Our Community. Our Future. Our Homes. is working with Aboriginal communities to promote local economic development and develop local skills to build and manage housing.
The program has a focus on developing Aboriginal Business Enterprises (ABEs), opportunities for joint ventures, and local employment.
An Aboriginal business enterprise is an organisation that is 50% or more Aboriginal-owned or controlled, and that is operating as a business (including a company, incorporated association, trust, social enterprise, or registered charity operating a business).
An incorporated joint venture is one that is 25% or more Aboriginal-owned.
Aboriginal employment means employing Aboriginal people from the community where the work is happening, where possible.
A minimum of 40% Aboriginal employment is required for work under the program, increasing 2% per financial year from 2019-20 to a maximum of 48%.
Procurement under Our Community. Our Future. Our Homes.
The Northern Territory Government has a commitment to Aboriginal business enterprise development, Aboriginal employment, and sustainable training and apprenticeships.
Procurement strategies are prioritised as:
- Directly engaging local/community-based ABEs via select tender
- Directly engaging regional ABEs via select tender
- Engaging Territory organisations through an open tender process.
In some communities, long-term agreements will be created for ABEs to provide sustainable training and apprenticeships.
Requests for tenders are to comply with:
- NT Government Procurement Governance Policy and Procurement rules
- a minimum 40% Aboriginal employment for works delivered, with Aboriginal people employed from the community where works are happening, where possible
- developing local Aboriginal businesses to enable sustainable training and apprenticeships.
Contractors must have contractor accreditation to submit tenders.
All NT Government contractors are subject to regulations about reporting improper conduct and corruption to the NT Independent Commissioner Against Corruption.
The Aboriginal Business Enterprise Development team within Our Community. Our Future. Our Homes:
- works with ABEs to build capacity to deliver work under the program
- provides linkages to business support and grants from government and non-government organisations
- provides information to the construction and housing sector on work opportunities
- coordinates a remote housing industry forum to allow ABEs and industry stakeholders to connect, learn about the program and its economic opportunities.
For work opportunities
Visit Quotations and Tenders Online for upcoming work. Follow the registration process to register your business. Any business can submit a tender advertised on this site. There is a smartphone app available.
Register your business with the Industry Capability Network NT and set up notifications to be alerted when new program opportunities are listed.
Subscribe to the program bulletin.
If you are interested in starting a business relating to remote housing or would like more information about the program, contact us.
Business and workforce support
The following sites provide information about NT and Australian government business support:
- The Northern Territory Government Start.Run.Grow. program
- Indigenous Business Australia
- Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network
The following sites can help with apprenticeships and workforce:
- Australian Apprenticeships
- Australian Apprenticeships Support Network NT
- NT Government information on pathways and programs for apprentices and trainees
For more information
Northern Territory Government procurement
Department of Trade, Business and Innovation
