Future Tender Opportunity Details

The Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics, on behalf of the Development Consent Authority (DCA), is seeking the services of suitably qualified and/or experienced people to become specialist advisors to the DCA in one or more of the following vocational fields:

·         architecture;

·         building construction;

·         community development;

·         engineering;

·         environmental studies;

·         land surveying;

·         landscape design;

·         law;

·         property valuation;

·         property development or management;

·         town planning; 

·         urban design; and

·         community development

The DCA is established under section 82 of the Planning Act 1999. Each division of the DCA determines development applications within their area. Outside of the division areas, the consent authority is the Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics. Where the Minister is the consent authority, a division of the DCA may be appointed to hold a public hearing on behalf of the minister. There are seven division areas associated with the larger population centres. These division areas are:

·       Darwin

·       Palmerston

·       Litchfield

·       Batchelor

·       Katherine

·       Tennant Creek

·       Alice Springs

DCA specialist advisors are required to provide specific advice or assistance in their field of expertise to the DCA to assist it in performing its functions or exercising its powers.  Being available to provide advice to the DCA has multiple benefits, including involvement in the ongoing development of the Territory.

The Consultant may be required to present and discuss their advice with the Chair of the DCA and/or members of the relevant division, before or at a DCA meeting. If the DCA’s decision were to be challenged in the NT Civil and Administrative Tribunal, the Consultant’s advice may need to be relied upon as evidence.

Under section 84 of the Planning Act 1999, the Consultant(s) will be included on a register (a Panel Period Contract in this case) as a specialist advisor. As required, the DCA may invite a Consultant on the register/Panel to provide advice within a time period stipulated by the DCA, which will be commensurate with the complexity of the application and the nature of the advice requested.