The Ministry of Health has reviewed procurement processes relating to its contracts with the Tātou service design company.
Tātou was engaged by the Ministry to support the development of a number of Māori communication projects, including the Tātai iwi affiliation tool.
As a result, the Ministry is updating its policies, guidance, and training for staff in line with the review’s recommendations.
The review by PWC, and the Ministry’s own assessment of the issue, found a number of areas where procurement best practice was not followed.
Of seven contracts with Tātou (total value $295,240), one was entered into after the Public Service Commission’s December 2022 update of the conflict of interest model standards, which included the addition of guidance around conflicts of interest relating to Ministers.
The findings of the Ministry of Health-commissioned review will be shared with senior staff, and steps implemented to help avoid a repeat. This includes updating policies, reviewing guidance, and strengthening staff training.
