Solar Victoria, Victorian Energy Upgrades Insulation Program Audit Services

The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (the Department) brings together Victoria’s energy, environment, water, agriculture, forestry, resources, climate action, and emergency management functions into a single department to maximise connections between the environment, community, industry and economy. This brings an integrated approach to the development of long-term state and regional strategies that build on social, environmental, and economic opportunities to provide for future population growth and change.

Solar Victoria, a functional group within the Department was established to empower Victorians to access affordable, reliable clean energy, now and into the future. Solar Victoria delivers the Victorian Government’s Solar Homes Program, one of the most ambitious and transformative renewable energy programs in Australia and the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program.

The Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program helps households and businesses reduce their energy use and lower their energy bills. Established under the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Act 2007, the program aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency, and invest in industries that provide energy demand management technology and services. Through the VEU program, consumers can access financial incentives for upgrading appliances, processes or buildings.

When accredited businesses (known as accredited providers) undertake eligible energy efficiency activities in homes or businesses, they create Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs). Each VEEC represents one tonne of greenhouse gas emissions saved over the lifetime of the activity or product installed. VEECs can then be sold to energy Approved Provider who must meet an emission savings target each year based on their annual electricity and gas sales.

The Victorian Government has committed to introduce the ceiling insulation retrofits as an activity under the VEU program. The new activity will help more Victorians to upgrade their homes to be more energy efficient, improving thermal comfort and delivering health benefits. The new ceiling retrofits insulation activity will also help reduce emissions, support local manufacturing, and improve the energy efficiency of homes.

The introduction of ceiling insulation retrofits activity into the VEU program will occur in a staged manner to enable the ceiling insultation industry to expand its capacity and capability for safe and high-quality installations in retrofit households. Ceiling insulation upgrades are proposed to be undertaken by insulation installers that have been approved and accredited under the VEU program.

A robust safety and quality assurance regime, including audits and oversight requirements, will be developed with relevant regulatory agencies including Energy Safe Victoria, WorkSafe Victoria and the Essential Services Commission to ensure compliant and safe installations

The Department is seeking responses to this Request for Tender (RFT) T2025-0459 for the Provision of the Solar Victoria, Victorian Energy Upgrades Insulation Program Audit Services. This procurement project seeks to establish supply arrangement/s with a suitably experienced and qualified service provider/s to conduct audits of ceiling insulation retrofits installed under the VEU Program across metropolitan and regional Victoria.

The Department at its sole discretion may elect to enter any one of the following Purchasing Arrangements for the Services stated in the specification:

• preferred Supplier status for a single successful supplier or;
• preferred Supplier status for multiple successful suppliers.

End of period for questions or requests for information (clause 4.2) 15 January 2026