Many small to medium businesses see local councils as a potential source of revenue but just don't know where to start.

Whilst all councils are different, certain things are always the same:

• The Procurement Policy is on their website.
• They must publicly tender goods and services where the value is greater than $150,000 or works where the value is greater than $200,000.

Tenders for CommonGround and serveral other councils are listed at eVALUA.

The State Government lists tenders at Tenders VIC and provides some sound tools and advice. The federal government tenders are listed at AusTender.

Additionally, the Department of Planning and Community Development provides a site that assists in understanding local goverment procurement methods and proveds a core reference for people seeking to engage local government in the future. It can be found at Local Government Procurement eHub.

Paid sites such as Tenders.net and TenderSearch also provide valuable leads. If desired, a fee can be paid to be notified of suitable tenders.

Some councils maintain preferred suppliers lists. If making contact with a council for the first time it is a sensible question to ask, "Do you have a preferred supplier list, and if so, what do I need to do to get on it?"

Many council purchases only require a quote, which does not need to be publically advertised. In these cases make yourself known to officers so you can be invited to quote.

This can involve a considerable investment in time and effort and relies upon a need arising whilst you are still 'front of mind'. Ensure you prepare a relevant brief for them on the capabilities of your company and email or mail this to the relevant officer/s. Follow up periodically as you want to be on hand when the need arises, but not so often that you become a nuisance.

When responding to a tender it's vital to adress all the requirements. If not, tenders are listed as non-compliant and usually don't progress regardless of how good or bad the offer is.

It is not advisable to approach councillors directly as they need to be mindful about conflicts of interest.

In you are interested in doing business with CommonGround City Council, please contact its Economic Development Unit on 9999 1111.