What Is BuyICT? A Plain-English Guide for ICT Contractors
BuyICT is the Australian Government's ICT procurement platform. Here's what it means for your next government contract, in plain English.
BuyICT comes up in almost every government ICT conversation. It's on role descriptions, in recruiter emails, at the bottom of contract paperwork. And almost nobody explains what it actually is.
It's the Australian Government's central platform for buying ICT services, including the contractors who deliver them. Not a job board. The procurement system that sits behind every government role you've ever applied for.
This guide covers what BuyICT is, what happened to the old Digital Marketplace when it closed in 2024, and what to ask any agency before you take your next government contract.
What BuyICT Is
BuyICT (buyict.gov.au) is the Australian Government's central platform for buying ICT services. Not a job board. The system government agencies use to procure digital services, including the contractors who deliver them. Think of it as the infrastructure behind every government ICT role: the opportunity comes to you through a recruiter, but the procurement process that makes it legal and compliant runs on BuyICT.
Why You Keep Hearing About It
Government agencies can't hire ICT contractors directly. They have to source them through an approved supplier on a formal panel arrangement. BuyICT is where those panels live, and where opportunities are posted and managed.
Here's how it works from your end:
A government agency identifies a need for an ICT contractor
They post a request for quote on BuyICT, visible only to approved suppliers on their panel
Those agencies receive the opportunity and shortlist candidates
Your agency submits your profile
If you're selected, your agency engages you. They hold the contract with the government, not you.
You never access BuyICT yourself. Your agency does. That's why the agency you choose matters. The first question to ask any of them: are you an approved seller on the relevant panel?
What Happened to the Digital Marketplace?
If you contracted before mid-2024, you might remember the Digital Marketplace, a separate platform that ran alongside BuyICT. It was shut down on 31 July 2024.
The DTA announced the merger in late 2023. Seller accounts migrated to BuyICT, and a new panel, Digital Marketplace Panel 2 (DMP2), launched in its place.
If your agency held a position on the old Digital Marketplace panel, that position no longer exists. They needed to apply for DMP2 and be accepted onto it. Not every agency made the cut or applied in time.
DMP2: The Panel That Now Matters
DMP2 is the current vehicle for ICT labour hire and professional services under BuyICT. It has two modules.
Module 1: ICT Labour Hire
This is where most day-rate contractors sit. If you're working at an APS agency through a recruitment agency, on a daily or hourly rate, this is your module. You're embedded in a government team to deliver specific skills. Short-term, specialist, contractor-style.
Module 2: Professional and Consulting Services
Module 2 covers 16 categories of advisory and consulting work: strategy, architecture, user research, digital delivery, and similar. If you work through a consultancy or on outcome-based engagements rather than day-rate placements, this is the relevant module.
Both modules sit under the one standing offer arrangement. The panel is open to federal, state, territory, and local government agencies, plus government universities and government-owned corporations. DMP2 reaches further than just Commonwealth.
How a Contract Actually Works
Government ICT contracting under DMP2 involves three parties. The way they connect matters, because your pay, your rights, and your working conditions all flow from it.
The arrangement works in three layers.
Your contract with your agency.
Your agency contracts with the government.
The government never holds a direct contract with you.
The government agency contracts with your recruitment agency through BuyICT
Your recruitment agency contracts with you separately
The government doesn't hold a direct contract with you
Your agreement is with the agency, not the government. That's where your pay rate and working conditions are set. And if your agency isn't on DMP2, the government can't engage you through them. Full stop.
What This Means When You're Looking for a Role
Opportunities aren't public. BuyICT requests for quote are only visible to approved sellers. You can't browse and apply for government ICT roles on BuyICT the way you would on Seek or LinkedIn. The agency is your access point.
One agency per role. Always. You can register with multiple agencies and pursue multiple opportunities at once. But only one agency should submit your profile for any single role. If two agencies submit the same candidate, most government buyers will withdraw both submissions. Your candidacy disappears without explanation. Keep a record of who's submitted you for what.
The process is slow, and feedback is rare. The DTA's own research found that contractors regularly felt frustrated waiting on buyers who never seemed to respond. That's not your application going badly. That's just how the system works. An agency that tells you this upfront, and keeps you informed anyway, is doing its job. Most don't.
Labour hire is the dominant category. ICT labour hire accounts for the majority of requests for quote on BuyICT. Historically, almost double the volume of professional services requests. If government ICT work is your goal, you're in the most active part of the market.
