Collaborative contracts explained
Schools can join collaborative contracts when buying goods and services. Learn more about these contracts, which enable schools to save both money and time, while also reducing risk.
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Collaborative contracts are optional for schools to join.
- Collaborative contracts overview
- All-of-Government (AoG) contracts
- Featured AoG contracts
- Syndicated contracts
- Featured syndicated contracts
- Further information
Collaborative contracts overview
Collaborative contracts secure discounted prices and preferential contract terms for buyers in the public sector.
Suppliers find collaborative contracts attractive as they give them access to a large number of reliable government customers.
Schools can join collaborative contracts and benefit from the buying power of the government’s collective spending.
- Money is saved by schools as suppliers offer their best prices.
- Time is saved by schools as there is no need to develop or negotiate the contracts in-house.
- Risk is reduced for schools as the terms of collaborative contracts are preferential and standard for government agencies. Each contract has gone through extensive reviews.
There are two types of collaborative contracts often joined by schools:
Difference from commercial contracts
Commercial contracts are contracts established by schools directly with suppliers (often using the supplier’s contract), outside of a collaborative contract. These contracts involve just the school and the supplier.
- Schools often receive less value from a commercial contract than they would from joining a collaborative contract.
- Commercial contract terms are typically in favour of the supplier.
- Schools will use more of their own time and resources developing, negotiating, monitoring and managing their own commercial contract.
All-of-Government contracts
An AoG contract is an agreement between the New Zealand Government and a business for that business to supply their goods and/or services to the public sector. All state and state-integrated schools are eligible to join these contracts and there is no cost to join.
New Zealand Government Procurement (NZGP) develops, negotiates, monitors and manages AoG contracts. They are also the key point of contact for the contracts.
Once signed up, a school is typically required to purchase all goods and/or services within the scope of that contract exclusively from the supplier/s (although some exclusions apply). However, goods and services not covered by the contract can be purchased through other means.
See what schools have to say about AoG contracts
Many schools are already taking advantage of AoG contracts. On 1 March 2021, 788 schools had signed up for the AoG office supplies contract and 771 schools had signed up for the AoG print technology and associated services (PTAS) contract.
Craig from Wellington East Girls’ College says that “At first it can be daunting, but once you’ve joined one, you are essentially replicating the same process”.
Hear how Craig saved money and time through AoG contracts.
Video transcript
CRAIG McWILLIAM
When you’re buying things that you need and you’re buying them cheaper, means that you can spend it where you want to be spending money, on delivering better education outcomes.
JAN BARNETT
There is 18 of these all-of-government contracts but 10 of them are really the ones that we see are a good fit for the schools and those savings can vary anything from 6% right through to around about that sort of 45%.
CRAIG
We kind of got addicted once we got into it. So we’ve joined the Office Supplies, we’ve joined Rental Cars, we’ve joined Travel Management Services. We’ve joined Electricity just recently, which is exciting.
JAN
There’s 800 schools that are currently signed onto one or more contracts. With the Office Supplies contract there is actually 570 today that are signed to that one. So yeah absolutely the office supplies one is a good one to start with.
CRAIG
We used to purchase quite a number of pallets of paper at once to be able to secure good savings. Now we can get the same price as what we were having to purchase pallets of paper for just one single ream. And what’s that meant is that we’ve got lots of space, we don’t have to order in bulk and that helps for cash flows and people like me like that.
I think it’s also easy once you’ve done one all-of-government contract. So if you haven’t done one before it’s a little bit daunting there’s some big paper work to go and sign and look through, but once you’ve figured that out joining up to other contracts is essentially the same process. And so replicating that has worked really well across the schools.
JAN
And it does mean that the money that they’re saving here they can use it obviously somewhere else for the student’s needs. It may not necessarily be with procurement, it might be for their learning.
Featured AoG contracts
Office supplies
The AoG office supplies contract covers stationery, cleaning, hygiene and washroom consumables, ICT consumables and educational supplies.
Print technology and associated services
The AoG print technology and associated services (PTAS) contract covers printers, copiers, scanners and associated print services, such as consumables and software.
Buying print technology and associated services
Buying motor vehicles
Through the AoG motor vehicles contract, schools can purchase passenger vehicles and light commercial vehicles, such as minibuses and vans.
Renting motor vehicles
Through the AoG rental vehicles contract, schools can rent passenger vehicles and light commercial vehicles, such as minibuses and vans.
Banking services
The AoG banking services contract covers payment services, card services and foreign exchange.
Syndicated contracts
Syndicated contracts are led by a single government agency, such as NZ Police, or NZ Post.
This lead agency goes to market with a group of other agencies. Together, they agree to a contract with a business for that business to provide goods and/or services to the group.
The lead agency develops, negotiates, monitors and manages the syndicated contract. They are also the key point of contact for the contract.
Featured syndicated contracts
Syndicated cleaning services
The syndicated cleaning contracts may be suitable for medium to large schools with extensive cleaning needs.
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