Aboriginal Contracting Framework

The Northern Territory Government is developing an Aboriginal Contracting Framework that will support Aboriginal employment and business opportunities through government contracting, including procurement and grants.

Supporting Aboriginal employment opportunities will benefit the Territory by growing the local economy, increasing business and regional development and building the local Territory workforce.

The new Aboriginal Contracting Framework has been developed through an extensive stakeholder engagement process that saw the team meet with almost 1,000 government, industry, business, NGO and Aboriginal stakeholders, with the team hosting over sixty (60) workshops, a number of focus group sessions and multiple one-on-one meetings in Darwin, Nhulunbuy, Katherine, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and seven (7) remote communities including Wadeye, Wurrumiyanga, Maningrida, Alyangula, Borroloola, Ntaria and Mutitjulu.

Project update

Stage 1 (round 1 consultations: information gathering and research), Stage 2 (policy options development tested with key stakeholders), and Stage 3 (Round 2 consultations: input into policy option development) are now complete.

In response to the policy development and audit observations made in the Auditor-General November 2017 report, an economic (and social) impact assessment (EIA) and legal review has also been conducted. The aim of the EIA is to confirm and quantify the expected benefit for each of the policy options that have informed the draft Framework. Government is committed to ensuring that the EIA is robust, and has requested extended analysis and modelling. The release of the draft Framework is dependent upon this extended analysis.

As a result of the extended analysis, the public release of the draft Framework is now anticipated to occur mid-2019.


Next steps

  • Release of draft Framework for public comment - mid-2019
  • Consultation to remain open for 6 weeks
  • Incorporate relevant feedback into final Framework
  • Obtain approval to release final Framework


This website will be updated regularly as the development of the framework progresses.

The Northern Territory Government is developing an Aboriginal Contracting Framework that will support Aboriginal employment and business opportunities through government contracting, including procurement and grants.

Supporting Aboriginal employment opportunities will benefit the Territory by growing the local economy, increasing business and regional development and building the local Territory workforce.

The new Aboriginal Contracting Framework has been developed through an extensive stakeholder engagement process that saw the team meet with almost 1,000 government, industry, business, NGO and Aboriginal stakeholders, with the team hosting over sixty (60) workshops, a number of focus group sessions and multiple one-on-one meetings in Darwin, Nhulunbuy, Katherine, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and seven (7) remote communities including Wadeye, Wurrumiyanga, Maningrida, Alyangula, Borroloola, Ntaria and Mutitjulu.

Project update

Stage 1 (round 1 consultations: information gathering and research), Stage 2 (policy options development tested with key stakeholders), and Stage 3 (Round 2 consultations: input into policy option development) are now complete.

In response to the policy development and audit observations made in the Auditor-General November 2017 report, an economic (and social) impact assessment (EIA) and legal review has also been conducted. The aim of the EIA is to confirm and quantify the expected benefit for each of the policy options that have informed the draft Framework. Government is committed to ensuring that the EIA is robust, and has requested extended analysis and modelling. The release of the draft Framework is dependent upon this extended analysis.

As a result of the extended analysis, the public release of the draft Framework is now anticipated to occur mid-2019.


Next steps

  • Release of draft Framework for public comment - mid-2019
  • Consultation to remain open for 6 weeks
  • Incorporate relevant feedback into final Framework
  • Obtain approval to release final Framework


This website will be updated regularly as the development of the framework progresses.