The Secretary may, on behalf of the Commonwealth, enter into contracts for the purchase by the Commonwealth of biodiversity certificates.

Such a contract is to be known as a biodiversity conservation contract.

The Secretary may enter into a biodiversity conservation contract as the result of a biodiversity conservation purchasing process.

The Secretary may conduct biodiversity conservation purchasing processes on behalf of the Commonwealth. Such processes may include tender processes.

The Secretary must have regard to certain principles and other matters when conducting a biodiversity conservation purchasing process.