The code adopted under section 333B of the Act is to –

(a) promote the following principles:

(i) open and effective competition;

(ii) value for money;

(iii) enhancement of the capabilities of local business and industry;

(iv) ethical behaviour and fair dealing; and

(b) establish and maintain procedures to ensure that all potential suppliers are provided with the same information relating to the requirements of a tender or contract and are given equal opportunity to meet the requirements; and

(c) establish and maintain procedures to ensure that fair and equal consideration is given to all tenders or quotations received; and

(d) establish and maintain procedures to deal honestly with, and be equitable in the treatment of, all potential or existing suppliers; and

(e) establish and maintain procedures to ensure a prompt and courteous response to all reasonable requests for advice and information from potential or existing suppliers; and

(f) seek to minimise the cost to suppliers of participating in the tendering process; and

(g) protect commercial-in-confidence information; and

(h) for contracts valued at under $50 000 excluding GST, specify when 3 written quotations are required; and

(i) establish and maintain procedures for the use of multiple-use registers for contracts valued at under $50 000, excluding GST; and

(j) establish and maintain procedures for reporting by the general manager to the council in relation to the purchase of goods or services in circumstances where a public tender or quotation process is not used; and

(k) establish and maintain procedures for the review of each tender process to ensure that each tender is in accordance with these regulations and the code; and

(l) establish and maintain procedures for the following:

(i) amending or extending a tender once it has been released;

(ii) opening tenders;

(iii) the consideration of tenders that do not fully conform with the tender requirements;

(iv) the debriefing of unsuccessful tenderers;

(v) handling complaints regarding processes related to the supply of goods or services.