The New Zealand government has launched its new print, copier, scanners technology and associated services (PTAS) contract, with an emphasis on sustainability, covering more than 1350 agencies and over 1000 schools.
Nationwide suppliers for the contract must include environmentally friendly solutions to manage end of life products and consumables, and to cut down on non-recyclable packaging waste and improve sustainability ratings of devices.
Currently, the government's supplier panel include multinational printing and associated services brands Brother/Minolta, Canon, Fujifilm and Ricoh.
Existing PTAS arrangements will be automatically transitioned to the new contract, which has an initial duration of four yers.
The new contract has three rights of renewal, for two years each.
It also features improvements to commercial models such FlexiFleet leases available through a core print catalogue of devices that agencies and schools most often use, to encourage standardisation and lower costs for printing and consumables.
Separately, the government procurement service is putting the brakes on its Request for Proposal (RFP) for its proposed external talent recruitment contract refresh.
The current contract expires on September 30 next year, and the government had sought industry input on its replacement, which in the last financial year saw $142 million spent on permanent, temporary and contractor roles in common job families.
While the government hoped its proposal to change from percentage fees to fixed ones would be less complex and more clear with greater transparency for all parties, the consultation process showed that not all the right voices were heard.
As a result, the government has now paused the RFP for the next four weeks.
Potential suppliers which in the past has included 41 recruitment agences, will not be able to provide responses via the Government Electronic Tender Service (GETS).
The government procurement service said doing so will give it time to work through feedback and to find the best path forward, while engaging with all parties involved in the recruitment process.
