Five firms to negotiate Kiaora Place advertising contract after tenders rejected

Woollahra Municipal Council has rejected all tenders for internal advertising at Kiaora Place Shopping Centre in Double Bay and authorised negotiations with five named advertising companies.

Cartology Pty Limited, oOh!media, VMO, QMS Media and JCDecaux will negotiate with Council over a contract for advertising inside the shopping centre. New tenders will not be invited because Council considered they unlikely to deliver a favourable result.

The negotiation process is intended to secure the best financial result in the current market. The General Manager has authority to negotiate and enter into a contract with the preferred vendor.

The procurement decision was made under section 178 of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021. It rejects all tenders received, permits negotiations with the five vendors and gives the General Manager delegated contracting authority.

The advertising item was considered in closed session under section 10A(2)(c) of the Local Government Act 1993. Council cited the risk that releasing the information could confer a commercial advantage on a party with which it proposed to conduct business.

Councillors returned to open session before the recommendation was carried. The negotiations will determine which of the five companies becomes the preferred vendor for Kiaora Place’s internal advertising contract.

The procurement path leaves advertising companies competing through direct negotiations rather than a new public tender. It also gives the General Manager authority to complete the contract with the company selected through that process.