The State Procurement Board defines probity as ‘the evidence of ethical behaviour’ within a procurement process, ensuring that procurements are undertaken in a fair, equitable and transparent way.

Within Government procurements, probity is maintained by:

• Ensuring all potential bidders have access to the same information at the same time
• Using documented procurement processes
• Avoiding conflicts of interest and bias within Government procurement teams
• Keeping detailed records of procurement projects
• Preventing the offering and acceptance of gifts
• Making sure documents are securely and confidentially stored
• For high value/high complexity procurements, appointing a Probity Advisor to oversee a project.

Suppliers also play a role in maintaining probity within procurement processes by ensuring they do not offer gifts or hospitality.