This page will provide step by step instructions on how to use the All-of-Government (AoG) consultancy services contract. You may also find additional resources on this page.
Start by determining your requirements. Figure out what you can do in-house, and what you need to source from the panel. Determining your requirements helps you form a clear picture of what outcome you'd like to achieve.
Your agency or school can choose a provider directly from the panel or do a secondary selection process.
When deciding which to do, consider:
You can see the names of the providers, which subcategories they service, and details of the tier structure on the providers page.
Consultancy services providers
Review providers on the Consultancy providers page to assess their suitability for your engagement. If your agency is signed up to the contract, you should have access.
Search criteria on the providers page include:
Choose a provider by using the information available on the providers page and your own market knowledge and experience. You may like to do some due diligence before confirming your choice.
Remember you want to get the right provider for your requirements. Using the same consultancy provider as you have before may not give the best value for money if the requirements have changed.
This is a process where you invite a number of providers from the panel to tender for your business.
New Zealand Government Procurement (NZGP) has already completed a robust procurement process to select the panel providers, so there's no need to test the entire panel each time you have a requirement. You don't need to advertise your requirements on GETS.
A secondary selection process is recommended where any combination of the following apply:
Before work can begin, both your agency and the provider need to complete and sign a Consultancy Services Order (CSO). If you select multiple providers, you need to complete a separate CSO with each of them.
The CSO is the agreement between your agency and the provider. CSOs that are both detailed and robust lead to better outcomes.
First, complete Part A of the CSO, providing as much detail as possible.
All other documentation (including briefs, cost estimates, and variations) can be referenced or attached as appendices for audit, invoicing, and reporting.
If you’re running a secondary selection process, you’ll need to complete due diligence (described in the next step) before finalising the CSO.
Provide a short, written brief for every piece of work before you engage with your prospective provider(s), so that everyone is clear about your objectives and expected outcomes.
For larger projects, follow a written brief with a verbal brief, and make any changes to the CSO before the contract starts.
The provider(s) will respond to your brief with a quote in Part B of the CSO.
If you choose a provider directly, you’ll do due diligence at the time of choosing that provider.
If you’re running a secondary selection process, due diligence can help you choose between multiple providers' quotes. You can choose to complete some or all of the following due diligence steps:
Confirm which due diligence process(es) you’ll be using with the provider before you begin. You’ll need to complete due diligence before signing off or actioning the CSO. If the CSO needs to be revised further, use Part C to do this.
Both parties then approve the CSO by signing Part B9.
Check your internal delegations to ensure the correct authority signs. The provider can now start their work with your agency.
Keep a copy of the signed CSO in your agency’s records. Set up reminders to proactively manage a provider’s delivery of your agency’s requirements, and to meet any of your own obligations (like payment of provider invoices).
If you used a secondary selection process, let the unsuccessful provider(s) know that a provider has been selected after the CSO has been signed. Depending on the size and nature of the project, it may be appropriate to offer a debrief.
A debrief does not need to be difficult. It could be a simple phone call to give the provider an overview of the strengths and weaknesses of their response. Doing this gives providers an opportunity to improve future responses.
The provider(s) deliver services to your agency as outlined in the brief. Part of this work includes measuring the outcomes, that is, whether your agency got what you wanted from the engagement. This is dependent on your agency having defined the desired outcomes sufficiently in the CSO. Providers should report this back to your agency where applicable.
This section contains information which may be commercially sensitive and should not be shared publicly.
To view this content, you must be logged in, approved for secure content access, and your agency must be signed up to the contract.
For assistance, please contact nzgppsystems@mbie.govt.nz