What is the Model Brokerage service?

The GovAI Model Brokerage service is a secure API gateway that gives Australian Government agencies access to approved AI models. Instead of negotiating separate contracts with multiple AI providers, your applications connect to a single government-managed endpoint that routes requests securely to models like GPT-4o and Claude.

Think of it as a centrally managed switchboard: your application makes one connection to the Brokerage, and we handle authentication, security, compliance, and routing to the right model.

An illustrated graphic of two figures building a castle out of leg-style blocks and planting a flag on the top with the GovAI logo

Who is this service for?

This service is designed for:

  • Technical teams integrating AI capabilities into existing agency systems
  • Developers building applications that need access to large language models
  • Platform teams managing AI infrastructure for their agency

This service is not for:

  • Staff wanting to use AI directly (see GovAI Apps or Interactive Learning Environment)
  • State or territory governments
  • Teams without technical integration capability
Important
This is not a chat interface or ready-to-use application. The Model Brokerage service provides Application Programming Interface (API) access for your technical teams to integrate into your own applications and systems.

Why use the Model Brokerage service? 

How is the Model Brokerage service different from public AI tools?

The Model Brokerage service differs significantly from services like ChatGPT or Claude.ai: 

 

 

Aspect 

Public AI tools 

Model Brokerage service 

Data residency 

May be processed offshore 

Models On-shore, global inference available 

Data handling 

May be retained or used for training 

Not retained, not used for training 

Access control 

Personal accounts, limited oversight 

Managed Access and complete audit trail 

Audit trails 

Limited or unavailable 

Full logging of all API calls 

Compliance 

Consumer terms of service 

Aligned with ISM, PSPF, APS AI Ethics 

Available models

The Model Brokerage service provides access to leading AI models from multiple providers:
 

Microsoft Azure OpenAI

  • GPT-4o — Advanced language model for complex tasks (onshore instance available)
  • GPT-3.5 Turbo — Optimised for high-volume or routine tasks
  • Text embedding models — For semantic search and RAG applications

Amazon Bedrock

  • Anthropic Claude — Claude 3.5, Claude 4.5 Sonnet for complex reasoning
  • Amazon Nova — Amazon Web Services (AWS) foundation models
  • Other providers — Cohere, Stability AI

Note: Because we offer Australian-hosted models through specific agreements, there may be a delay before the latest model versions become available. We prioritise security and compliance first.

How it works

  1. Contact us to discuss your requirements and provision access to the GovAI Developer Portal.
  2. Your agency requests access via the GovAI Developer Portal using GovTEAMS credentials
  3. We provision an API subscription with a secure key and register your application's IP addresses
  4. Your application calls the Brokerage API (api.govai.gov.au) with your API key and request
  5. The Brokerage authenticates your request, checks permissions, and routes it to the specified AI model
  6. The model processes your prompt and returns a response through the Brokerage to your application

All traffic is encrypted via HTTPS. Only metadata (timestamp, model, token counts) is logged by default — agencies can request additional logging for audit purposes. 

What you can do

Model Brokerage Guide

For detailed API documentation and architecture diagrams, contact us to request the full Model Brokerage guide.

Security and governance

The Model Brokerage service is designed for government security requirements:
 

Technical controls

  • Infosec Registered Assessors Program (IRAP)-assessed infrastructure supporting PROTECTED classification
  • End-to-end encryption (HTTPS/TLS)
  • API key authentication plus IP allowlisting
  • Comprehensive audit logging
  • Onshore model options for Australian data residency

Governance alignment

The service aligns with ISM, PSPF, and APS AI Ethics Principles. Agencies remain responsible for:

  • Implementing appropriate content filtering and guardrails in their applications
  • Ensuring responsible use of AI in line with agency policies
  • Completing risk assessments for their use cases
Getting started
G1 Prerequisites

Before applying, confirm you have: 

  • A low-risk AI use case 
  • GovTEAMS credentials 
  • An accountable official (Senior Executive Service Band 1 or above) 
  • A technical lead to manage API subscriptions 
  • Support from your IT security team 
G2 Technical requirements
  • Static outgoing IP address(es) for your application 
  • Internet access on TCP port 443 (HTTPS) to api.govai.gov.au 
G3 Onboarding process
  1. Contact us — Submit an enquiry through the GovAI website
  2. Expression of Interest — Describe your use case and integration approach
  3. Discovery meeting — Confirm technical requirements and answer questions
  4. Agreement — Your accountable official signs the MOU
  5. Technical onboarding — Receive API credentials and configure access
  6. Go live — Begin integrating AI models into your applications

Pricing

During the pilot phase, agencies pay only for model usage. There are no upfront costs.
 

Pay-as-you-go

  • Charged based on tokens processed (chunks of text the model counts)
  • Clear rates for each model reflecting provider charges
  • Ideal for pilots, prototypes, and variable workloads

Reserved capacity

For predictable, high-volume needs:

  • Discounted rates in exchange for committed usage
  • Priority access during peak times
  • Whole-of-government pricing benefits

Get started

Ready to integrate AI models into your applications? Contact us to discuss your use case and begin onboarding. Request the full Model Brokerage service guide for detailed API documentation, architecture diagrams, and security specifications.