Fleet updates, innovations and new procurement opportunities
Published on 16 March 2026
Article by Shane Grimstone, Category Manager
Welcome to 2026 and a bright new year ahead for fleet Arrangements. Local Buy has some updates on contracts that will impact your procurement in the future. We are also looking at new opportunities to expand our offerings to the fleet sector.
Firstly, we launched the new Heavy & Light Plant Machinery LB345 Arrangement that replaced two existing Arrangements. The old NPN2.15-2 Heavy Plant Machinery and LB282 Tractors, Mowers and General Purposed Equipment Arrangements are now under the single new LB345 Heavy and Light Plant Machinery Arrangement. This will make it easier for buyers to find both suppliers and products. We have expanded the number of categories and scope of the specification. Now there is the option to procure second hand equipment as an option as well as broadening the payment option to include leasing. Service and Maintenance is now covered by this Arrangement which can include Service Level Agreements under the contract. We’ve split the categories to include “Electric” machinery to find suppliers and products more easily. We have almost 70 suppliers on the Arrangement and a few potential new suppliers awaiting verification and appointment from the February round.
Secondly, the new Fleet Management Solutions LB339 was launched in late 2025 to replace the previous Fleet Management Services LB281 Arrangement. We have updated and added new categories. MaaS (Mobility as a Service) has added Vehicle Subscription Services to the Leasing and Rental categories to broaden options for fleet managers, particularly those short-term contractors and projects that require vehicles. The other new addition is Digested Maintenance, Repairs and Servicing for vehicles. This includes Digital Crash and Repair Management, Digested Maintenance, Servicing and end of asset life Management. The existing Fleet Management Consultancy, plus Fleet Management Information Systems (FMIS) & IVMS (In Vehicle Management Systems) are still a big part of this Arrangement. We have retained Auction, Vehicle Disposal and Remarketing Services for convenience and auditor compliance. We have almost 30 suppliers in the Arrangement a few potential new suppliers awaiting evaluation and appointment following the February open tender round.
If you have a specific supplier you’d like to engage with, then please contact Local Buy and we will speak to them about the tender process.
What of the future fleet needs? This year Local Buy is going to reach out to the supply market and government fleet market to gauge interest in an EV Charging Infrastructure Arrangement. We’ll be running a RFI (Request for Information) across the industry.
The Scope is to include:
- Site Selection, Planning & Design, Installation, Accessibility
- Partnerships and Collaboration
- Technology and Innovation
- Sustainability and Energy Efficiency Chargers
- Incentives and Funding including access to State and Federal funding
- Service and Maintenance Agreements
- Renewable Energy Options, Solar, Wind, Landfill Gas
- Expansion of Existing facilities and networks capability
Other new Arrangements under review include Service and Maintenance for Motor Vehicles, Trucks and Plant Machinery and Marine Craft supply. I’ll be seeking feedback over the next 6 months on your fleet management thoughts to see how we can bring value to the market.
In August, Local Buy is having its bi-annual Conference in Brisbane. This year will host a dedicated Fleet stream session with topics to be determined over the next couple of months. I’d bee keen to hear from the Fleet Managers and Coordinator’s on subjects you’d like to hear from industry professionals.
On a personal note I’ll be heading to the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition (Auto China 2026) in Beijing at the end of April, to check out the cutting edge of Motor Vehicles, Trucks and EV Charging. Hopefully with a few factory tours to get some insights into the future. Recently I spent some leave time in Egypt and if you think we have road and vehicle issues here, I’ve got a few snaps that might make you stop and smile on what’s happening in other parts of the world.
For more information on our Fleet Arrangements, please contact Category Manager, Shane Grimstone sgrimstone@localbuy.net.au