About Us and Policies

Data Retention Policy

TenderHawk.au retains only the information necessary to facilitate evaluation activities and deletes or anonymises it when it is no longer operationally required.

Retention periods

Finalisation process

When a tender is marked finalised, the system attempts to email the chair a summary of the evaluation outcome and a complete TenderHawk JSON data file containing scoring and commentary. The tender remains accessible during the 90-day retention period unless it is archived earlier by an authorised user.

Deletion and restoration

When a tender is moved to the archive, the system attempts to email each chair a fresh JSON data file and a single-use restore link valid for 90 days. The link requires the chair to sign in. After the link expires, restoration may require administrator assistance and is possible only while the archived tender has not been permanently deleted. Permanent deletion cannot be undone.

User-managed retention and public records compliance

The standalone TenderHawk data file viewer allows chairs and authorised staff to view or print a JSON data file without logging in. Processing occurs entirely in the user's browser; the viewer does not upload, transmit or retain the file. Clients remain responsible for the long-term retention, archiving and secure management of exported files in accordance with their organisational policies and applicable public records legislation, including relevant State or Territory legislation or the Archives Act 1983 (Cth).

Privacy Policy

TenderHawk.au is committed to protecting personal information and handling it in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

1. Information we collect

We collect only personal information reasonably necessary for the platform's functions.

• Mandatory: First name, last name and a valid email address.
• Optional: Position title and phone number.
• Exclusions: TenderHawk.au does not collect, view or store supplier tender responses, attachments or uploaded procurement documents.

2. How we use information

Personal and evaluation information is used to:

• Facilitate tender evaluation workflows.
• Manage user roles, permissions and platform security.
• Maintain governance, security and audit records.
• Provide finalisation, archive and account notifications.
• Protect, monitor and improve platform performance.

TenderHawk.au does not sell, rent or trade personal information.

3. Data storage and security

Production data is stored in a Melbourne-based Australian data centre. Security controls include:

• Encryption of data in transit.
• Role-based access controls.
• Layered authentication mechanisms.
• Monitoring and detailed audit logging.

4. Disclosure and location of data

Information may be disclosed to the organisation administering the relevant tender, to infrastructure and security providers bound by confidentiality obligations, or when required by law or a regulatory authority.

• No third-party tracking: TenderHawk.au does not use third-party analytics or advertising tracking tools.
• Australian data location: Production application data is hosted in Australia. TenderHawk.au does not intentionally host production application data outside Australia. Any overseas disclosure, if required, will be handled in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles.

5. Access, correction and contact

Users may request access to or correction of their personal information. Logged-in users can submit a request through TenderHawk support after logging in. General and privacy enquiries can be submitted through the public Contact Us form.

6. Complaints handling

Privacy complaints can be submitted through the Contact Us form. TenderHawk.au will review and respond to a complaint within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

Licensing Terms

TenderHawk.au is provided as a subscription-based software service. Use of the platform is subject to these licensing terms.

Grant of licence

Clients receive a non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to access and use TenderHawk.au for internal procurement evaluation activities, create and manage tender evaluations, and allow authorised staff and evaluators to participate in scoring and commentary.

Licensed domains and expiry

A current licence associated with the user's email domain is normally required to create, import or duplicate a tender evaluation. If that licence expires, users can no longer create new evaluations but may continue to access and work on existing evaluations according to their assigned role and permissions.

Super administrators may grant or deny an individual user's evaluation creation access as an exception to the domain licence. Individual access may be time limited. Users without creation access may submit a request for super-administrator review; submitting a request does not guarantee approval.

Client responsibilities

• Maintain accurate mandatory user information, including first name, last name and a valid email address.
• Maintain the confidentiality of login credentials and securely manage long-term retention of exported JSON data files.
• Use the platform in accordance with applicable procurement laws, public-sector codes of conduct and organisational policies.
• Ensure they have the authority and internal approvals necessary to enter procurement project metadata into the platform.
• Not reverse-engineer, reproduce or redistribute the platform.
• Acknowledge that accounts inactive for 180 days may be deleted or anonymised.

Intellectual property

All TenderHawk.au software, code, interface designs, layouts, branding and platform features remain the exclusive property of TenderHawk.au. Client-generated evaluation data remains the property of the client.

Service availability

TenderHawk.au aims to provide high availability but does not guarantee uninterrupted service. Planned infrastructure maintenance will be communicated in advance where possible.

Australian Consumer Law

Our services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. Nothing in these terms excludes, restricts or modifies any guarantee, right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded.

Evaluation responsibility

All reasoning, commentary, scoring, consensus outcomes and recommendations entered or produced through the platform remain the responsibility of the client and its authorised evaluators. TenderHawk.au does not endorse, independently validate or guarantee any evaluation, recommendation, procurement decision or outcome.

Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, and subject to rights that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law, TenderHawk.au is provided "as is". TenderHawk.au is not liable for procurement decisions or outcomes, losses arising from unexpected platform downtime or misuse, or third-party content or data provided by clients.

Termination

A client may terminate its licence with 30 days' notice. TenderHawk.au may terminate a licence immediately for a material breach, non-payment of subscription fees or unlawful use. Before account deletion, clients are responsible for downloading their final TenderHawk JSON data files.