January 2020

In this newsletter we keep you informed about 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.

In this newsletter:

• Increasing access for New Zealand businesses
• New Zealand procurement on the world stage
• New reporting framework for measuring broader outcomes
• New Zealand Government Procurement and the New Zealand Business Number - transforming the way we work
• Invitation to feedback: RFx template refresh project
• Procurement graduate programme
• Demystifying procurement courses
• Hīkina: New section in broader outcomes
• Procurement Knowledge Hours - Auckland
• Mark your diaries for 2020 procurement knowledge hours

Government procurement generates a substantial amount of economic activity in New Zealand and provides an important source of income for New Zealand businesses.

For this reason, increasing access for New Zealand businesses to government procurement is one of the priority outcomes for government procurement. It is also covered by Rule 17 of the Government Procurement Rules. Under this Rule agencies must consider how they can create opportunities for New Zealand businesses, including Māori, Pasifika and regional businesses.

Read more on increasing access for New Zealand businesses, the challenges they may face and some practical steps agencies can take to support business.

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NZGP’s Director of International Procurement & Trade Karen English outlines the importance of NZGP’s international role.

Imagine how you would approach procurement if you were obliged to buy only from New Zealand businesses. Would you be able to get what you need? Would your choices be severely constrained?

NZGP has an important role in advancing New Zealand’s government procurement interests through international engagements and trade-related activities. Connections with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and being open to competition are critical to a healthy market in New Zealand.

Read more on New Zealand procurement on the world stage.

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Recently, we ran a pilot and asked agencies a number of questions to understand the current state of procurement and contracting data, and their pain points of reporting. This helped inform the development of a broader outcomes reporting and monitoring framework. The reporting framework supports the implementation of broader outcomes and helps identify and generate public value. The first year of reporting will be 2020/21. We’ll be supporting agencies to take steps to prepare for this.

Read more about the new reporting framework for measuring broader outcomes.

Reporting on broader outcomes.

Register for one of our briefings which are being held in Wellington on the following dates to learn more about agencies’ obligations under the broader outcomes reporting framework:

• Friday 21 February
• Monday 24 February
• Monday 23 March

Register for the agency briefings: reporting on broader outcomes.

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One week to plan and less than two weeks to build and deploy – that was the experience of New Zealand Government Procurement (NZGP) when integrating the New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) with its Client Relationship Management (CRM) tool.

The NZBN is a globally unique identifier for all government agencies and kiwi businesses. It links to core business information – including trading names and addresses – and makes that information easily and digitally accessible.

Read more on how the NZGP and NZBN are transforming the way we work.

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NZGP is leading a project to refresh its suite of ‘request for X’ (RFx) templates. These templates are for government procurement and support sourcing goods and services. The purpose of the templates is to support good practice and efficiency in sourcing.

Read more on the RFx template refresh project and how to submit feedback.

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Capability Services are excited to welcome 10 new procurement graduates who will be joining the procurement graduate programme in a few weeks. On 13 February the graduates will join their host agencies, after completing a three day induction at MBIE.

We are looking for agencies to submit an expression of interest in joining the programme for the next two rotations (August 2020 to August 2021).

Read more on the procurement graduate programme and what it may offer your agency.

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Demystifying procurement is a course for procurement beginners, project and contract managers or practitioners who would like to refresh their knowledge.

These interactive three hour face-to-face workshops introduce the procurement lifecycle and some of the key activities in it.

We have several workshops on offer this year, with one in Auckland in March, and in Wellington in March, April, May and June.

Read more on the demystifying procurement courses.

Do you enjoy demystifying procurement for others?

New Zealand Government Procurement (NZGP) are looking for volunteers to share their procurement expertise and experience in facilitation by helping to lead our demystifying procurement face to face workshops.

These workshops have been very popular with attendees and the NZGP facilitators have enjoyed leading the groups.

If you’re interested in finding out more about this opportunity, email Ali Comber.

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Broader outcomes case studies are now available in in Hikina!

Go and check out this new section which has been created in collaboration with agencies to illustrate how broader outcomes can work in practice.

Broader outcomes case studies

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We’ve had a very successful year in 2019 delivering presentations for the Procurement Knowledge Hours - especially delivering for the first time in Auckland in November.

At our first Auckland presentation we heard from presenters Tara MacMillan (New Zealand Transport Agency) and Jazz Singh (Auckland Council) who both delivered the NZTA broader outcomes framework.

We’ll be holding three Procurement Knowledge Hours in Auckland for 2020:

• 28 April (12:30pm to 1:30pm): NZGPP and DIA presenting on Market Place Online. These are paper bag (BYO lunch) affairs.
• 26 August: Update from New Plymouth District Council
• 24 November: TBC

A chance for the Auckland professional procurement community within the public sector to network and share information.

We’ve also videoed all the 2019 presentations which you will be available to view on Hīkina soon.

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Check out the topics for the procurement knowledge hours over the next six months. Put these dates in your calendar now and we’ll follow up with an invitation closer to the time.

Check out the topics and mark your diaries for the next six months for procurement knowledge hours.

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For more information about anything in this newsletter please email the Procurement team.