WA Aboriginal Procurement Policy (APP)

The target, and what it is a percentage of

The WA target counts the number of awarded contracts, not their value. Only contracts valued at $50,000 and above count toward it. The separate subcontracting target is the one measured by value.

Scheduled increases

The left column is the agency contracting target, counted as a share of the number of awarded contracts. The right column is the separate Aboriginal business and ACCO subcontracting target, measured as a share of total contract value.

Which businesses count

Ownership test: 50%

WA works from registration rather than a stated ownership percentage in the Direction itself. A registered Aboriginal business is one listed on either the Aboriginal Business Directory WA or Supply Nation's Indigenous Business Direct. Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) count alongside registered Aboriginal businesses.

Where WA buyers verify a supplier

• Aboriginal Business Directory WA Listing here satisfies the WA registration test on its own.
• Supply Nation Indigenous Business Direct Listing here also satisfies the WA registration test.

Thresholds that change how you can buy

Contracts that count toward the target $50,000 and above

Only contracts with a registered Aboriginal business or ACCO valued at $50,000 or above (total estimated value, including extension options and GST) count toward an agency's contracting target. Agencies are encouraged, but not required, to report contracts below $50,000 separately.

Aboriginal participation requirements $5 million and above

Contracts with a total estimated value of $5 million and above in construction and maintenance, community and social services, education and training, or public administration and finance must carry Aboriginal participation requirements. These apply to contracts advertised on or after 1 January 2022, and do not apply to Common Use Arrangements.

Subcontracting target 5% of contract value

Where participation requirements apply, the Aboriginal business and ACCO subcontracting target requires the supplier to subcontract a share of total contract value, rising from 4% in 2024-25 to 5% from 2026-27. Only packages awarded to subcontractors engaged directly by the supplier count. Compliance is measured at contract expiry.

What this means when you order materials

The $50,000 line is the one to watch. A materials contract with a registered Aboriginal business only counts toward the WA agency target once it reaches $50,000 including GST and extension options, so consolidating small orders into a single supply contract can be what makes it count.

WA runs two targets on different denominators: the agency target counts awarded contracts of $50,000 or more, while the subcontracting target is measured as a share of contract value. Registration on either ABDWA or Indigenous Business Direct satisfies the eligibility test.

Birak is a Supply Nation Registered First Nations building products supplier. We supply structural timber, plywood and sheet products, treated pine and decking, cladding, boards and mouldings, and fixings and hardware Australia-wide, and every order arrives with the documentation your WA reporting needs.

How WA compares

Targets are not measured the same way across Australia. The denominator differs, and so does the ownership test.

info This page is a plain-language summary prepared by a supplier, not legal or procurement advice. Policies change. Always confirm the current figures against WA Aboriginal Procurement Policy, effective 1 July 2025 (General Procurement Direction 2025/03) and the buying agency's own procurement rules before relying on them.