Whole-of-Australian-Government Travel Services
The Whole-of-Australian-Government (WoAG) travel arrangements are coordinated procurements established by the Department of Finance and Deregulation (Finance) and, in accordance with Section 3 of the Commonwealth Procurement Rules - 1 July 2012, are mandatory for all agencies subject to the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (FMA Act). Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 (CAC Act) bodies can opt in to the arrangements with the agreement of Finance.
The WoAG travel arrangements enable aggregation of government purchasing power to obtain better pricing and value for money outcomes, and reduce the administrative cost of procurement activities for agencies and suppliers. The WoAG travel arrangements are also designed to promote simplicity and efficiency for official travel. The Suppliers to WoAG Travel Arrangements were appointed through open approach to market tender processes in two tranches:
- Phase 1 — comprising separate tenders for domestic air, international air travel management services (in operation since July 2010); and
- Phase 2 — comprising three separate tenders for car rental services, accommodation program management services, and travel and related card services (commenced on 2 July 2012 and are currently being implemented).
WoAG Travel Arrangements
Travel Management Companies (Phase 1)
Agencies must book air travel through the panel of travel management companies (TMCs) appointed under the WoAG arrangements. Each agency has appointed their own TMC from that panel. The TMCs can assist with all domestic and international airline bookings, together with domestic accommodation and car rental bookings.
Domestic and International Airlines (Phase 1)
As part of the Phase1 tender processes, the Australian Government negotiated a range of competitive discounted airfares on domestic and international routes that can only be booked through the TMCs.
Travel and Related Card Services (Phase 2)
The travel and related card services will provide an accountable, transparent and efficient means for the payment of official airfare, accommodation and rental car expenses. The WoAG travel arrangements will also provide agencies with a broadly accepted card‑in‑hand that agencies can provide to travellers for meals and incidentals, and general purchasing expenditure. The contract for travel and related card services commenced on 2 July 2012, and agencies are intended to transition to the new arrangements during 2012-13.
Accommodation Program Management Services (Phase 2)
The Accommodation Program Manager (APM) is responsible for the sourcing, booking and payment of all domestic accommodation for official travel, other than where a travel allowance has been paid to an official for accommodation. Bookings can be made through the TMCs or directly through the APM's website or call centre. The APM can also assist with hotel-based venue hire bookings.
Car Rental Services (Phase 2)
The inventory and rates for the two panel car rental providers will be accessible to agencies under the WoAG arrangements. While agencies are able to choose a preferred supplier from the panel, any decision to do so should consider the effect on value for money of their choice. Bookings can be made through the TMCs or directly through the car rental providers' websites or call centres.
Transition to the Phase 2 Arrangements
The Phase 2 arrangements will be rolled out for agencies progressively during 2012-13 and, once in place for each agency, can be used for bookings and payments. The implementation strategy is now available:
- Strategy for the Implementation of the Australian Government's Phase 2 Travel Services Arrangements [
192 KB]; - Strategy for the Implementation of the Australian Government's Phase 2 Travel Services Arrangements [
254 KB].
In the interim, Government departments and agencies must also consider the Revised Transitional Arrangements for Coordinated Procurement prior to procuring any of the services subject to WoAG travel arrangements. Any approaches to agencies from non‑WoAG suppliers, and general queries, should be directed to Finance at phase2travel@finance.gov.au.
Relevant Policies
Agencies are required under the Commonwealth Procurement Rules - 1 July 2012, to achieve value for money when purchasing goods and services, including official travel.
In relation to official air travel, agencies achieve value for money by purchasing:
- the Lowest Practical Fare (LPF) for domestic official air travel - see Finance Circular 2012/04 - ‘Use of the Lowest Practical Fare for Official Domestic Air Travel’; and
- the Best Fare of the Day for international official air travel - see Finance Circular 2012/05 - ‘Best Fare of the Day for International Official Air Travel’.
Particulars about payment terms for the Phase 2 travel card program can be found at:
The Australian Public Service (APS) Code of Conduct, states that a Commonwealth officer must not take advantage of an officer's functions in order to obtain a personal benefit. For further guidance, including on the use of frequent flyer points, see the APS Code of Conduct in practice [479 KB].
Further Information
The WoAG Travel Fact Sheet provides information for agencies about the travel arrangements.
A series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) has been prepared to further explain how the Phase 2 travel services arrangements will operate. The FAQs will be updated from time to time.
A position paper articulating the indicative strategy for the Government’s Phase 2 travel services arrangements was released on AusTender [
] in November 2011:
- Position Paper: Indicative Strategy for the Australian Government's Phase 2 Travel Services Arrangements [ 97 KB]; and
- Position Paper: Indicative Strategy for the Australian Government's Phase 2 Travel Services Arrangements [ 103 KB]
The strategy was developed through consultation with Government agencies and industry, with the latter invited to participate in publicly released Requests for Information relating to card services and accommodation services in mid‑2011.
Contact for information on this page: tcms@finance.gov.au.