The new contract has commenced and is in place until December 2028.

We sought tenders for school board governance and employment services via an open market tendering process (GETS) in August 2024, with the tender closing in October 2024. The decision to go to market was to test the range of services and services costs via the procurement process. It was also to gain assurances that services meet the needs of school boards, are competitively priced and represent good value for money for the New Zealand taxpayer.

A robust procurement process has allowed us to refine the services provided under the contract to meet sector need and have confidence that the price point is right. We engaged with service users to provide input into the request for proposal (RFP).

In building out the new contract for services, we have implemented new key performance indicators to lift the quality of the services and drive improved performance. The new contractual arrangements will mean school boards have access to high quality support, resources and professional development to support them in their vital role of school governance.