DFAT intends to approach the market for a managing contractor to implement a new investment – Primary Health Care for Papua New Guinea (PHC4PNG) – from late 2026 for an initial five year term, with the possibility of extension to December 2035.
PHC4PNG will support Papua New Guinea (PNG)'s ambitions in preventing ill health, identifying and addressing health risks and emerging diseases, and providing accessible and affordable quality healthcare for all, in line with its National Health Plan 2021–2030.
The managing contractor (MC) for PHC4PNG will be required to support the delivery of integrated packages of primary health care (PHC)—with an emphasis on antenatal care—resulting in measurable, province-level improvements against key indicators.
The MC will also provide targeted enabling corporate governance support for these services, as well as manage a catalytic small grants program such as through a Health Innovation Fund, designed primarily to support Provincial Health Authorities. Both program elements are expected to focus on innovation, local problem solving, and targeted system improvements identified through readiness assessments and annual performance reviews.
Detailed insight into DFAT's bilateral health program in Papua New Guinea is set out in the Papua New Guinea–Australia Health Partnership Strategy 2024–2034.
Additional background on sector consultation findings and design context can be found in the PNG Health Consultations 2025 Briefing Note, which summarises insights from extensive in country engagements and contributes to the development of PHC4PNG.
It is anticipated that DFAT will approach the market in the first quarter of 2026 with a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEOI) as the first stage of a two step procurement process. DFAT will hold an industry briefing during the RFEOI period. Failure to respond to the RFEOI will result in a potential respondent not being invited to participate in the subsequent Request for Tender (RFT). Shortlisted organisations from the RFEOI stage will be published on this page.
The proposed procurement will be published on AusTender, and updates on its status can be found on the Development Procurement Pipeline.
Download Background information
- Papua New Guinea–Australia Health Partnership Strategy 2024–2034 [DOCX 2.3 MB]
- Papua New Guinea–Australia Health Partnership Strategy 2024–2034 [PDF 1.4 MB]
- PNG health consultations 2025 Briefing Note [PDF 568 KB]
- PNG health consultations 2025 Briefing Note [DOCX 85 KB]
Disclaimer: This information is provided for planning purposes only. It does not represent a solicitation or constitute a request for proposal, nor is it a commitment to purchase or tender for any described services. The scale, scope, and focus of any proposed program may change at any time and is subject to formal approval by the Australian and Papua New Guinea Governments before any procurement process commences.