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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 2025

In this newsletter:

• Kia ora and welcome from Acting General Manager Liz Palmer
• Procurement Rules review
• Focus on People in Procurement interviews
• New guidance on competitive dialogue available
• Supporting the launch of the procurement platform
• New Zealand Government Procurement Graduate Programme update
• Spotlight on reporting: agency reporting for March 2025
• Events
• Notices

Kia ora and welcome…

from Acting General Manager Liz Palmer

This year has started off at full speed. Like many areas of the public service, we’re gearing up in support of the Government’s growth plan. As a cross-function discipline, procurement will likely be part of most initiatives. I’m confident that we’re a pragmatic profession and one that can pivot and incorporate new direction or focus.

Earlier this year we farewelled Laurence Pidcock. The maturing of the procurement profession within the core public service really accelerated under Laurence’s leadership. He was the driving force that helped to focus the procurement system on greater use of transparency and data, working together more effectively and being better aware of the value we can bring to organisations throughout the procurement cycle – not just the sourcing aspect.

Laurence led through a lens of greater sharing and connection, something we have embedded into NZGP. Our Business and Advisory services team is experienced in local and international infrastructure projects, construction, ICT, healthcare procurement, public and private sector partnerships, and social investment. They have connections across government and detailed knowledge of processes. Public sector agencies can get in touch to have a confidential discussion at any point in the procurement lifecycle. Please email the Procurement team if you have something coming up, even just for a kōrero.

Once recruitment for a permanent replacement for Laurence is underway, it could still be a month or two before we have found the right person to take up the baton. I will keep you up to date as this progresses. In the meantime, I’m excited to have the opportunity to lead NZGP during such a dynamic time and look forward to connecting with you as the year progresses.

The Procurement Rules review

We know many of you are interested in the Rules review and how it’s progressing.

The Procurement Rules are New Zealand's best-practice approach for procurement and reflect the Government's minimum expectations when spending public money on goods and services.

Nicola Willis, as Minister for Economic Growth is now responsible for government procurement. Her focus is on the growth of the New Zealand economy and in that vein, how government procurement can deliver economic benefits for New Zealand.

The proposed amendments to the Rules will reflect this. Other proposed changes include:

• streamlined and simplified Rules, making them more accessible, easier to understand and apply

• enhanced transparency driving accountability and visibility of contracts for the responsible use of public money.

Our early engagement with the Minister has sharpened the timeline from here on. We now anticipate the public ‘Have Your Say’ consultation to happen within the next few weeks. This will be your opportunity to view the proposed new edition of the Rules and respond via survey or with more detailed feedback. As soon as we have confirmation of the date, we will let stakeholders know. MBIE ‘Have Your Say’ public consultations are hosted on the MBIE website.  

As with the previous editions of Government Procurement Rules, we’ll be seeking Cabinet agreement to an implementation period before a new edition takes effect (aiming for that to be approximately 6 months).

Focus on People in Procurement: Sarah Minson and Murray Bays

Welcome to a new series where we interview people from the procurement community who are doing interesting things or have interesting things to say.

This month we were privileged to interview Sarah Minson, Deputy Secretary Capability Delivery New Zealand Ministry of Defence and Murray Bays, Head of Strategic Procurement for the University of Auckland.

Sarah talks about upgrading the combat and weapon systems on NZ’s two frigates, mentoring, and the most exciting thing happening in procurement right now.

Sarah Minson PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Murray talks about the integration of digital technologies in procurement processes and what New Zealand’s greatest contribution to procurement is.

Murray Bays PHOTO: SUPPLIED 

At Focus on Procurement, we want to interview people who are at any stage in their careers in procurement.

That can be the graduate who has just dipped their toe in the industry, the critic, the influencer, the person not afraid of an interesting project, to the leaders in procurement who are pushing the envelope on what procurement can do and enabling their teams to succeed. This is an interview series that celebrates the procurement community.

If you know of someone who would be good to interview or someone who has something interesting to say, please touch base with the team.

New guidance on competitive dialogue available

Usually when you need to procure something, you’ll advertise on GETS or source from one of our handy All-of-Government (AoG) panels. But what if the procurement is complex or unusual, and you want to talk to suppliers and providers to figure out an approach? There’s an established process for doing just that and it’s called ‘competitive dialogue’. We’ve issued refreshed and updated guidance on this process:

Competitive dialogue | New Zealand Government Procurement

We’ll release guidance on Lean Agile Procurement later this year.

Supporting the launch of the procurement platform

The AoG External Legal Services (ELS) contract will move to the free-to-access, procurement platform this year.

To get ready for the launch we’re engaging with agencies that are the most active users of the ELS contract. These will be the first users of the platform. We’ll then grow the user base as we roll out other contracts.

Supporting the launch of the procurement platform

Spotlight on reporting:

agency reporting for March 2025

The next deadline is 3 March 2025.

We’re 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).

Most of the broader outcomes reporting information is collected automatically via systems such as GETS. However, we still require some manual reporting from agencies.

Read more about agency reporting for March 2025.

Events

• PASA Connect (online)
  Women in Procurement
  7 March PASA Connect "Inspiring Inclusion" - PASA
  
  
• PASA (online)
  ProcureTECH '25 
  19 - 20 March, AEDT

Notices

Expressions of Interest: join the Procurement Functional Leaders Group

We’re calling for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for additional leaders to join the Procurement Functional Leaders Group.

The group advises NZGP on system-wide projects. Members are generally employed in Chief Procurement Officer, or equivalent level, roles within government agencies.  

With a few people leaving we’re looking for new members to take us through 2025.

If you’re interested, email your application to NZGP Chief Advisor, Matt.Perkins@mbie.govt.nz by Friday, 6 March 2025.

In your application briefly indicate:

• your procurement experience;

• what you’d hope to achieve personally and for the wider procurement system; and

• your experience in cross-agency collaboration and system thinking.

We’ll review all submissions and our General Manager will make the final decision on membership.

We’re keen to ensure we have a range of skills and experience in the group and are especially interested in people from outside of Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington). We hope to be able to confirm new members in March 2025.

We want to hear from you – an agency voice

We appreciate hearing from you and what you’d like to read here so send your comments and ideas for stories to us. If you’ve enjoyed reading this month’s newsletter, feel free to share it with your peers and encourage them to sign up for it, by emailing us.