# How do public tenders work in New Zealand? New Zealand central government agencies buy under the Government Procurement Rules (5th edition, in force since 1 December 2025), set by New Zealand Government Procurement within MBIE. Contracts from NZD 100,000 for goods and services and NZD 9 million for new construction works must be advertised on GETS, which is free after registering with RealMe. Bids above those thresholds are scored for economic benefit to New Zealand with at least a 10% weighting. Checked on 15 October 2026. Made by TenderRender from official sources. Not legal advice: check the notice and documents of each tender. Source: https://www.tenderrender.com/en-us/tender-guides/new-zealand ## At a glance - Law: [Government Procurement Rules](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/) - Oversight: [New Zealand Government Procurement (NZGP)](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/) - Central portal: [Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS)](https://www.gets.govt.nz/) - Thresholds: Goods, services and refurbishment works (agencies bound by the Rules, whole-of-life value excl. GST): NZD 100,000 ([source](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/planning-your-procurement/estimating-the-monetary-value-of-a-procurement/)) - Thresholds: New construction works (agencies bound by the Rules, whole-of-life value excl. GST): NZD 9,000,000 ([source](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/planning-your-procurement/estimating-the-monetary-value-of-a-procurement/)) - Thresholds: Minimum response time for an openly advertised Notice of Procurement: 20 clear business days ([source](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/approaching-the-market/sufficient-time/)) - Thresholds: Minimum weighting for economic benefit to New Zealand in evaluation (above thresholds): 10% ([source](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/planning-your-procurement/economic-benefit-to-new-zealand/)) ## Law and buyers New Zealand is not an EU member, so there are no EU directives and no TED publication. Public procurement is governed by the Government Procurement Rules, now in their 5th edition with 47 rules, in force since 1 December 2025. They are policy rules issued by New Zealand Government Procurement (NZGP), part of MBIE, rather than a statute. They bind Public Service departments, New Zealand Police, the New Zealand Defence Force and Crown entities such as Crown agents. Schools, the Reserve Bank and the wider public sector are expected or encouraged to follow them. Local councils are not bound, though many apply similar practice. According to NZGP, government agencies spend about NZD 51.5 billion a year on goods and services. MBIE also runs All-of-Government contracts, which are panels for common goods and services such as consultancy, IT hardware and travel. ## Where tenders are published The central portal is GETS, the Government Electronic Tenders Service (gets.govt.nz), which MBIE runs. Agencies bound by the Rules must openly advertise on GETS when the estimated value reaches the thresholds. They must attach the Notice of Procurement and give free access to all relevant documents. GETS is free and open to domestic and foreign suppliers. To view the details of an opportunity and respond, you register with an individual RealMe login, the government's online identity service. You can also follow Future Procurement Opportunities, which give early notice of planned tenders. Councils and other local bodies sometimes publish on GETS, but often use commercial platforms such as TenderLink or VendorPanel. Mini-competitions under panel contracts run in MBIE's Procure Connect tool. ## Procedures and thresholds NZGP distinguishes three ways to approach the market. In an open competitive process, any supplier can respond. In a closed competitive process, selected suppliers are invited. In direct sourcing, one supplier is approached. Open processes include a one-step Request for Quote (RFQ) or Request for Tender (RFT), and multi-step processes such as a Registration of Interest (ROI) followed by a Request for Proposal (RFP). Competitive dialogue and other collaborative models are also allowed. Above the thresholds, an agency may only skip open advertising for a listed exemption under Rule 12. Examples are a genuine emergency, a single possible supplier, or a failed open tender in the last 12 months. Below the thresholds, agencies should be proportionate and are expected to favour capable New Zealand businesses. Panels and pre-qualified supplier lists are common, with secondary procurement run among panel members. ## Documents and language There is no standard form comparable to the European ESPD. Each Notice of Procurement sets out what you must submit. Pre-conditions may only cover legal capacity, financial capacity, operational capacity or capability, and relevant skills or experience. A typical response contains a completed RFx response form and pricing schedule, evidence of capability and references, and health and safety information where relevant. Above the thresholds you must also explain how you will deliver economic benefit to New Zealand. Examples are local jobs, training or apprenticeships, use of New Zealand subcontractors, and environmental or social outcomes. Responses are in English. A New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) is used in award notices where available. Foreign suppliers should check whether the buyer requires local registration, insurance or certificates only at contract stage. ## Deadlines, award and challenges Rule 16 requires agencies to give at least 20 clear business days to respond to a Notice of Procurement. A clear business day runs from 9am to 5pm. For two-stage processes, the 20-day minimum applies to the RFT or RFP stage. Agencies must allow more time for complex work, possible joint bids or the