Tender Details
CEQ Wet Season Air Freight
Business Name
Community Enterprise Queensland
VP Reference #
VP478137
Opens
Wednesday 10 September 2025
(E. Australia Standard Time)
Closes
Friday 10 October 2025 05:00 PM
(E. Australia Standard Time)
CLOSED
Supplier query cut-off
Friday 10 October 2025 05:00 PM
(E. Australia Standard Time)
Expected decision
Friday 07 November 2025
(E. Australia Standard Time)
Buyer Details
Business Name
Community Enterprise Queensland
Location
269 Mulgrave Rd
Bungalow, Queensland 4870
Australia
WebSite:
https://www.ceqld.org.au/
Business Info
Our mission is to improve the lives of Queenslanders by providing essential goods and services, promoting economic growth, and protecting the environment. We operate in over 100 communities across Queensland and are committed to finding new and better to meet the needs of Queenslanders by working with government and businesses.
Contact Name
Casey Kelly
Position:
General Manager Merchandise & Supply
Primary phone:
0429380172
Mobile phone:
0429380172
Fax number:
None Provided
Email:
casey.kelly@ceqld.org.au
What the buyer is requesting
Details
Community Enterprise Queensland (CEQ) invites tenders from suitably qualified and experienced air freight providers to deliver fresh produce, chilled food, and groceries from Cairns to the communities of Kowanyama, Pormpuraaw, and Doomadgee during the Far North Queensland wet season.
Background information / Compatibility requirements
Details
CEQ is a Queensland Government Statutory Body responsible for providing essential goods and services to the Torres Strait, Northern Peninsula Area, and mainland Aboriginal remote communities. CEQ also provides employment and training opportunities for local people.
The CEQ Support Office is based in Cairns, servicing 32 retail outlets including IBIS Stores, ABIS Stores, Waibene (Thursday Island) Hardware, Waibene (Thursday Island) Service Station, Col Jones, Mona’s Bazaar and Bamaga Community Home Hardware.
During the wet season, road access to the communities of Kowanyama, Pormpuraaw, and Doomadgee cais restricted for 4–6 months, requiring reliable air freight solutions.
CEQ has a genuine role in generating investment and industry opportunities to provide jobs and economic growth for the people of the Torres Strait, Northern Peninsula Area (NPA) and mainland communities. The development and implementation of sound business practices in an ethical, culturally appropriate and socially responsible manner has enabled CEQ to move into a new age of business.
As a Statutory Body, CEQ is required to adhere to the Queensland Government Procurement Strategy which focuses on prioritising Queensland businesses, supporting local jobs in regional Queensland, achieving positive economic, social and environmental outcomes, investing in technology and innovation and choosing ethical businesses.
Supplier lists selected
Lists
Aircraft & Aviation Services
Categories selected
Categories
Aircraft & Aviation
1: Air Charter Services
Regions of Service
Locations
Queensland
1: Far North
All Regions of Service locations are within Australia.
Information requested by others
15/Sep/2025 01:46 PM
Question
:
Hello CEQ team, is there any planned work to upgrade the PCN rating for the airfields? The payload requirement and pricing could be much more competitive if the runways didn't limit operations to small aircraft. A fully loaded ATR would need an exemption from the ARO to land and still only allow up to 5tn cargo. There are cargo jets available in market that could deliver 10tn/23tn subject to the PCN being upgraded.
Answered on 17/Sep/2025 02:02 PM
:
Thank you for your inquiry regarding potential upgrades to the PCN rating for regional airfields.
The respective local councils are responsible for airstrip infrastructure. At present, Pormpuraaw is undergoing an upgrade, but we are not aware of any confirmed future works at other sites. While the current five-tonne freight limit continues to meet operational requirements for two serviced locations, it does impose a ceiling on efficiency and scalability.
We fully recognise the strategic value of increasing the PCN rating. Unlocking access to larger aircraft, including cargo jets capable of delivering 10 to 23 tonnes, would dramatically improve freight capacity, reduce cost per kilo, and open the door to more competitive logistics solutions
Updates made to this Request
Updates
None...