A tender agreement in the healthcare system is a formal contract between a health department and approved nursing agencies, allowing those agencies to supply nurses and midwives to public health facilities across Australia.
How does this benefit you on the ground as a travel contractor? Let’s explore the benefits in the article below.
Whether you’re a first-time travel nurse, or an experienced midwife, you may have heard the word ‘tender’ when comparing recruitment agencies and contracts. But what exactly is a government tender, why do agencies have them, and most importantly, how do they affect you on the ground?
Knowing what tender agreements are can give you a real advantage when choosing between agencies and contracts. Below, we break down what tenders are, why they exist, and how they directly benefit you.
What Is A Government Tender In Healthcare?
Simply put, a tender is a formal contract between state or territory health departments and nursing and midwifery recruitment agencies.
Health departments go out to tender to appoint agencies that can consistently supply travel nurses and midwives to fill workforce gaps across metro, regional, rural, and remote healthcare facilities. As a result, the hospital or facility is able to secure a reliable workforce of qualified clinical staff.
Why Do Health Departments Use Tender Agreements?
State health departments use tender agreements to assess and appoint recruitment agencies that can safely, reliably, and cost-effectively supply clinical staff. One of the core benefits is to appoint quality agencies, ensure a pipeline of staff to fill vacancies, and maintain stability in patient care.
What Does the Tender Process Look Like?
Health departments will open formal submissions and invite agencies to apply for a healthcare tender. Agencies that are successful in this application process are awarded the tender and are formally recognised as approved, quality suppliers for that health department. Tendered agencies hear about roles first. Any roles that are not filled are then shared onward to non-tendered agencies.
In short, it is a smoother process for contractors to work with a tendered agency over one that is not. More on this below…
How Do Tender Agreements Affect Nurses and Midwives?
Simply put, if an agency is tendered it means more job opportunities for you! While many agencies offer some perks, tendered agencies have a clear greater advantage when submitting candidates for government health roles that can be far more favourable.
Advantages for Nurses and Midwives Working With a Tendered Agency
When you work with a tendered agency like Affinity Nursing, you can expect:
- More jobs: Access to the widest range of nursing and midwifery locum roles statewide
- Better packages, less surprises: Competitive, structured contracts to ensure fewer out of pocket expenses, gaps between contracts and no last-minute changes. In short: more money in your pocket!
- First dibs: Priority access before other agencies as soon as new travel nurse and locum midwife placements are available
- Greater visibility and access: Health facilities review tendered agency submissions first before non-tendered ones, particularly in popular locations
- More flexibility: Enjoy the freedom of choice and multiple options when exploring regional, rural, and remote contracts
In short, being represented by a tendered agency gives you the competitive edge in securing your dream contract.
How Long Do Government Tender Agreements Last?
The length of a tender agreement varies by jurisdiction. For example, state-wide health department tenders typically last 5 to 8 years. For nurses and midwives, this means greater job security, continuity of work, and a consistent flow of contract opportunities throughout the life of the agreement.
What Makes Affinity Nursing Different To Other Agencies?
Affinity Nursing is proudly the only recruitment agency in Australia tendered on a national basis, meaning we hold contracts with every state and territory health department.
Having been tendered in states such as Queensland since 2009, this is the result of Affinity’s long-standing level of trust, strong relationships, proven compliance standards, and decades of service in the nursing and midwifery locum workforce sector.
What This Means for You as an Affinity Contractor
When you are with Affinity Nursing, you benefit from:
- National access to public system contracts
- Priority consideration for roles across all states and territories
- More consistent, reliable placement opportunities
- Strong advocacy and trusted representation with health departments
We leverage these partnerships to give you the best possible chance of securing roles within each government health system – especially in regional, rural, and remote communities, where your skills make a real difference.
Want to see what it’s like working with a tendered agency? Register with us now.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nursing Contracts and Tenders
Australian state and territory health departments use approved nursing agencies that have been successful in a formal tender process. These agencies are appointed to official panels and are authorised to supply nurses and midwives to public hospitals and health services.
Each state health department runs its own tender process (e.g. NSW Health, Queensland Health, WA Health). Approved agencies differ by jurisdiction.
Affinity Nursing is the only travel recruitment agency who has tenders or contract agreements in every state and territory.
Tendered agencies are first to hear about contracts in health departments. This is where nurses and midwives can benefit from working with a trusted agency.
No, nurses and midwives are not required to work with a tendered agency. However, tendered agencies are typically prioritised for government-funded roles, which means better access to public hospital contracts, more consistent work opportunities, and earlier consideration for placements.
Yes, tender agreements often influence pay rates. Government healthcare tenders usually set standardised pay structures and allowances, which can result in competitive, transparent rates. Nurses working through some tendered agencies such as Affinity Nursing may also receive additional benefits aligned with government contracts, such as travel or accommodation support.
Tendered agencies like Affinity Nursing are better positioned because they have direct access to government-funded vacancies. This means a wider range of metro, regional, rural, and remote roles, faster placement times, and more consistent contract availability throughout the year.
Yes, if an agency holds tender agreements in multiple states or territories, you can access roles across different regions without re-registering with new agencies. This makes it easier to move between contracts and maintain continuity of work as a nurse or midwife. Affinity Nursing is the only agency in Australia that is tendered in all states and territories.
You can ask the agency directly whether they are tendered with state or territory health departments. Reputable agencies will be transparent about their tender status.
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