Transport for NSW has launched a tender seeking an out-of-home operator to oversee 96 roadside advertising sites across metro and regional NSW, with a strong push toward converting traditional billboards into digital screens.
The portfolio includes 62 static billboards and 34 digital sites.
The successful bidder will be given the opportunity to progressively upgrade static assets to digital formats over the course of the contract, with extended operating terms tied to those conversions.
According to the Request for Proposal, the model is geared toward driving revenue growth, encouraging infrastructure investment and supporting the ongoing redevelopment of roadside advertising assets.
TfNSW has designed the contract structure so that longer tenure is linked directly to capital investment.
Contract durations will differ based on asset type and whether upgrades are undertaken.
Digital billboards will be offered five-year terms with an additional two-year extension option, while static sites will carry shorter three-year terms, also with a two-year extension. However, once a static billboard is converted to digital, the term increases to seven years, plus a further two-year option.
This effectively creates a financial incentive for operators to invest in planning, approvals and construction to transition older roadside inventory into digital formats.
The appointed operator will assume full responsibility for the 96-site network, covering everything from planning approvals to maintenance and advertising sales.
This includes securing development approvals from the Department of Planning and Environment, delivering the design and construction of new digital infrastructure, and ensuring all assets comply with safety, planning and advertising regulations.
The operator will also be required to provide performance reporting to TfNSW, deliver year-on-year revenue growth, and put forward proposals for how the network can be better marketed and managed.
TfNSW has indicated it wants the portfolio positioned as premium out-of-home inventory within the Australian market, signalling an expectation that the network will be actively developed rather than simply maintained.
The tender also outlines mandatory requirements around Aboriginal procurement commitments, adherence to NSW Government shorter payment terms, and participation from small and medium enterprises.
Quarterly reporting on these obligations will be required across the life of the contract.
Bidders are also expected to demonstrate how they will improve sustainability outcomes across both infrastructure delivery and ongoing operations, although no specific environmental targets have been set.
The tender forms part of TfNSW’s broader strategy of dividing roadside advertising into multiple portfolios, rather than awarding statewide control to a single operator.
This approach typically sees multiple out-of-home companies competing for different asset packages across NSW, with contracts awarded based on capability, pricing and proposed investment.
The outcome will determine who takes on operation of this 96-site network, including whether the existing inventory is transitioned into a more digitally focused portfolio over the coming contract period.
The tender closes on July 8, with TfNSW aiming to finalise its decision in Q4 2026.