holiday period. The contract goes to the supplier with the capability and capacity to deliver that offers the best public value, not simply the lowest price. Agencies must tell unsuccessful suppliers promptly and offer each one a debrief. They must also publish a contract award notice on GETS within 30 business days of signing. There is no statutory standstill period or specialist review body. You raise concerns with the agency first, then can use NZGP's supplier feedback service, mediation, the Ombudsman, the Auditor-General or the courts. ## Tips for bidders Register on GETS early with RealMe and set up notifications using the relevant tender watch codes. Follow Future Procurement Opportunities in your sector. Read the Notice of Procurement closely, because pre-conditions are pass or fail. Take the economic benefit criterion seriously: describe concrete, measurable benefits for New Zealand and how you will report on them. Foreign suppliers can do this by partnering with New Zealand subcontractors or hiring locally. Ask questions through the official channel before the deadline. Always request a debrief after an unsuccessful bid, as it is the main route to improving your next response. If you want recurring work, watch for the re-tendering of All-of-Government and syndicated panels. Check council websites as well, since local government is not bound by the Rules and may publish elsewhere. ## Platforms in New Zealand This country does not publish on TED, so there are no shares. These are the platforms from our market map, public ones first. - GETS (Government Electronic Tenders Service) (Public) — [GETS](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/suppliers/gets/) GETS is free, but you must register with an individual RealMe login to view tender details and respond. - TenderLink (Commercial) — [Support and faqs](https://illion.tenderlink.com/faqs/) Register free on each buyer's TenderLink portal to download documents and bid; a paid subscription bundles alerts across most public portals. - VendorPanel (Commercial) — [VendorPanel Supplier Support](https://supplier-help.vendorpanel.com/hc/en-us) Buyers invite suppliers to quotes, tenders and panels via VendorPanel; register on the VendorPanel Marketplace so buyers can find and invite you. ## Tender search for this country - [Australian Tenders](https://www.australiantenders.com.au): Subscription tender search and alert service covering government and private tenders across Australia and New Zealand, with alert profiles and a watchlist. - [GETS (Government Electronic Tenders Service)](https://www.gets.govt.nz): Free New Zealand government service where agencies advertise contract opportunities and registered suppliers download documents, respond and get alerts. - [TenderLink](https://www.tenderlink.com): Tender notification service and e-tendering platform connecting suppliers and buyers in Australia and New Zealand, with daily alerts and online bid lodgement. - [Tenders.Net](https://tenders.net): Australian tender database with free registration for public tenders and paid subscriber access with daily email notifications matching saved searches. - [TenderSearch](https://tendersearch.com.au): Tender notification service with daily alerts and an online dashboard covering Australian tenders, plus market analytics from its parent BCI Central. ## Bid consultancies - [BidWrite](https://www.bidwrite.com.au): Tender and bid consultancy offering bid strategy, writing, management, training and bid technology for government and commercial tenders. - [Plan A](https://plana.co.nz): New Zealand tender consultancy offering bid management, tender writing, tender review and tender training, plus business writing and presentations. ## How to win a tender in New Zealand Under New Zealand's Government Procurement Rules, Rule 29 requires agencies to award to the supplier that can show the capability and capacity to deliver and offers the best public value, not simply the lowest price. A Notice of Procurement sets pass or fail pre-conditions and the evaluation criteria and weightings, which a panel scores, often with a weighted attribute or price-quality method. Above the thresholds, economic benefit to New Zealand must carry at least 10 percent of the weighting, so describe concrete local jobs, training or subcontracting. Ask questions through the contact named on GETS before the question deadline; under Rule 19 any answer that gives an advantage must be shared with all suppliers at the same time, usually as supplementary information on GETS. To know the agency, read its award notices on GETS, its annual procurement plan and future procurement opportunities, and its annual report. Answer each criterion with evidence such as named people, references and measurable results. Responses can fail on a missed pre-condition or a late submission; agencies may also check an abnormally low price. Rule 33 obliges agencies to offer every unsuccessful supplier a debrief covering scores, strengths, weaknesses and why the winner was stronger. 1. Check every pre-condition in the Notice of Procurement before writing. 2. Read the agency's GETS award notices and annual procurement plan. 3. Ask questions before the deadline and follow supplementary information on GETS. 4. Describe measurable economic benefits to New Zealand above the thresholds. 5. Weight your answers in line with the published evaluation criteria. 