FAQs – Indigenous business

Your business must:

• be at least 50% owned by Indigenous persons
• be located in Australia
• make the majority of its revenue through providing a product or service as opposed to grants and donations

The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) has announced changes to the IPP eligibility criteria, with transitional arrangements in place through to 30 June 2027. Indigenous businesses will be eligible to access the IPP if they meet either the original eligibility criteria of at least 50% Indigenous ownership or the strengthened criteria of at least 51% Indigenous ownership and control.

Sole traders, partnerships, incorporated companies (Pty Ltd or Ltd), not-for-profits, Aboriginal corporations, social enterprises and franchises can be registered with Supply Nation.

No. From 1 July 2026, unit trusts are not eligible for Supply Nation registration or certification. Other eligible trust structures may still apply where they meet the relevant registration or certification criteria.

• Click on the ‘Join now’ button on the top right-hand side of this page or click here
• Complete the online application process (including uploading your documentation)
• Submit the application at the completion of the process

There is zero cost to become registered or certified on Indigenous Business Direct. Both of these services are completely free for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses.

In addition, once you’re listed on Indigenous Business Direct, you will also have:

• access to tailored training programs
• opportunities to attend Supply Nation events throughout the year
• potential to be included on business matching lists for members when your products or services align with their requirements.

If the business is successful in its application for registration, the business will be advised by email and its profile will go live on Indigenous Business Direct immediately.

If the business is unsuccessful in its application for registration, the business will be contacted by Supply Nation and advised what is required to complete the registration.

Being on Indigenous Business Direct is not a guarantee that you will win work. Indigenous Business Direct is more like a marketing tool or platform where motivated buyers search for goods and services. You are more likely to be found if your profile sells your business well.

Our role is to support our corporate, government and not-for-profit members in developing procurement processes to include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses and to help them find Indigenous businesses that may fit their requirements and encourage them to invest in developing meaningful relationships.

Becoming a Supply Nation Registered or Certified Supplier Indigenous business is an important step to accessing buyers looking for Indigenous businesses.

Supply Nation does not get involved in the business relationships between our members and Indigenous businesses.

Members with procurement needs can approach their Supply Nation Relationship Manager. The Relationship Manager takes a brief of what is required and then uses Indigenous Business Direct to generate a list of businesses that meet the requirements.

Our members will then receive the list of the matched businesses that meet the criteria to review.

Supply Nation is the only organisation to recognise two levels of Indigenous ownership:

• Registered Indigenous businesses are at least 50% or more Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander owned. This caters for equal partnerships with non-Indigenous owners.
• Certified Indigenous businesses are 51% or more (and often 100%) Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander owned, managed and controlled.

Certification with Supply Nation is the gold standard and many corporate and government agencies will seek to engage Certified Indigenous businesses.

This is because Certified Suppliers:

• meet international minority business definitions of being a minimum of 51% owned, managed and controlled. This means that any corporate that has global targets for minority business engagement will prefer to use Certified Suppliers
• are, by definition, majority Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander owned, managed and controlled, meaning that Certified Supplier businesses are building the Indigenous business sector’s capabilities.

Certified Suppliers also receive a number of additional benefits with Supply Nation:

• Use of the Certified Supplier logo
• Access to contact details of our members through the reverse directory (on your supplier portal)
• Opportunities to promote their business through dedicated events and marketing initiatives

We encourage any eligible businesses to apply for certification.

If your business:

• Is 51% or more Indigenous owned, managed and controlled
• Has a current, valid ABN
• Is either a sole trading business / partnership / private incorporated entity or trading through a trust (unit trusts not eligible)
• Is not a franchise or registered charity.
• Has trading evidence of $50K revenue in the last 12 months
• Is located in Australia
• Is for-profit (the company is not a registered charity with the company generating the majority of its revenue by providing goods or services and distributing its equity (profits/dividends) back to shareholders/owners)

You are eligible to be certified.

Please note that franchises and not-for-profits are ineligible for certification.

No. Insurance documentation is not required for Supply Nation certification. Businesses should still maintain any insurance required by law, contract, tender, customer, venue or event participation.

Accepted financial evidence is limited to: Business Activity Statement (BAS), Profit and Loss statement (P&L), financial statement or ATO statement. Other forms of financial evidence (i.e. invoices) are not accepted.

For Certification and Indigenous Joint Venture applications where Indigenous control is not initially established, applicants may provide up to two responses with revised documents or clarification. If Indigenous control is still not established after the second response, the application will be closed and a three-month cooling-off period applies before re-application.

Email customercare@supplynation.org.au to request a password reset.

Email customercare@supplynation.org.au to request a change to your account or business name. Business names that can be used on Indigenous Business Direct and on your profile must be registered with the Australian Business Register. Supply Nation may still request supporting evidence to verify the updated name.