Key information
- Status: Open
- Grant amount: Up to $500,000
- Application opened: 12 June 2025
- Application closes: 30 June 2027, 12:00 pm
Program objective
The objectives of the Joint Procurement Funded Support are to:
- support councils to access the best advice and to be confident in their procurement decisions
- facilitate collaboration, knowledge sharing and partnerships to help councils strategically plan and deliver waste infrastructure and services
- support groups of councils to procure cost effective waste management services and/or waste management infrastructure
- promote alignment or harmonisation of services between councils
- Support councils to meet waste and resource recovery targets in their transition to a circular economy
This program is administered by Environment Protection Authority.
Eligibility
Who can apply
- All NSW councils - (as defined in the NSW Local Government Act).
- Regional Organisations of Councils (ROCs)
- Regional Waste Groups
- Joint Organisations (JO’s)
NSW councils remain eligible if they partner with councils outside of NSW (however, the lead council must be a NSW council).
For Stream 1 single councils or groups of councils can apply (represented by a lead council).
Organisations who are not eligible to apply for the Joint Procurement Funded Support may partner with an eligible organisation to deliver the project and in doing so, benefit from the project outcomes. However, the lead applicant must be an eligible organisation.
A council-owned company or a Special Purpose Entity created to provide waste services are also eligible to apply. A Special Purpose Entity is usually a subsidiary company set up separately from a parent company for a specific task, project or operation to shield the parent company from the risk associated with the project.
Types of projects funded under this grant
Be undertaking the joint procurement of domestic and/or council commercial waste management services or waste infrastructure (Stream 2)
The types of services and material streams that you can be exploring:
- New or expanding existing waste management facilities, including:
- transfer stations
- domestic and council commercial waste disposal or waste processing facilities
- material recycling facilities (MRFs)
- organics/FOGO/FO processing
- facilities for recycling or managing problem wastes
- mobile waste infrastructure used for crushing, shredding or baling waste that is intended to be accessed through a sharing arrangement between 2 or more councils
- Domestic and/or commercial council waste management services, including:
- collection and haulage
- processing or recycling
- disposal or treatment
Eligible waste streams include:
Domestic and/or council commercial waste kerbside collection services, including:
- general household waste (red lid bin services)
- recycling co-mingled (yellow lid bin services)
- organics (garden organics and/or FOGO or FO)
Problem wastes, such as: (this is not an exhaustive list)
- bulky goods or materials
- metals and whitegoods
- textiles
- e-waste
- tyres
- mattresses
Note: Projects that focus on or include a problem waste collection service must compliment rather than duplicate the EPA funded household problem waste programs or existing product stewardship schemes.
Types of projects not funded under this grant
- Projects not located in NSW unless the lead council is a NSW council.
- Projects and project activities that do not align with the objectives of the program
- Project costs already incurred prior to the date of signing the funding deed
- Projects that have received funding from other EPA, State Government or Commonwealth agencies for the procurement of waste services or waste infrastructure
- Procurement of equipment such as bins, caddies and education
- Any costs associated with the ‘Manage’ stage of the procurement i.e. managing existing waste contracts
- Any costs associated with setting up and managing the new contract i.e. Stream 2 ends at commencement of the new contract (but can include the commissioning stage)
- Fees and costs of reports associated with applying for Development Applications
- Costs associated with the application or gaining of funding, e.g. consultant fees or legal fees
- Land acquisition and venture capital
- Project contingency funds
- Project management costs associated with council/applicant time allocated towards project management. These should be included as in-kind contributions.
Example projects
Funding will be provided to support groups of councils who have committed to undertaking joint procurement of waste management services or waste infrastructure (source phase).
This may include but is not limited to:
· supporting the ACCC approval process
· market sounding or Expressions of Interest
· probity advice
· governance advice
· legal advice
· the development of tender documents
· support tender evaluation and negotiation
· preparation of service level agreements between partnering councils
· project coordination costs***
***Project coordination costs: funds may be used to hire a project coordinator to manage the project on behalf of the applicant. Examples might include use of an external contractor or secondment (to new role) but should be a dedicated position established to coordinate the project, as opposed to an existing staff member’s time spent on the project. Project coordination costs can be allocated across Stream 1 and Stream 2, if required. For example, an applicant may hire somebody to coordinate their Stream 1 project. On conclusion of that project, they may decide to proceed with a joint procurement (Stream 2) and wish to continue to employ the same person to coordinate the Stream 2 project. In this case two separate applications will need to be made showing the need and budget for the project coordination costs.
Additional eligibility requirements
- The application must be prepared and submitted by an ‘Eligible applicant’ (specified above).
- Applicants may apply for both Stream 1 and Stream 2 at any time. Where an applicant applies for a Stream 1 Project and then applies for a Stream 2 grant for the same project, the total funding permitted across the two streams is no more than $500,000.
- Applicants can apply for a maximum of 2 different projects under each stream throughout the life of the program. The TRC will take into consideration total amount of funding awarded to the lead applicant to ensure equitable use of the funding.
- The project being funded must be jointly procuring waste services or waste infrastructure (Stream 2).
