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Keep up to date with conversations that are happening across the public sector that focus on procurement. We welcome your feedback and suggestions for stories to include in upcoming editions.

February 2024

In this newsletter:

• Rules review 2024
• Automated template trial continues
  
• Advisory and Business Services - how we can help you
  
• Procurement Capability calendar for 2024
• GETSmart with GETS
  
• Spotlight on reporting: Agency reporting for March 2024
  
• Procurement Knowledge Hour: City Rail Link procurement project
  

Rules review 2024

We’re reviewing our Government Procurement Rules. The current edition of the rules came into effect in 2019. Since then, we’ve had changes in policy and practices. It's time that we update them so that they are fit for purpose and support good procurement practices. 

We have two upcoming opportunities for agencies to share ideas and contribute to the review of the Government Procurement Rules. The format will be the same at each event to enable more people to attend the meetings. The dates are:

•    Monday 26 February, 9:00am-1:00pm Pastoral House, 25 The Terrace, Wellington
•    Monday 4 March, 9:00am-1:00pm Pastoral House, 25 The Terrace, Wellington

These open forums will seek views on:

• How could the Rules cover activity after a contract is awarded - for example, contract management and SRM?
  
• What changes to the Rules could improve transparency and operation of panel contracts and secondary procurement?
  
• How could the Rules incorporate all open and competitive approaches to procurement, not just tendering? Are there benefits to this?
  
• What issues and challenges arise from the Broader Outcomes rules? How can they be addressed?
  

Other topics and ideas are welcome at the meetings and additional targeted conversations may be necessary. We‘re also working on how we can collect feedback from those who cannot attend in person. 

There will be other opportunities to contribute to this review and all feedback will help shape proposed amendments to the Rules. There will also be formal consultation on proposed Rules changes before submission to Cabinet for approval.

Our aim is to have modern, fit for purpose Government Procurement Rules that support and encourage good procurement practices.  

Invitations, with more detail, will be sent separately. For information about the Procurement Rules review, contact Karen.English@MBIE.govt.nz.

Automated template trial continues

The trial phase of the automated templates project was launched in December 2023. We are keen to hear from agencies about their experience with the new tool. 

Automated templates are user-friendly online forms that help users easily create procurement documents and contracts.

Trial the automated templates

The following automated templates are available: 

•    Procurement Plan (regular, lite, extra-lite),
•    RFx suite (Advance Notice, RFI, ROI, RFP, RFQ, RFQ-L),
•    Government Model Contract (Crown/non-Crown; goods/services), and
•    Outcome Agreement (bilateral/integrated).

"Agency staff who regularly use government procurement templates now have the option of using the ‘automated templates’ tool," says Lucy Lawrence, Head of System Improvement and Engagement.

“In the tool’s first month over 350 separate automated templates have been created by our users. This is really encouraging. Not only does it save time, but users are also finding the automated template tool helps create more consistent, higher quality documents. We’re still carrying out final checks before a final (non-trial phase) launch is possible, and so all feedback over the next few months will help us refine the tool.” says Lucy. 

Automated template feedback survey

We’re keen to hear how agencies are doing with the tool. We're looking for feedback to better understand your experience and how we can improve our offering across the system.

This survey is open until Friday 29 March and all survey responses are anonymous.

Automated template feedback survey

For any other feedback or help using the automated templates, email us.

Advisory and Business Services - how we can help you

NZGP has a small team of procurement and project experts and they’re here to help you.

“During 2023 we fielded over 400 requests for advice or support from government agencies. These requests ranged from assistance on business cases, Treasury processes, high level commercial planning, or questions around the government procurement rules,” says Craig Butler, NZGP’s Head of Advisory and Business Services. 

“Our team has a combined experience – over decades – in local and international infrastructure projects, construction, ICT, healthcare procurement, public/private partnerships and social investment. Team members have the connections across government, the know-how on processes and timelines, and they are available for any public sector agency to have an initial chat with.”

The group includes what was formerly known as NZGP’s Commercial Pool and have worked alongside government agencies to delivery projects as well as raise in-house procurement and commercial capability. Also included in the group is the previous advisory team which has always provided timely, free, advice and solutions to problems. The new structure allows a spectrum of responses and solutions from a brief phone call through to a longer term project deployment from the one team.

“We acknowledge that many projects are facing economic head winds and agencies may see us as consultants and therefore not an appropriate choice for support – but we prefer to see ourselves as a resource that is staffed by the public service, for public service. As part of the public service government priorities are baked in and we’re able to help deliver cost savings as efficiently as possible. Advice and business services for large long-term projects may attract cost, but please, have a chat with us first,” says Craig. “We are here for you.”  

