Groceries and Fresh Produce Common Use Arrangement CUAGRO2024

Category A includes non-perishable or stable shelf lines that generally have long expiry dates.

Goods in this Category are commonly provided as canned, bottled, or packed goods with nutritional information and expiry dates labelled in accordance with appropriate standards.

The range of goods within Category A includes the following sub-categories:

• Canned fruit, vegetables, baked beans;
• Biscuits, cake mixes, deserts;
• Cereals, pasta, rice, flour;
• Condiments, pickles, spreads and sauces;
• Powdered and concentrated beverages, soups; and
• Tea and coffee. 

Category B includes fresh bread and bakery products separated into the following sub-categories:

• Fresh bread and rolls; and
• Cakes and bakery products. 

Category C is for ready to drink non-alcoholic beverages, separated into the following sub-categories:

• Fruit juices;
• Soft drinks;
• Sports drinks;
• Energy drinks;
• Ice tea; and
• Bottled water, including single use bottles, and floor standing or bench-top coolers that dispense from reusable bottles (15-20 litres).

Category D is for fresh meat, poultry and small goods products, and is separated into the following sub-categories:

• Fresh beef and veal;
• Fresh lamb and mutton;
• Fresh pork;
• Fresh poultry; and
• Refrigerated processed meats and small goods.

Canned shelf stable products listed in Category A are excluded from this Category. 

Category E includes frozen meat, fish, poultry and savoury products separated into the following sub-categories:

• Frozen beef, lamb and pork;
• Frozen poultry;
• Frozen seafood; and
• Frozen savoury products (chicken nuggets, pies, pasties, spring rolls etc.).

All canned shelf stable products listed in Category A and frozen fruit and vegetables as set out in Category G are excluded from this Category.

Category F is for fresh fruit and vegetables and contains the following sub-categories:

• Fresh fruit.
• Fresh vegetables.
• Bulk purchase of fruit and vegetables.
• Fruit and vegetables in this sub-category must be able to be supplied in minimum quantities of 0.5 tonnes per Order.
• Bulk fruit: apples and oranges.
• Bulk vegetables: broccoli, brown onions, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, pumpkin.
• Pre-mixed / prepared fresh vegetables as follows:

Category G is separated into the following sub-categories:

• Frozen vegetables; and
• Frozen fruit. 

Category H is for dairy related products, and is split into the following sub-categories including:

• Fresh cream;
• Fresh milk;
• Fresh yoghurt;
• Flavoured ices and ice cream products;
• Cheese;
• Butter;
• Margarine; and
• Eggs.

Shelf stable dairy products listed in Category A are excluded from this Category H.

In scope - Standard Goods

Under each Category, contractors must supply and deliver Standard Goods as outlined in the Pricing Schedule.   

In scope - Non-Standard Goods

Contractors may supply additional goods within scope of this CUA, at a discounted rate. These Non-Standard Goods comply with the requirements of the Head Agreement CUAGRO2024.

Out of Scope

The following goods are defined as out of scope of this CUA and are not available under this CUA:

• Office stationery consumables;
• Janitorial consumables;
• Bathroom and toiletry consumables;
• Vending machine rentals and associated items;
• Food service contracts, for example a managed coffee service, where goods provided under this CUA comprise only a minority of the overall contract value;
• Tobacco and related products;
• Alcoholic beverages; and
• Special dietary or health requirement foods.

The Goods under this Head Agreement are mandatory in the Perth Metropolitan Region and non-mandatory for all other regions. 

State agencies should be aware of the following requirements under Western Australian Procurement Rules as they apply to purchases from this CUA.  The below table is a summary of the requirements, and State agencies are encouraged to review the WA Procurement Rules.

Procurement planning

Request development and contract formation

Contract management

Exemption from using this CUA

Procurement Frameworks, Department of Treasury and Finance are responsible for processing and approving all requests from State agencies seeking exemption from using a mandatory CUA. Requests for an exemption are considered on a case-by-case basis, and a requesting agency must be able to demonstrate that a business need cannot be adequately met by the relevant CUA.

Exemption requests should be directed to the Assistant Director Procurement Frameworks through an email to the contract manager in the first instance. Requests for exemption must be in writing via email, and must provide sufficient explanation and background to enable the request to be considered. The requesting officer should be the Accountable Authority or delegate of the agency.

For guidelines on what to include in an exemption request, please refer to the Common Use Arrangements Procurement Practice Guideline

How does this CUA impact on people and planet?

Contractors have been evaluated on their commitment to circular economy principles in the supply of groceries under this CUA.

They have also been evaluated on their ability to help you, the buyer, meet your obligations on government policy on sustainability and resource recovery.

