Policy Compliance When Using Purchasing Consultants and Agents
Public sector agencies sometimes employ consultants to advise on or manage the procurement process and make recommendations on purchasing decisions. The costs of dealing with a multiplicity of suppliers have in some cases led to agencies contracting out purchasing of goods and services to a prime vendor who assumes commercial responsibility for sub-contract sourcing decisions. In building projects, agents such as architects and prime contractors are likely to have considerable discretion in decisions affecting the sourcing of goods and services representing very significant business opportunities for subcontract suppliers.
In such cases, this policy guide should be incorporated or referred to in the relevant briefs, specifications and instructions to consultants, agents and prime contractors. They should be required to assist the agency to comply with the policy, especially in affording competitive opportunity to domestic suppliers. This should include encouragement to use the services of the NZISO to help in identifying potential competitive New Zealand sources.
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