Social Procurement

Building Equality Policy

Staged approach to non-compliance 

From 1 July 2024, non-compliance with Building Equality Policy (BEP) applicable contracts will be managed using a staged approach: 

• Compliance arrangements will be identified in tender documentation and form part of the contract between the Victorian Government and the preferred Contractor. 

• Contractors experiencing or anticipating difficulties meeting BEP contractual obligations must notify the contract manager in writing as soon as practicable. 

• Contract managers will work with Contractors facing challenges to mutually agree on alternative appropriate obligations. 

• The contract manager must confirm agreed alternative actions in writing to the Contractor, outlining evidentiary and reporting requirements. 

For further information, please visit Buying for Victoria or contact ICN Victoria. 

Important updates on the Building Equality Policy. 

From 1 July 2024, several updates to the policy including:  

• The transitional period ended on 30 June 2024. 

• Non-compliance will be managed using a staged approach (not applied retrospectively). 

• New Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) templates have been released, focusing on streamlining policy requirements for suppliers. 

Further information is available on the Buying for Victoria website, or through our webinars and fact sheets below. 

The policy applies to all Victorian Government funded construction projects that meet the following requirements:  

• Valued at $20 million or more (excluding GST).  

• Request for Tenders released after 1 January 2022.  

Social procurement objectives

1.  Opportunities for Victorian Aboriginal people

2. Opportunities for Victorians with disability

3. Women’s equality and safety

4. Opportunities for priority jobseekers

5. Supporting safe and fair workplaces

6. Sustainable Victorian social enterprise and Aboriginal business sectors

7. Sustainable Victorian regions

Sustainable procurement objectives

8. Environmentally sustainable outputs

9. Environmentally sustainable business practices

10. Implementation of the Climate Change Policy Objectives

Responding to tenders

The policy requires suppliers to undertake the following:  

• Action 1: Meet project specific gender equality targets.  
• Action 2: Engage women as apprentices, trainees and cadets.
• Action 3: Implement gender equality action plans (GEAPs).

 Tenderers are required to address how they will meet or exceed the targets in Action 1 and Action 2 and submit the following with their tender for Action 3:  

• an Organisation Wide Gender Equality Action Plan. 
• a Project Specific Gender Equality Action Plan.  

 When responding to tenders that have Building Equality Policy targets, Tenderers must:  

• Provide their responses in the Response Schedules.
• Provide commitments in the Social Procurement Commitment Proposal.

 Targets:  

• Trade covered labour: women are required to perform at least 3% of the total estimated hours of work for each trade position.
• Non-trade Construction Award covered labour: women are required to perform at least 7 % of the total estimated hours of work for each non-trade Construction Award covered labour position.
• Management/supervisory and specialist labour (staff): women are required to perform at least 35 % of the total estimated hours of work for each management/supervisory and specialist labour (staff) position.
  • Contractors must engage women as apprentices and trainees for at least 4% of the contract works’ total estimated labour hours.

An occupation list for each category is located on the Buying for Victoria website.