Security Clearances and BuyICT
DMP2 covers roles at all clearance levels: Baseline, NV1, NV2, and above.
A few things to know:
Your clearance belongs to you, not your agency. Changing agencies doesn't affect your clearance status or sponsor. The sponsoring government agency holds that relationship.
Some opportunities are clearance-gated. A request for quote may specify a minimum clearance level. Only candidates who already hold (or can obtain) that clearance will be considered.
Tell your agency your clearance level upfront. Agencies on DMP2 manage cleared candidate pools. Check whether your prospective agency can place cleared contractors with the specific agencies you want to work with.
Is DMP2 Currently Open?
As at May 2026, DMP2 isn't open for new seller applications. The DTA is still evaluating applications from the previous round. A re-opening date hasn't been confirmed publicly.
If your current agency isn't already on DMP2, they can't place you with most government clients right now. There's no pathway for them to join until the next round opens. That's a practical reason to confirm an agency's panel status before you commit to anything.
Five Questions to Ask Any Recruitment Agency
Before you take a government ICT contract through any agency, ask these directly.
1. Are you on DMP2 Module 1 for ICT Labour Hire? Yes or no. If they hedge, assume no.
2. What's your Standing Offer Number (SON)? Every approved DMP2 seller has one. You can check it against the public BuyICT seller list. If they can't tell you, that's a red flag.
3. What's the bill rate the government is paying, and what's my rate? The difference is the agency margin. A transparent agency will tell you. Many won't.
4. Does your contractor agreement include a restraint clause? Some agencies include clauses that restrict where you can work after a placement ends. Know what you're signing before you sign it. For more on this, see our guide to restraint clauses for ICT contractors.
5. Do you have a lock-in arrangement? Between placements, you should be free to work with other agencies. Some agreements try to restrict this.
How Hyperion IT Fits In
Hyperion IT is a Canberra-based ICT labour hire agency. We work exclusively in the Australian Government market, out of Belconnen ACT.
We hold approved seller status on both DMP2 modules:
DMP2 Module 1 — ICT Labour Hire: Approved seller
DMP2 Module 2 — Professional and Consulting Services: Approved seller
Standing Offer Number: SON4102906
Active until: 28 October 2029
We're a registered SME and an Australian Business, as listed on our BuyICT profile.
Our rates are transparent. We'll tell you what the government is paying and what your rate is. Our contractor agreements have no lock-in clauses. The DTA's own research found that contractors often feel powerless in the labour hire process. We read that and thought: yeah, that's not good enough. We're trying to do it differently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I access BuyICT myself as a contractor?
No. BuyICT is a procurement platform for government buyers and approved sellers. Individual contractors don't have accounts or direct access. Your agency acts on your behalf.
Do all government agencies use BuyICT?
Most Commonwealth agencies use DMP2 for ICT labour hire. Some have separate panel arrangements. State and territory agencies can opt in to DMP2 but aren't required to. Some use their own state procurement vehicles.
If my agency isn't on DMP2, can they still place me with government?
Only if the client agency has a separate arrangement your agency is approved under, like a departmental panel. For most federal government ICT roles, DMP2 is the required vehicle. Ask any agency directly how they plan to place you before you proceed.
Does my clearance transfer if I change agencies?
Yes. Your clearance is granted to you and sponsored by a government agency, not your recruitment agency. Changing agencies doesn't require a new clearance assessment, though there may be an admin notification process depending on your clearance level.
The opportunity I was submitted for has gone quiet. What should I ask?
Ask your agency: has the buyer selected someone? Has the RFQ closed? Government procurement is slower than private sector hiring. Agencies with direct relationships with the buyer will know more. If yours can't tell you what stage you're at, remember that for next time.
What's the difference between BuyICT and AusTender?
AusTender (tenders.gov.au) is the government's central tender notification system. It publishes contract notices and open tender opportunities across all sectors. BuyICT focuses specifically on digital and ICT procurement, and operates the panels that most government ICT work runs through. Many BuyICT opportunities never appear on AusTender because they go directly to approved panel sellers, not through an open tender process.
Ready to See What's Currently Available?
We're on SON4102906 and active until October 2029. If you're looking for your next government ICT contract in Canberra, or just want to understand where your skills fit in the current market, get in touch.
View current ICT opportunities →
How contracting with Hyperion works →
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