For support or advice from NZGP’s Advisory and Business Services team, email procurement@mbie.govt.nz.

Procurement Capability calendar for 2024

Improving capability is a key contributing factor towards achieving NZGP’s vision. This year, we’re excited to be hosting several in-person workshops. Over the next few months we’ll be hosting workshops on:

6 March             Demystifying Procurement Pastoral House
21 March           Cultural Competency Pastoral House
22 March           Contract Management MBIE Stout St
10 April              Demystifying Procurement Pastoral House
18 April              Evaluation  Pastoral House
19 April              Cultural Competency Pastoral House.

To enrol for any of these workshops, head to our website and click on the Hīkina tile. If you have any enquiries, email Procurement Capability. 

• Demystifying Procurement wānanga 
  Explain how successful procurement benefits the government, the taxpayer, suppliers, and yourself in your role.
  
  Recognise what you need to know about the Principles of Government Procurement and the Government Procurement Rules to ensure you’re doing procurement correctly.
  
  Recognise the procurement wheel and relate the steps in it to the activities that take place within procurement.
  
  
• Cultural Competency wānanga 
  Our award-winning Cultural Competency course explores the practice of Tikanga and Whànaungatanga to support social services partnering.
  
  
• Contract Management wānanga 
  Our contract management course, Hononga me Ratonga (Towards Better Practice), is aimed at procurement staff who manage contracts and want to develop skills that help develop better relationships with the provider.
  
  
• Evaluation wānanga 
  Tiakitanga– Towards Better Evaluation explores the role of the procurement professional in managing the evaluation of tenders. 
  
  Ārahitanga – Facilitating the Evaluation Process examines the skills needed to facilitate the tender evaluation process more effectively.

GETSmart with GETS - Advance Notices and Future Procurement Opportunities

There are two ways to give suppliers a heads up about upcoming opportunities on GETS. The first way is by using an Advance Notice, also known as a Notice of Information on GETS. The second way is by publishing a Future Procurement Opportunity.

Advance Notices
An advance notice is the first cab off the rank for a regular procurement activity. Publishing an advance notice sends out notifications to suppliers who are subscribed to the regions and UNSPSC codes that you tag it with, and they can also subscribe to the advance notice directly. 

This means that when you publish a follow-up procurement activity on GETS and link it to the advance notice, suppliers who subscribed to the notice will get a notification that the new opportunity is ready for them to review and respond to. This is a great way of improving the quality of responses you receive by giving your suppliers plenty of time to prepare.

Future Procurement Opportunities
Future procurement opportunities (FPOs) are a type of RFx that is used to give notice for higher value or more complex procurement activities.

They replace Annual Procurement Plans, which saves you the trouble of filling out an annual spreadsheet. An FPO does not represent a commitment by an Agency to procure the stated goods and/or services, but provides an indication to the market about potential future activity.

Again, suppliers can subscribe to FPOs and get notified about the procurement activity as the project progresses.

 
We highly encourage you to use these two notification types on GETS, because they are a great way of improving your procurement outcomes by making sure the market is ready to put its best foot forward for you.

Do you have a helpful tip about GETS to include in the next instalment of ‘GETSmart with GETS’?
Email the Business systems team.

Spotlight on reporting: Agency reporting for March 2024

The next reporting deadline for broader outcomes, which includes progressive procurement, is Friday 1 March 2024.

We are collecting reporting on these broader outcomes:

• Progressive procurement (part of Priority outcome 1: Give New Zealand business better access to government procurement)
  
• Improve conditions for workers (Priority outcome 3)

All government procurement mandated agencies must complete this reporting.

To date, the requirement to complete this reporting is not impacted by the change of government.

You can find more information on how to complete your reporting in the news article below:

Spotlight on reporting – Agency reporting for March 2024 

If you have any questions about this reporting round, please email the Procurement team.

Procurement Knowledge Hour: City Rail Link procurement project

Join our presenters from City Rail Link, winner of the 2023 New Zealand Procurement Excellence Forum (NZPEF) Supreme, Environmental Impact and Social Impact Awards, as they lift the lid on the mahi behind their win on New Zealand’s largest infrastructure project.

Date: Tuesday 27 February
Time: 10am to 11am

Come and learn more about City Rail Link’s procurement journey and how a deliberate focus on sustainability, environmental and social outcomes cemented the win with judges.

There will be time for Q&A at the end of the session.