Kaiwhakarato (ngā pakihi Māori)

Māori businesses are being supported to be ready for government procurement opportunities through a kaupapa to increase supplier diversity.

Last updated: Rāapa, 26 Hōngongoi, 2023 | Wednesday, 26 July 2023

What's on this page?

Are you a supplier? Increasing supplier diversity Support for Māori businesses What do government agencies buy? Getting ready for procurement Case Studies Resources for Māori businesses

Lifting the capability of Māori businesses is the goal for Awhi Ropu Consultants. Check out the video to learn more about how the Local Intermediary Connect Programme is supporting local Māori business with the progressive procurement initiative.

Are you a supplier?

If you are a 50% Māori owned business or classified by IRD as a Māori authority, you meet the progressive procurement policy’s definition of a Māori business and could benefit from the programme’s support.

Increasing supplier diversity

Government spends over $51.5 billion on goods and services annually. The progressive procurement kaupapa encourages government agencies to look beyond price to the wider social value of engaging Māori businesses.

The Progressive Procurement Policy includes an 8% target for relevant government agency procurement contracts for goods and services to be awarded to Māori businesses annually.

Over the last two years our successful programme has engaged with over 600 Māori businesses across 25 industries. We are scaling up our targeted Māori business support, increasing our local networks, and working with agencies to break down barriers to improve procurement practices.

Support for Māori businesses

We offer a range of tautoko to help Māori businesses upskill, navigate processes, and be ready for government procurement opportunities.

Our services include:

  • our progressive procurement regional advisors working with Māori businesses to assess what support is needed

  • connecting Māori businesses with their Local Intermediary Connect, specialists who help grow procurement knowledge

  • a targeted Capability Uplift Programme for those Māori businesses ready to deliver procurement solutions but need to lift capability to navigate and engage in government procurement opportunities.

Email supplierdiversity@tpk.govt.nz  to see what progressive procurement support is available.

What do government agencies buy?

There are almost 150 government agencies ranging from Waka Kotahi to the Human Rights Commission. They buy a lot of different goods and/or services. These range in value, complexity of requirements, location, budget, and length of contract (from a one-off purchase to a five-year contract).

The goods and/or services mandated agencies buy include:

  • construction
  • design services
  • consultancy
  • catering
  • IT software

Getting ready for procurement

Tuatahi/1: Prepare
Check if government agencies buy the goods and/or services your business provides.  

Tuarua/2: Register
Register on Government Electronic Tenders service (GETS), the free service for government contract opportunities. Identify as a Māori business. Select to be notified when potential procurement opportunities arise that may suit your business.

Tuatoru/3: Reach out
Email supplierdiversity@tpk.govt.nz so we can advise your business what support is available.

Tuawhā/4: Deliver
Access tenders that suit/match your business capability and capacity on GETS, as well as other procurement opportunities that have been made available by individual agencies. Ensure you are ready to enter a competitive bid or other procurement opportunities.

Tuarima/5: Deliver
Meet contracted deliverables and engage confidently with the agency on what you offer as a Māori business

Requirements for Suppliers:

Tuatahi/1: Identifying you are a Māori business
Advise you are a Māori business when you register on GETS or with your Local Intermediary Connect. Also consider including an identifier on any relevant business information that is sent to mandated buyer agencies.

Tuarua/2: Te Ao Māori
Look for opportunities to share te ao Māori perspectives to enhance engagement with government agencies. Sharing knowledge and experience of working with Māori businesses will help agencies grow their understanding as well as create better social outcomes through increased supplier diversity.

Requirements for Buyers: 

There are rules, processes, and guidelines that mandated government agencies must comply with when they buy goods and/or services.

Government agencies use the Government Electronic Tender Service (GETS) website to advertise some of their larger value procurement opportunities www.gets.govt.nz.  Checking this site out will give you a good idea of what government mandated agencies are wanting from a provider.

Case Studies

Te Puni Kōkiri worked with KPMG to design a tool named Te Tomokanga. It helps us assess Māori businesses needs so we can help their journey with government procurement.
Watch the video and learn more here.

Check out more case studies showcasing Māori businesses working with government agencies.

Resources for Māori businesses