Define the engagement
An adviser may help design a procedure. An outsourced team may perform a check for you. A software licence may only provide the system your staff use. Describe each part of a bundled offer separately. AUSTRAC treats in-house technology and independent evaluation separately from the outsourcing arrangements covered by its guidance. Buying several services from one supplier does not make them the same service.
- Define the work
Separate advice, case work and software.
- Inspect evidence
Ask the delivery team to explain a sample.
- Compare scope
Price the same work and exceptions.
- Agree acceptance
Record what you will check before sign-off.
Compare the service before signing
Suggested review structure. Completing these steps does not confirm compliance.
Follow the process from top to bottom.
Suggested questions about the team
Use the following questions as a procurement aid, not a prescribed legal checklist. Who will work on your files after the sale? Which parts of your service have they handled before? Ask the proposed delivery team to explain one difficult case using fictional information. Record the answer and any limits. A senior person in the sales meeting may not be the person who provides the service.
Specify an output you can inspect
For a program engagement, ask for a sample contents list and a description of the information the provider needs from you. Set a review point before final delivery. For an ongoing service, describe a completed case file and the evidence you expect to receive. These are suggested acceptance methods. Avoid an acceptance test that only asks whether a document or dashboard exists.
Separate price from scope
Make a comparison sheet with separate rows for setup, case work, staff training, revisions and handover. Ask what happens when a file is incomplete or needs specialist attention. Record whether that work is included, charged separately or returned to your staff. Compare offers against the same fictional workload. A low monthly fee cannot tell you whether two proposals include the same work.
Check the agreement before signing
AUSTRAC describes written agreements with defined services, performance expectations and oversight arrangements. It also identifies restrictions on information sharing. Seek qualified advice on contract terms and the information your proposed arrangement can lawfully share. The questions on this page do not determine whether a particular agreement is legally sufficient.
Hypothetical example: two program quotes
A small practice receives two quotes. One includes a document and one meeting. The other includes interviews, a draft, a staff exercise and corrections. The practice asks both firms to price the same agreed scope. It records who will resolve unanswered questions before accepting delivery. This example explains a comparison method. It does not favour either pricing model or confirm that either proposal meets the practice’s obligations.