Several circular economy principles in the product lifecycle have been identified as a focus for the CUA.  These include:

Resource Recovery

• Ability to recover food waste generated under this CUA.

Logistics and Transport

• Reduction of carbon emissions including use of low emission vehicles, increasing vehicle efficiency

Packaging

• Ability to recycle packaging; and
• Maximise recycled content of packaging used under this CUA.

Please do not hesitate to have a discussion with your contractor in how to collaborate in achieving sustainable outcomes for your organisation.

Which contractors supply what goods/services?

Please refer to the Pricing Schedule to find out who supplies what under which Category.

Pricing Schedule

Prices for this CUA are fixed so buyers can pick and buy the specified products from the contractors without calling quotes or tenders.

View the Pricing Schedule for current CUA prices. Prices are subject to change annually in line with CPI adjustments, as well as extraordinary price variations. Always refer to the Price Schedule currently published on WA.gov.au, not a locally-saved copy.

Bulk pricing

The Pricing Schedule includes pricing for Bulk quantities within Category F: Fresh Fruit and Vegetables.

Non-standard Goods discount

Customers may also purchase Non-Standard Products from contractors. Non-Standard Products are items which are not listed but fall within the scope of the CUA Product Categories. You may request information regarding Non-Standard Products directly from the contractors.

Delivery charges

1. Delivery within Perth Metropolitan Region, City of Mandurah, and Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale

All orders above any specified minimum order threshold for free delivery must be delivered free of charge within the Perth Metropolitan Region, City of Mandurah, and Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale.

2. Delivery outside Perth Metropolitan Region

Delivery is offered for all WA locations outside the Perth Metropolitan Region but may be charged as an additional delivery fee. 

Payment by purchasing card

The government purchasing card offers a quick and convenient method of payment allowing goods and services to be efficiently purchased.

Always remember to inform the contractor that you will be paying by government purchasing card, at the time of ordering the product or service, and ensure they clearly understand that they must send the tax invoice directly to you, the cardholder.

• Contractors offer discounts on non-contract items, too, so be sure to check before purchasing elsewhere;
• Items purchased from the CUA for delivery to regional areas may incur a freight surcharge – be sure to budget for these;
• Plan purchases in advance and where possible, order in bulk quantities;
• Know the shelf life of your regular products so you can order more, less frequently to save time and effort;
• This also means you can make your orders larger and ensure you meet minimum order values to avoid any delivery fees or surcharges (delivery fees apply for regional areas excluding Peel and Serpentine-Jarrahdale);
• Do not agree to, or sign any alternative terms and conditions from the contractors;
• Contractors under this CUA have committed to the following standards;
• Registrations/qualifications
  • Accreditation on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP)
  • Registration under the Food Act 2008
  • For manufacturers, a licence to manufacture food products.
• Quality of Produce 
  •  At a minimum all food items must:
    • not be damaged, deteriorated or perished;
    •  be stored, processed, handled and transported in a manner that presents the least possible opportunity for contamination; and
    •  not show signs of pests or unacceptable odour and colour. 
•  General Service Standards
  •  Contractors must: 
    • ensure that their quality assurance procedures and processes meet or exceed the standard required by the customer; and 
    • respond within 24 hours to any customer enquiry or concern. 
• Minimum Delivery Standards 
  •  Goods must be delivered accurately and on time to the specified location
  • Perishable goods must not be left unattended unless agreed prior with the customer
  • All vehicles used for transportation must be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition; and
  • All vehicles used for transportation of refrigerated goods and perishable goods, must maintain goods under appropriate temperature control.
•  Packaging
  • All goods must be suitably packed by the contractor to avoid damage in transit. The contractor should use recycled and recyclable content where reasonably practicable and where that use will not comprise safety, quality or capability of the goods. 
     

Use the Pricing Schedule to evaluate which contractor represents best value for money for their needs before contacting the contractor to make their purchase.

Orders should be placed directly with contractors using the Order Form.

Unless otherwise agreed in the Order, the contractor must notify the customer 24 hours prior to the delivery date if any required goods in the order are unavailable and advise whether any backorder or substitute goods options are available. 

Please note that the 24-hour notice period may not be achievable for Bread and Bakery Products contractors as they bake bread on the morning of delivery.

Upon notification, the customer has the option to approve or cancel the Order without penalty. 
The contractors will take all reasonable steps to ensure that backorders are kept to a minimum throughout the operation of the contract. 
 

Active contract management pays off

• Check your invoices to ensure the correct price has been charged, before authorising payment.
• Try other contractors on a regular basis to see what the other contractors on the CUA are offering.
• Monitor service level compliance.
• Document any issues as they arise even if they are resolved. This will assist in ongoing contractor performance management.
• If you are unable to resolve issues please contact the contract manager.