Grants of up to $50,000 available to help WA small businesses win government contracts

Three new rounds of the $2 million Local Capability Fund (LCF) have been announced by the WA state government.

The grants have been designed to help local businesses bid and win government contracts for supply goods, services and works.

WA’s Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation launched a targeted round of the LCF at an Aboriginal Business Forum in Geraldton last week.

Grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded to boost the capability of Aboriginal businesses. SMEs with majority Aboriginal ownership will be eligible to apply for the Aboriginal Business Round.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Tony Buti said the funding would make a big difference for Indigenous-owned businesses in remote parts of the state.

“Upgrading equipment or engaging consultant expertise can help businesses grow to a level that allows them to compete for contracts that have previously been beyond their reach,” Buti said.

Fantastic to be part of the Aboriginal Business Forum in Geraldton today. Indigenous suppliers are rapidly increasing and creating brilliant outcomes in the communities they operate. pic.twitter.com/RxamKZDSW3

— Tony Buti (@TonyButi_MLA) June 9, 2022

The other two LCF rounds will target vendors wanting to supply key major projects worth grants of up to $50,000, and a national and international standards compliance round with grants of up to $20,000.

Successful businesses will be able to use the grant money to cover costs for buying and upgrading essential equipment or meeting essential pre-qualification requirements for supply chain entry.

Grants from the major projects round must relate to civil construction and infrastructure projects, including those listed on WA’s Pipeline of Work website. Funding will be given to SMEs wanting to access contracts on other major public or private sector projects.

Grant money for the third round can be put towards consultant advice on a range of compliance issues, such as occupational health and safety, marketing, finance and cybersecurity matters.

Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade Roger Cook issued a statement on Thursday encouraging local businesses to apply.

With SMEs comprising at least 97% of the state’s businesses, he said, the grants were key to securing WA’s supply chains and supporting economic growth.

“The LCF has a proven track record of successfully helping SMEs to access the state government’s estimated $30 billion per annum spend on goods, services and works for the community,” Cook added.

“Supporting local SMEs to remain competitive in bidding for government contracts is crucial to supporting jobs and maintaining our capability across a range of industries.”

The WA government has awarded more than 520 businesses a total of $19 million in LCF funding to date, which has assisted local businesses in winning approximately $736 million in government contract awards.

This article was first published by The Mandarin.