Tenders and contracts

Our panels are well managed supply arrangements enabling us to effectively engage pre-accredited suppliers under pre-agreed terms. We have panels for supply or delivery of these services:

• Automation. Providing supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) services, control system design, integration and construction and associated electrical services.
• Coaching and Facilitation Services. Covers coaching, team facilitation and workshop design services.
• Commercial Diving Services. Covers provision of commercial divers and remote operated vehicles
• Desludging services. Covers provision of desludging services at our wastewater treatment plants.
• Engineering. Multi-disciplinary and specialist design services specific to the water industry including dams, water and wastewater treatment and asset management.
• Estimating. Provision of Estimating Services.
• Financial and audit. Services such as internal auditing, financial advisory, special projects and regulatory business planning.
• High Voltage Reactive Maintenance Services. Covers reactive maintenance services for all of our high voltage assets (except motors) including switchboards, transformers, ring main units, relays and all associated equipment.
• Information technology services. Covering application management services, resource augmentation, and IT capital project delivery and related services.
• Laboratory consumables. The supply of laboratory consumable products.
• Minor frameworks. Design and construction delivery services for several specialist programs of work such as water main relay and wastewater rehabilitation services.
• Minor works. Design and construction delivery services for civil, mechanical and electrical works across South Australia.
• Motor Maintenance Services. Covers maintenance, overhaul and rewinds of large and small high voltage motors.
• Permanent recruitment services. Covers recruitment services.
• Sand, Aggregate and Pavement Materials. Supply of various materials to sites across the State, in accordance with our technical standards.
• Small works and bitumen. Construction delivery services associated with bitumen road reinstatement, concreting, earthmoving, civil works, general building and engineering related services.
• Smart meters. The supply of smart water meters.
• Temporary staff. Providing contingent labour and associated services.
• Vacuum Truck Services. Vacuum truck services across the state
• Wastewater CCTV. A range of services including cleaning and reporting services.
• Weed Control, Pest and Animal Control and Tree Maintenance Services. Land management services covering weed control, pest and animal control and tree maintenance services.
• Water Carting Services . Water carting services of potable water across the state
• Water meters. The supply of water meters.

We want to work with businesses and suppliers who are as customer centric as we are, who share our commitment to excellent outcomes, and who understand our brand, our business and our goals.

We look for partners who are like-minded, want to achieve positive social and environmental outcomes, also focus on innovative thinking and have a mindset of continuous improvement. Good employment practices are also important to us, so that all people who are working on behalf of SA Water can feel supported and thrive.

Our procurement processes are guided by our values:

• Social responsibility: we will apply our skills, assets and services for the greater benefit of the state and people of South Australia.
• Economic efficiency: we will be as efficient and effective as possible, balancing affordability with customer needs and great service delivery.
• Environmental performance: we will work to reduce our environmental footprint and improve our climate resilience.

As well as this, we choose partners in line with 5 principles:

1. Safety underpins our culture, with outcome-based safety measures underpinning our contractual frameworks.
2. We have a culture where ethical behaviour is paramount.
3. We are accountable to our stakeholders – our customers, the community, our owner and our regulators, for evidence-based decisions that consider risks and opportunities.
4. Our investment decisions are community-minded, balancing the expectations and needs of the community and our customers with managing risk, opportunities and whole of lifecycle cost.
5. We regularly monitor and report on our performance, with accurate and timely information so our customers have confidence in what we do and how we do it.

Supporting the South Australian economy is important to us. Sub-contracting and work opportunities for businesses are available through our key partners for major projects, our metropolitan operations and field services as well as through our panel arrangements.

Our key partners coordinate and manage sub contractors and local businesses covering a range of contracts on behalf of SA Water, relating to water, wastewater, major projects and regional programs of work.

If you’re not a contracted supplier but you have a product or service you think we may be interested in or will improve water and sewerage services for South Australians, we’d like to hear from you.

You can either:

• contact one of our key partners directly, in either our major projects, metropolitan services or our listed panel arrangements, or
• contact the Supply Chain team for information and advice via our Customer Care Centre on 1300 SA WATER (1300 729 283).

The terms and conditions for each contract or preferred supplier agreement are provided to our suppliers as part of the bid invitation or contract establishment process.

Where no specific conditions of contract are identified in our purchase order (such as for low risk and/or low value purchases) our standard terms and conditions apply. Others will use our most appropriate terms and conditions.

Keeping the quality of our services high requires us to consistently and confidently meet our Work Health and Safety (WHS) requirements. We have a mandatory online contractor management system which ensures:

• only qualified and compliant contractors work on our sites
• our contractors are provided with important information about our WHS responsibilities and requirements, as well as our commitment to meeting the needs of our customers, expected behaviours and our values.

Our contractors must demonstrate they have systems that are compliant with WHS legislation and can work safely alongside us, helping to reduce the overall risk of injury. To do this, the contracting company must qualify as a pre-accredited contractor.

An online SA Water corporate induction is also part of this system, ensuring everyone who works with us, as contractors, and in turn subcontractors, are aware of and understand our WHS requirements before arriving at a work site. All contractors and subcontractors must show their SA Water contractor card before they start work at a site where we have influence and control. This card is provided once contractor and subcontractor staff have successfully completed the corporate induction. This induction must be completed every 2 years.

This system ensures a safe working environment for everyone and an efficient workplace.

If you have any questions, please email our team at CMSSupport@sawater.com.au. You can also access our Handbook for Contractors PDF,

By maintaining a list of accredited contractors for land development, we endeavour to provide assurance for developers, and our customers, that all new infrastructure will be constructed safely and competently to our standards. Find out more information about our accredited contractors list.

Supplier complaints management principles

Formal complaints are those which are submitted in writing to SA Water providing sufficient detail to enable adequate consideration of relevant points.

Complainants will be allowed a minimum of 14 calendar days to submit a complaint in writing (from the time when the complaint becomes known or should have been known to the supplier).

Suppliers (including potential suppliers) can expect that we will resolve complaints promptly by providing them with access to a timely, clear and independent dispute resolution process.

All complaints require due consideration and need to be dealt with in a manner appropriate to each situation. The complainant will be encouraged to seek resolution of the complaint with us through consultation.

All formal complaints will be investigated, and responded to in writing, by an appropriate independent officer who is not directly involved in the subject matter of the complaint.

Appropriate records of complaints will be maintained in accordance with official record keeping practices.

Any complaints or allegations of a criminal nature are to be referred to the South Australia Police.

This complaints management process will be made publicly available on our website.

Process for investigation of formal complaints

1. All formal complaints must be in writing and be referred to an independent officer for investigation. The complaint should be acknowledged on its receipt and include the name of the officer, how the investigation will be conducted and associated timeframes.
2. The investigating officer will identify the information or documentation required by the complainant and provide details of the contact person and process to provide any supporting information or documentation based on the confidentiality of these documents.
3. Unless the complaint is resolved quickly, the complainant shall be kept regularly informed of progress of the investigation and the outcome in writing.
4. If not satisfied with the outcome, the complainant will be provided an opportunity to discuss the outcome of the complaint with the appropriate SA Water representative.
5. Where the complainant is still not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation, the services of an independent adviser (which may include an independent arbitrator) may be engaged by SA Water to seek resolution of the complaint. If undertaken, the supplier should be advised in writing as to the outcome of the independent investigation by SA Water.
6. The Senior Manager Supply Chain will inform Procurement Services SA, Department of Treasury and Finance, of any written complaint that could not be resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant within 7 calendar days from the complainant’s notification of dissatisfaction.