Handling Complaints

Principles

1. The CPRs outline the principles agencies are required to apply when dealing with tenderers’ complaints.
2. To minimise or avoid supplier complaints, agencies should:
   • ensure clarity of tender documentation;
   • provide sufficient time to allow potential tenderers to prepare and lodge a response to an approach to the market;
   • ensure that tender rules and the evaluation plan are followed; and
   • ensure that insurance and liability capping requirements are appropriate for the procurement before the process begins.
3. Effective complaints handling:
• provides transparency and accountability; and
• promotes application of robust and defensible actions in future procurement processes.
4. Agencies should place complaints handling procedures on the internet and refer to them in request documentation.
5. Agencies should try to resolve complaints in accordance with the agency's complaint handling procedure and should document the complaint and any action taken including their response.