Government agencies spend approximately $51.5 billion a year on a wide range of goods and services from third party suppliers. We need to ensure that government procurement delivers public value for all New Zealanders while supporting the delivery of better public services throughout New Zealand.
Agencies should identify their key priorities and seek to meet as many of these expectations as practical.
The New Zealand government directs agencies to:
- Seek opportunities to include New Zealand businesses. Openly work to create opportunities for local businesses and small-to-medium enterprises to participate in your procurement processes.
- Undertake initiatives to contribute to a low emissions economy and promote greater environmental responsibility. Ensure that economic and social development can be implemented on a sustainable basis with respect for the protection and preservation of the environment, reducing waste, carbon emissions and pollution.
- Look for new and innovative solutions. Make sure you don’t overprescribe the technical requirements of a procurement, give businesses the opportunity to demonstrate their expertise.
- Engage with businesses with good employment practices. Ensure that the businesses you contract with operate with integrity, transparency and accountability, and respect international standards relating to human and labour rights. For businesses operating within New Zealand, ensure that they comply with all New Zealand employment standards and health and safety requirements.
- Promote inclusive economic development within New Zealand. Engage with Māori, Pasifika, and regional businesses and social enterprises in order to actively contribute to our local economy. Openly working to include and support these businesses and enterprises through procurement will promote both skills development and a diverse and inclusive workforce.
- Manage risk appropriately. Responsibility for managing risks should be with the party – either the agency or the supplier – that is best placed to manage the risk. Agencies and suppliers should work together on risk mitigation strategies.
- Encourage collaboration for collective impact. Look to support greater collaboration, both across-agency and across-businesses to give likeminded groups the opportunity to find common solutions within your procurement opportunities.
