Perth Low-Carbon Procurement Bylaws Guide

Environmental Protection Western Australia 4 Minutes Read · published February 11, 2026 Flag of Western Australia

Introduction

Perth, Western Australia is increasingly incorporating low-carbon requirements into council procurement to reduce emissions across projects and services. This guide explains how local procurement rules affect contractors working for the City of Perth and nearby metropolitan councils, where to find the controlling policies, typical contract requirements, and practical steps contractors should take to win work and stay compliant.

Scope and Who This Applies To

This guidance covers contractors and suppliers bidding for or performing works and services procured by the City of Perth and related local government bodies where sustainable procurement requirements or climate clauses are included in tender documents or contracts. Requirements can appear in procurement policies, tender conditions, contract schedules or sustainability plans.

Key municipal sources include the City of Perth procurement information and Western Australia whole-of-government sustainable procurement guidance for public buyers. City procurement[1] and WA Department of Finance sustainable procurement guidance[2].

Check tender documents for specific low-carbon clauses before quoting.

Common Low-Carbon Requirements in Contracts

  • Submission of emissions reduction plans, carbon budgets or management plans.
  • Use of low-emission materials, fuels or equipment specified in the contract.
  • Regular reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and energy use during the contract term.
  • Milestones and deadlines tied to sustainability deliverables.
  • Audits, site inspections or compliance checks by the principal.
Contract clauses vary; read the specific tender and contract schedules for the binding obligations.

Penalties & Enforcement

Local procurement obligations are typically enforced through contract remedies rather than by fixed municipal fines in a bylaw. Where municipal policy or tender documents set compliance measures, the instrument or contract text determines sanctions and remedies. Where a municipal page does not publish monetary fines for procurement non-compliance, the source is stated below.

  • Fine amounts: not specified on the cited page for City of Perth procurement contracts; monetary penalties are usually contractual and depend on the contract terms.[1]
  • Escalation: first/repeat/continuing offence ranges are not specified on the cited municipal pages; councils commonly use notices, rectification directions, and contract default procedures.[1]
  • Non-monetary sanctions: orders to remediate, suspension of work, withholding of payments, termination for default, and claims for damages are commonly used under contract terms when sustainability clauses are breached.
  • Enforcer and inspections: the City of Perth Contracts and Procurement team or nominated contract superintendent enforces compliance; complaints and inspection requests go through the council procurement or contract officer contact pathways.[1]
  • Appeals and review: formal contract dispute, internal review, or contractual dispute resolution (including mediation or arbitration) are the usual routes; specific time limits for contractual claims or notices depend on the contract and are not specified on the cited procurement pages.[2]
  • Defences and discretion: common defences include demonstrable compliance, force majeure, approved variations, or an approved variance/permit where the principal has discretion; whether such discretion exists will be set out in the tender or contract.

Common violations and typical consequences

  • Failure to submit required emissions reports — may trigger rectification notices or withholding payments.
  • Use of non-specified high-emission materials or equipment — possible requirement to replace materials, remediate impacts, or termination.
  • False or misleading sustainability statements — contractual breach; possible damages and reputational sanctions.

Applications & Forms

No dedicated low-carbon contractor form is consistently published on the City of Perth procurement pages; sustainability requirements usually appear inside tender documents, contract schedules or supplier questionnaires available with each tender. For whole-of-government sustainability guidance and templates, see WA Department of Finance procurement guidance.[2]

If a tender requires a carbon plan, submit it with your bid attachments as instructed in the tender documents.

How to Comply

Action steps below help contractors meet low-carbon procurement obligations and reduce risk in municipal contracts.

  1. Review the tender documentation and contract schedules for explicit sustainability clauses and reporting requirements.
  2. Prepare a written emissions management plan that addresses scope, baseline, targets, methods and reporting frequency.
  3. Source low-emission materials and equipment and document suppliers and specifications.
  4. Integrate sustainability milestones into your project schedule and submit reports on time.
  5. Keep records and evidence of compliance for audits and respond promptly to rectification notices or variations.

FAQ

Do City of Perth tenders require carbon reporting?
Some tenders include emissions reporting or sustainability plans; check the specific tender documents for binding requirements and formats.
Who enforces procurement sustainability clauses?
The City of Perth Contracts and Procurement team or the contract superintendent enforces contractual sustainability clauses and manages compliance actions.
Are there standard forms for low-carbon compliance?
There is no single published form across all tenders; sustainability requirements are usually included in tender documents or supplied as tender-specific templates.

How-To

  1. Identify sustainability clauses in the tender and note reporting deadlines.
  2. Establish a baseline for emissions and set achievable reduction targets in a plan.
  3. Obtain supplier statements for low-emission materials and equipment.
  4. Submit required documents with your bid and maintain records during project delivery.
  5. Respond to any compliance queries or rectification notices from the principal promptly.

Key Takeaways

  • Low-carbon requirements are typically contractual—read tender and contract schedules carefully.
  • Prepare emissions plans and records before bidding to reduce compliance risk.

Help and Support / Resources

  1. [1] City of Perth tenders and procurement information
  2. [2] WA Department of Finance - sustainable procurement guidance

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