Sell biodiversity credits from your BSA

BCT credit purchase calendar

Timeframes for BCT Credit Tender 24-02 are on our Credit Tenders webpage.

The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust's Biodiversity Offsets Program is responsible for securing biodiversity offsets when developers choose to meet their offset obligation by paying into the Biodiversity Conservation Fund.

We secure offsets by buying biodiversity credits from credit owners or by working with landowners who are establishing new BSAs that will generate credits the BCT can purchase.

Help for new landholders: Interested landholders can refer to the BCT’s Information for new landholders wanting to offer credits to the BCT webpage. The webpage includes a link to a map to assist in determining the sub region in which your property is located.

The Biodiversity Offsets Program uses four credit purchase methods to obtain the credits needed to meet developer offset.

• Tenders
• Open fixed price offers
• Targeted fixed price offers
• Revolving fund

Credit tender - how does it work? 

In a tender, applicants offer a price at which they are prepared to sell their credits. 

Applicants submit a bid price to the BCT. The BCT considers the bid through a competitive, reverse auction process.

A tender may be open to both existing credit owners and landholders able to generate the wanted credits from a new BSA. Landholders establishing a new BSA will require a Business case as a minimum level of assessment.

• Participants make bids to sell credits that are displayed on the BCT’s Wanted Credits List. The bid identifies the price (per credit) at which a participant is willing to sell their credits. 
• Bid prices are competitive. The BCT evaluates bids based on price, but other factors may be considered as set out in the participants guide for each tender. 
• If the BCT accepts the participant's bid price, then the sale proceeds. 
• In a limited number of cases, the BCT may provide technical and financial assistance to landholders whose successful bid requires the establishment of a new BSA.

The next credit tender is:

BCT Credit Tender - Date to be confirmed

Timeframes for BCT Credit Tender 24-02 are on our Credit Tenders webpage.

Credit open fixed price offer - how does it work? 

In an Open fixed price offer, the BCT offers applicants a price at which it wants to buy credits. 

Credit owners or landholders apply to obtain the BCT's offer price and choose whether to accept it. 

An Open fixed price offer is open to both existing credit owners and landholders able to generate the wanted credits from a new BSA. Landholders establishing a new BSA will require a Feasibility assessment as a minimum level of assessment. 

• Participants apply to sell credits displayed on the BCT's Wanted Credits List. 
• Applications are considered in a rank order. 
• The BCT offers a non-negotiable set price. 
• If the participant accepts the BCT's price offer, then the sale proceeds. 

The next Open fixed price offer is:

Open fixed price offer - Date to be confirmed

Targeted fixed price offers - how does it work? 

Targeted fixed price offers are used in limited circumstances and specific regions to obtain highly sought-after credits.

Targeted fixed price offers for existing and prospective credit owners

• Under this purchasing mechanism, owners of ecosystem and species credits and landholders in the process of establishing a BSA may be approached by the BCT with an offer to purchase a package of credits at a single price.
• Credit owners with either Biodiversity Assessment Method (BAM) or BioBanking Assessment Methodology (BBAM) credits may be approached with an offer as part of the program. 
• BSA holders / credit owners may receive a targeted fixed price offer regardless of whether they have entered a bid in the BCT 24-02 Credit Tender or any previous BCT tenders. 
• The BCT expects to make targeted fixed price offers as part of a rolling program out to June 2025 but may shorten or extend this timeframe depending on landholder interest and other factors.

Revolving fund - how does it work? 

The BCT will use the revolving fund in limited circumstances to secure wanted biodiversity credits.  

Through the revolving fund, the BCT purchases properties available in the real estate market that have proven capacity to generate wanted credits. The BCT then establishes a BSA on some or all of the property, then re-sells the property in the real estate market. Purchasers buy the property knowing it comes with the responsibilities of a BSA.

The Revolving Fund has not yet been used to purchase credits.

Conservation management actions 

Under the Biodiversity Offset Scheme rules, BCT may sometimes be able to fund biodiversity conservation actions, instead of procuring biodiversity credits. BCT may identify and fund high-priority investment options or may invite tenders to supply conservation projects. 

Conservation management actions have not yet been used to purchase credits.

Reporting on the Biodiversity Offsets Program 

The Biodiversity Offsets Program outcomes webpage provides a summary of the Program’s activity. This includes information on the BCT's progress in securing biodiversity offsets, to date, and previous biodiversity credit tender outcomes.