Shifting to the new Government Procurement Rules

Transition period

The new Rules are effective from 1 December 2025.

Agencies are expected to dedicate the resources needed to apply the new Rules from then.

This timeframe may mean that agencies will need to prioritise the order in which they implement changes. You may wish to discuss how your agency will embed the new Rules and put them into practice with your leadership colleagues, finance and procurement teams.

We’re here to support you. For more information on transitioning to the new Rules, look at the webinars and guidance below. You can also reach out to your account manager or send us an email.

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Webinars and question and answer sessions

We ran webinars to help agencies understand and apply the new Rules. These sessions covered key updates, practical guidance, and opportunities to ask questions.

The webinars covered:

• high-level overview of the new rules, the process undertaken, and new requirements
• contract management
• Rule 8: Economic benefit.

Guidance and templates

New guidance

Updated templates

Where needed, all main templates have been updated to reflect the new Rules. The versions linked on our Templates page are up to date.

Templates

Our guidance and template for writing your agency’s procurement policy are also up to date. 

How to write a procurement policy

We may publish more updates as the new Rules continue to be embedded. We’ll let you know when new information is available.

Differences between the 4th and 5th edition

The 5th edition of the Rules is more streamlined, user-friendly and accessible. This should make it easier to understand and apply good practice. The Rules can be right-sized to all procurements.

Benefits of the new Government Procurement Rules

Provides a flexible framework that enables agencies to:

• make good commercial decisions
• maintain accountability and public trust in spending taxpayer money through fair procurement practices.

Highlights the importance of commercial and procurement functions within agencies that:

• manage efficient and effective third-party contracts
• enable the delivery of agencies’ strategic outcomes.

Highlights how procurement meets Government expectations by:

• delivering high quality public services
• enabling the Government objective to grow the New Zealand economy.

Key shifts to improve procurement practice and achieve greater public value

• Support New Zealand’s economic growth by seeking economic benefits in each procurement and engaging New Zealand businesses where they can deliver (Rule 8). 
• Ensuring procurement is efficient. The new Principle sets the expectation that every procurement will be proportionate and right-sized based on the value, risk and complexity. In other words, that there is an appropriate cost and resourcing impact on your agency and on suppliers. Use this principle to adapt current policies, practices and approaches to engaging with suppliers to achieve efficiencies (Rule 1).
• Fairer operation of supplier panels and transparency of secondary procurement spend. Most agencies have set up panels of suppliers for their own use, which can be efficient and cost effective. However, suppliers can find their operation inconsistent and market distorting. The Rules introduce good commercial disciplines in establishing and managing them well and providing greater visibility of spend to improve transparency and insights (Rules 22 and 23). 
• Delivering value through effective contract management. There are new requirements to improve the New Zealand public sector’s contract management practices to realise value over the life of the contract, improve delivery and manage risks (Rules 34 and 35).  
• Stronger integrity, transparency and accountability requirements, aligned to international standards, will enhance public confidence and trust in procurement (Rules 1, 2, 3, 25 and 45).

Using the previous edition

The new Rules come into force from 1 December 2025. The 4th edition of the Rules will apply until that date.

Agencies should plan ahead and start to adjust their practices and policies, as soon as practicable.

The introduction of the 5th edition has no impact on existing contracts, and they will continue to apply. This includes the supply and service agreements for All-of-Government (AoG) panels and contracts, Syndicated contracts, and other Collaborative Contracts.

A PDF version of the previous edition of the Government Procurement Rules is available for your reference.

If you need advice on the use of the previous edition, use the online form to email us. We'll reply within 5 working days — or sooner if we can.

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Living Wage

Public Service Agencies, listed in Schedule 2 of the Public Service Act, must continue to ensure suppliers and their sub-contractors comply with the Living Wage policy.

We’ve updated the 5 year projection of increases to the living wage to help agencies and providers with their budget planning.

Paying a living wage in contracts