- The project must be related to domestic waste. It may also include commercial waste collection services provided by the council.
- Stream 2 applicants must demonstrate evidence of a commitment by each participating council in the joint procurement project. This could be a memorandum of understanding, a joint procurement agreement, a letter signed by each council’s General Manager or council resolution from each council showing commitment to a joint waste procurement.
- Stream 1 and 2 projects can run over multiple years but must start no more than 3 months after signing the Funding Deed to ensure they are delivered within the time permitted.
- Applications for Stream 1 and Stream 2 must include supporting documentation, including a project plan (that outlines the context, scope, inclusions and exclusions) a budget plan (highlighting all costs, including a minimum of one quote from suppliers).
What your application needs to include
Prepare your application with this checklist
Completed grant application form with all accompanying files (required insurances, project plan and budget, MOU or other partnership agreement)
See grant guidelines for further information.
Address the eligibility criteria
Each applicant, as part of an application response, must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria.
Applicants that do not address the eligibility criteria in full may be excluded from the application process at the department's discretion.
Address the assessment criteria
Criterion 1 -15%- Alignment with program objectives - The project aligns with the Funded Support objectives
- The application describes, with supporting evidence, how it aligns with the Joint Procurement Funded Support program objectives
- The application demonstrates joint procurement objectives specific to the joint procurement project as agreed to by the council partners (Stream 2 only). See Note on joint procurement objectives below
- The application describes how the project will deliver on broader strategies, including but not limited to: Council Waste Strategies, Regional Waste Strategies, NSW Government priorities.
- The application shows evidence of project support from participating councils (Stream 1) or evidence of a written agreement to partner with more than 1 other council to undertake a joint procurement (Stream 2 only)
Criterion 2 -35%- Project plan, budget and implementation - The applicant and any project partners have shown an ability to deliver the project to a high standard
- The application describes the resources required to deliver the project. For instance, project team capacity and capability and/or use of external contractors.
- The application provides a project plan detailing methodology for how the project will be delivered with realistic timeframes.
- The applicant provides a realistic project budget
- The application provides evidence on how the project will be managed, progress monitored and any reporting frameworks (Stream 2 only)
Criteria 3 (Stream 2 only) -10 % - Risk management
The application demonstrates risk management mechanisms are in place
Criterion 4 -15%- Collaboration and knowledge sharing - The project demonstrates strong collaboration and knowledge sharing
· The application demonstrates how the project may involve or undertake collaboration with other councils
· The application demonstrates how it will undertake knowledge sharing with other councils and organisations, or networks including the EPA.
Criterion 5 -25%- value for money - The project shows value for money
· The application pricing and service offering are viable and credible.
· The predicted outcomes and outputs are proportionate to the funding amount requested and in-kind or other contributions.
Start the application
- Complete the online Application Form (with required attachments). There are two separate Applications: one for Stream 1 and another for Stream 2 via SmartyGrants https://epa.smartygrants.com.au. Please contact the Joint Procurement Team if you are unsure which Stream your project is best suited for.
- Review of eligibility - Applications are reviewed by EPA staff to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria. Only applications that meet the eligibility criteria will proceed to the Technical Review Committee (TRC) for further assessment. Applicants that do not make it past the initial eligibility stage will be notified and asked to reconsider their application or make an amendment. Applications that are not fully completed will also not proceed to the TRC and may be asked to re-submit or to provide missing information to support their application.
- Eligible applications will be assessed quarterly eligible submissions will be assessed by an independent Technical Review committee (TRC) on a quarterly basis. The application is reviewed against the assessment criteria and the TRC makes its recommendation. Following the TRC’s assessment, the EPA considers the recommendation and makes its final decision. Decisions by the EPA are final.
- Applicants will be notified of the EPA’s decision via letter and successful applicants will be issued a Funding Deed.
- Within 30 days of receiving the Funding Deed, applicant accepts the funds by executing the Funding Deed
- Projects must commence no more than 3 months after signing of the Funding Deed or the offer may be withdrawn.
Note: If you are a new applicant to SmartyGrants, you will need to register and create a password. If you are already registered, you can log in with your existing username and password.
Apply now
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: NSW EPA
After the application is submitted, the EPA will check whether your application is eligible and complete.
The EPA establishes an independent Technical Review Committee (TRC) for each grant program. Each TRC is made up of people with knowledge and experience relevant to each grant program. TRC members agree to undertake their duties within the principles of ethical conduct, integrity, objectivity and independence. They are also required to keep all matters concerning applications confidential and to declare any potential conflict of interest. The TRC membership is confidential to avoid opportunity for influence.
The TRC assessment process involves consultation with relevant EPA staff. The TRC will assess the merit of your application by using the assessment criteria outlined in these guidelines. The TRC then makes recommendations to the EPA who will ultimately approve the funding. Where required, the assessment process may be overseen by an independent probity auditor.
Successful applicants may not receive the full amount requested and the offer of funding may be subject to special conditions. The EPA may also include conditions that may not have been addressed in these guidelines, should a particular issue come to light during the assessment process.
Decisions by the EPA are final. There is no appeal process.