The Department of Home Affairs has been accused of cost-cutting, after it revealed it was looking to "standardise" the uniforms of the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force.
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The department said this week it would approach the market in the new year to find a new supplier of uniforms, accouterments and personal protective equipment for federal police officers and Border Force officials.
"While there are currently limited common uniform, accoutrement and PPE items between the ABF and AFP, the services potentially established under this approach to the market are to provide the mechanism for increased standardisation between the agencies," the tender notice said.
A Home Affairs spokesperson said there had been a panel arrangement for Australian Border Force uniforms and equipment since 2015, which extended a deal set up when it used to be Customs and Border Protection.
Under the arrangement it bought shirts, pants, jumpers, rain jackets, baseball caps, leather belts, webbing belts, safety shoes, disposable dust masks, sunglasses, beanies, ear protection, torches, as well as disposable and tactical gloves.
That arrangement expires in June 2020 and there was a requirement to test the market for value for money, the spokesperson said.
As the Australian Federal Police was buying similar items through different contacts, the department was hoping to source items through a single supplier in future.
"The look and feel of the [Border Force] uniform will remain as per the current design," the spokesperson said.
But it comes amid a wider controversy about the new uniform standards for Border Force officers.
Officers have been told to remove "flashes" - the insignia which show which unit an officer is from.
Community and Public Sector Union deputy national president Lisa Newman said the tender was another example of government cost cutting at the expense of Australian Border Force units.
"Uniforms and patches are an important recognition of the specialist units, they also add to their sense of cohesion," Ms Newman said.
Uniforms have been a source of controversy since Border Force was created in 2015.
The dark-blue outfits prompted criticism about the alleged militarisation of the department under Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo.
But as Mr Pezzullo told Senate estimates in 2015, customs officers had worn uniforms since 1901.