6. Take up the debrief offered under Rule 33. Clarification round: Supplier questions on GETS (Rule 19, Responding to queries) ## Bidding in New Zealand with TenderRender TenderRender does the work behind each step above. Your team checks and refines. - **Research the buyer**: Brings together the buyer's earlier awards, policies and contracts, so your bid fits this buyer's situation in New Zealand. - **Ask questions**: Finds unclear points and risks in the documents and drafts questions about them for the clarification round: Supplier questions on GETS (Rule 19, Responding to queries). - **Write per criterion**: Drafts a first version per award criterion, in the language of the tender, with citations to your own documents. - **Review**: Scores your bid per award criterion the way an evaluator would, with concrete improvements. - **Fill in forms**: Fills in the declarations, price schedules, questionnaires and Excel annexes from your own data and earlier bids, with a source per answer. - **Submit**: Builds a checklist of everything you need to submit on Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS) and prepares the documents ready to sign. Tender search covers the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany; in New Zealand you upload the documents from Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS) and TenderRender works with them the same way. Teams writing or reviewing with TenderRender won 49% of their completed tenders. https://www.tenderrender.com/en-us/customers/win-rate All players on the market map: https://www.tenderrender.com/en-us/market-map ## Frequently asked questions ### Where are New Zealand government tenders published? Mainly on GETS (gets.govt.nz). Agencies bound by the Government Procurement Rules must advertise there at or above the thresholds. Local councils may also use GETS or commercial platforms such as TenderLink and VendorPanel. ### Do I need to register? Yes, to see full tender details and respond on GETS. Registration is free and uses an individual RealMe login. ### What are the thresholds? Open advertising is required from NZD 100,000 for goods, services and refurbishment works, and from NZD 9 million for new construction works. Both are whole-of-life values excluding GST. ### Can foreign companies bid? Yes. GETS is open to domestic and international suppliers, and New Zealand is a party to the WTO Government Procurement Agreement and the CPTPP. Above the thresholds, however, every bidder is evaluated on economic benefit to New Zealand. ### In which language do I bid? In English, unless the Notice of Procurement says otherwise. ### How much time do I have to respond? At least 20 clear business days after an openly advertised Notice of Procurement. Agencies are expected to allow more for complex procurements. ### What happened to Broader Outcomes? Since 1 December 2025, the 5th edition has centred on Rule 8. Above the thresholds, agencies must seek economic benefits to New Zealand and weight them at least 10% in evaluation. ## Sources - [Government Procurement Rules (5th edition), NZGP/MBIE](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/) - [Shifting to the new Government Procurement Rules (in force 1 December 2025)](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/about-us/shifting-to-the-new-government-procurement-rules/) - [Rule 7: Estimating the monetary value of a procurement](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/planning-your-procurement/estimating-the-monetary-value-of-a-procurement/) - [Rule 8: Economic benefit to New Zealand](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/planning-your-procurement/economic-benefit-to-new-zealand/) - [Rule 10: Requirement to openly advertise](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/approaching-the-market/requirement-to-openly-advertise/) - [Rule 12: Exemption from open advertising](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/approaching-the-market/exemption-from-open-advertising/) - [Rule 16: Sufficient time](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/approaching-the-market/sufficient-time/) - [Rule 29: Awarding the contract](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/awarding-the-contract/awarding-the-contract/) - [Rule 32: Contract award notice](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/awarding-the-contract/contract-award-notice/) - [Rule 33: Debriefing suppliers](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/awarding-the-contract/debriefing-suppliers/) - [Application of the Rules](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/general-information/application-of-the-rules/) - [Supplier complaints](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/general-information/supplier-complaints/) - [Feedback and complaints (for suppliers)](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/suppliers/submitting-a-tender/feedback-and-complaints/) - [GETS (for suppliers)](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/suppliers/gets/) - [Supplying to government](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/suppliers/supplying-to-government/) - [Government contracts (All-of-Government and syndicated)](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/contracts/) - [Overseas contract opportunities and trade agreements](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/suppliers/overseas-contract-opportunities/) - [MFAT: CPTPP government procurement](https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/free-trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements-in-force/cptpp/understanding-cptpp/government-procurement) - [NZGP: Government procurement insights](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/about-us/system-leadership/government-procurement-insights/) - [Rule 19: Responding to queries](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/approaching-the-market/responding-to-queries/) - [Rule 27: Treatment of responses](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/government-procurement-framework/government-procurement-rules/awarding-the-contract/treatment-of-responses/) - [NZGP guide: Evaluating responses](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/guides/guide-to-procurement/source-your-suppliers/evaluating-responses/) - [NZGP: Submitting a tender](https://www.procurement.govt.nz/suppliers/submitting-a-tender/)