPF vary depending on its dollar value, regardless of the funding source. Projects must also be further classified as either regional or metropolitan orstate-wide.

During procurement planning, you may be required to develop a social procurement plan if the project is valued over $20m. Smaller sized projects should also include Victorian Government social procurement objectives and outcomes within any general procurement planning. This will help you to:

understand responsibilities when approaching the market, and
ensure that the tender documentation outlines the requirements of tenderers under the SPF.

To ensure social procurement requirements are met, active contract management must be undertaken throughout project delivery. This includes liaising with contractors to supply relevant information as well as measuring and recording this information throughout project delivery. Specific measuring and reporting requirements can be found in section 7.2 of the Social Procurement Framework.

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Organisational social procurement obligations

TAFEs are encouraged to either develop an internal social procurement policy or incorporate social and sustainable procurement objectives into internal procurement policies.

For projects of any value, the SPF should be addressed in procurement planning, even if there are no specific requirements for that project under the SPF.

Project value under $20m

Regional projects under $1m and metropolitan or state-wide projects under $3m

If the project is regional and has a project value less than $1m, or is metropolitan or state-wide with a project value less than $3m, you are:

required to incorporate SPF objectives and outcomes into regular procurement planning, and
encouraged to seek opportunities, where available, to directly or indirectly procure from social enterprises, Australian Disability Enterprises or Aboriginal businesses. It is recommended that these objectives and opportunities be addressed during the initial planning stages of the procurement phase.

Regional projects between $1m and $20m and metropolitan or state-wide projects between $3m and $20m

If the project is regional and has a project value greater than $1m and less than $20m, or is metropolitan or state-wide with a project value between $3m and $20m, you are required to:

incorporate SPF objectives and outcomes into regular procurement planning. This is a project planning requirement under the SPF, and
use evaluation criteria (5 to 10 per cent weighting) to favour businesses whose practices support social and sustainable procurement objectives. Further guidance on SPF criteria and evaluation is available. For further guidance on the appropriate SPF weighting range to apply to the evaluation, contact your OTCD representative.

Project value between $20m and $50m

If the project has a project value greater than $20m and less than $50m, you are required to:

complete a social procurement plan during procurement planning. This is a project planning requirement under the SPF
include performance standards and contract requirements that facilitate social and sustainable procurement objectives, and
use evaluation criteria (5 to 10 per cent weighting) to favour businesses whose practices support social and sustainable procurement objectives. Further guidance on SPF criteria and evaluation is available. For further guidance on the appropriate SPF weighting range to apply to the evaluation, contact your representative at the OTCD.

Project value greater than $50m

If the project has a capital value greater than $50m, you are required to:

complete a social procurement plan during procurement planning. This is a project planning requirement under the SPF
include targets and contract requirements that facilitate social and sustainable procurement objectives. These targets are measurable outcomes, as opposed to non-measurable performance standards required for projects valued between $20m and $50m, and
use evaluation criteria (5 to 10 per cent weighting) to favour businesses whose practices support social and sustainable procurement objectives. Further guidance on SPF criteria and evaluation is available. For further guidance on the appropriate SPF weighting range to apply to your evaluation, contact your OTCD representative.

Other project requirements

Each TAFE is required to prepare a social procurement strategy, in line with table 4 of the SPF. This will form part of the project planning process during procurement.

The Buying for Victoria website has templates to support social procurement strategy.

Annual reporting

As TAFEs are subject to the Financial Management Act Standing Directions, each TAFE must report on social procurement activities in their annual reports.

To support the TAFE’s required social procurement activities reporting, you should measure outputs throughout the year, such as:

number of social enterprises, Australian Disability Enterprises and Aboriginal businesses the TAFE engages with, and the total spend with these organisations
proportion of suppliers that offer family violence leave, and
proportion of suppliers with environmentally sustainable practices.

Reporting through project delivery

During project delivery, you will need to work with suppliers to gain information on:

employment and training opportunities the supplier provides for disadvantaged Victorians, and
proportion of supplier personnel by gender and with a disability. This information, as well as information on any other social procurement project targets, should form part of the detailed evaluation criteria for evaluating bids. Furthermore, these targets should be incorporated in contract documentation to ensure SPF compliance is contractually enforceable. To ensure these contractual targets are met, you may require suppliers to provide this information in the form of a monthly report, which will also support internal project reporting requirements.

In accordance with the SPF, you should ensure suppliers meet and exceed minimum expectations as outlined in the state’s suppliers code of conduct.

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Updated 31 December 2025

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Policy overview

Project requirements

Regional projects under $1m and metropolitan or state-wide projects under $3m

Regional projects between $1m and $20m and metropolitan or state-wide projects between $3m and $20m

Annual reporting

Reporting through project delivery

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Social procurement framework

Policy overview

Project requirements

Regional projects under $1m and metropolitan or state-wide projects under $3m

Regional projects between $1m and $20m and metropolitan or state-wide projects between $3m and $20m

Annual reporting

Reporting through project delivery

I need to:

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