Request for tender for Procurement of services for a Fire Protection Industry (ODS & SGG) Board

The Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 (the Ozone Act) and the Ozone Regulations implement Australia’s obligations under a number of international agreements including the Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by imposing controls of the manufacture, handling, import and export of a range of ozone depleting substances (ODSs) and synthetic greenhouse gases (SGGs) in Australia.

Under regulation 311 of the Ozone Regulations, the Minister may appoint an incorporated body to be the Fire Protection Industry (ODS&SGG) Board (the Board) and authorise the Board to exercise any or all of the Minister’s powers and functions listed in subregulation 311(2). The services of the Board are provided through a Services Agreement with the Department.

The functions and powers that the Board is authorised to exercise provides oversight for the use, within the fire protection industry, of Ozone Depleting Substances & Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (ODS&SGG) agents as listed in Schedule 1 to the Ozone Act. This includes implementing a permit scheme under the Division 6A.4 of the Regulations for the handling, storage, acquisition and disposal of extinguishing agents that are listed in Schedule 1 to the Ozone Act and encouraging compliance with the Regulations.

The Ozone Regulations require technicians working with ODS&SGG agents used in fire-fighting systems, irrespective of industry sector, to hold a permit and for suppliers of these gases to hold an extinguishing agent trading authorisation.