Ministry of Education policy on accepting gifts and hospitality
As Christmas approaches, we understand that it is customary to hold functions for clients and to provide corporate gifts. As public servants it is important that our staff are seen to be completely impartial and that there can be no perception that we are benefiting personally from our role in awarding or managing supply contracts.
Please note our policy is that:
- ‘Gifts’ includes hospitality
- We prefer that staff are not offered gifts and that staff may only accept gifts that are infrequent, inexpensive and openly distributed
- The acceptance of gifts with a value of $50 (including GST) or more should only be for protocol reasons such as for cultural or diplomatic exchanges.
If you have any questions or concerns or would like further detail on the Ministry’s policy, please email EIS.Commercial@education.govt.nz
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Christmas cut off for submitting Asbestos Removal Control Plans on Ministry-led projects
In order to ensure refurbishment and demolition work can proceed over the summer break, the final date for submission of Asbestos Removal Control Plans (ARCPs) on all Ministry-led construction projects is Friday, 11 December 2020.
Plans received after this date are not guaranteed to be reviewed before the beginning of the holiday break.
To assist with the review process, please ensure ARCPs include the following:
- A demolition or refurbishment survey report
- Licence holder detail, including name, licence number and licence type (A or B)
- Details of how the asbestos removal will be carried out, including the method to be used and the tools, equipment, and personal protective equipment to be used
- Details of the asbestos to be removed, including the location, amount, type and condition asbestos
- A site map indicating the location of the asbestos, fencing, decontamination areas, air monitoring is situated
- Details of the means of transport and where the disposal of the asbestos waste will be
- A copy of the WorkSafe New Zealand notification
- Emergency response plan
- Details of other hazards/risks and controls associated with the asbestos removal
- Training register, including A and B Class license numbers and learning standards for each worker
- Confirmation of communication with school community, and neighbours in the immediate vicinity.
Completed ARCPs should be emailed to EIS.HealthandSafety@education.govt.nz.
For further information, please refer to our website for our requirements for asbestos removal. If you have any questions, please email us, EIS.HealthandSafety@education.govt.nz.
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Updated weathertightness design requirements for new school buildings released
We have released the updated Weathertightness Design Requirements document which apply to all new state school buildings, including:
- extensions and additions that increase the building footprint
- projects that involve end-of-life replacement or the alteration of roof or wall cladding envelopes of existing buildings.
While these requirements are primarily for architects and designers, it is also important anyone who leads and coordinates school design work is familiar with these requirements.
Areas where the updated requirements differ to the previous 2014 edition include:
- Threshold channels can be used between adjacent exterior doorways when suitably protected
- Cladding systems to last the life of the building compared with the present NZ building code requirement of 15 years
- Cladding systems are not permitted to rely on sealant at their junctions and mechanical flashings must be provided
- Rigid Air Barrier board and cavities required for all timber framed external walls
- Concrete external walls require design or review by a façade engineer to address condensation and thermal bridging issues
- Warm roof form of construction is mandatory for all new buildings with steel roof structures to help eliminate aggravated thermal bridging
- Roof rainwater collection points are to be positioned at least 600mm from the external face of the building
- Parapets and internal gutters not permitted
Please make sure you and your teams are familiar with the updated requirements.
Following this update of the requirements, all references to the 2014 Weathertightness Design requirements will be replaced by references to the 2020 Weathertightness Design requirements effective for all new Ministry of Education construction contracts from 26 October 2020. The construction contract templates for School-led projects will be updated on our website effective 2 November 2020.
If you have any questions about either of these documents please contact School.Design@education.govt.nz.
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Updated structural and geotechnical requirements for schools released
We have released updated Structural and Geotechnical Requirements that structural and geotechnical engineers must meet when designing and assessing school buildings. These requirements apply to:
- all new state school buildings (both Ministry and non-Ministry led)
- extensions, additions and assessment of existing buildings.
While these requirements are primarily for structural and geotechnical engineers, it is also important anyone who leads and coordinates school design work is familiar with these requirements.
Key updates include:
- A title change from ‘Guidelines’ to ‘Requirements’ to reinforce the mandatory nature of the document
- Minor technical and legislative changes
- Major re-ordering for better navigation
- A requirement for designers to confirm compliance
- Updated guidance on the assessment and strengthening of existing buildings
- More balanced approach to the use of masonry veneer
Please make sure you and your teams are familiar with the updated requirements. Training on the updated requirements is scheduled for early 2021.
If you have any questions about either of these documents please contact School.Design@education.govt.nz.
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Revised ICT Cabling Infrastructure Policy and Standards for Schools
We have recently published our revised ICT Cabling Infrastructure Policy and Standards for Schools.
These changes cover several significant topics from terminology changes, design requirements for cabling systems to determining the location of wireless access points among other general safety standards to ensure fit-for-purpose ICT infrastructure in state and state integrated schools.
It is still mandatory for all ICT cable infrastructure installation work, both major and minor, to be completed by a Ministry of Education approved ICT contractor.
You can read more about the changes on our website. If you have any questions, please contact networkupgrades@education.govt.nz.
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New versions of Conditions of Contract for Consultancy Services (CCCS) for school property projects
As one of New Zealand’s largest buyers of vertical infrastructure and a member of the Construction Sector Accord, we have a responsibility to push for innovation and simplification of the procurement and tender process. One of the ways we do this is to regularly review and update our contracts and procurement documentation.
Following the annual refresh of our 3910 Construction contracts we have taken the opportunity to review our Conditions of Contract for Consultancy Services (CCCS) and Short Form Agreement (SFA) for Consultant Engagement to ensure they are up-to-date and consistent.
The updated documents will be used by the Ministry of Education on 19 October 2020.
The updated documents will be available on our website for use by schools and their project managers on 1 November 2020.
The key changes for the CCCS address feedback received since our last review and include:
- Amendments to the order of precedence on page 2
- Introduction of clauses in Appendix B that allow for ‘provisional sums’ on page 11
- Amendments to the third pricing option in Appendix B to provide more flexibility for users in relation to Ministry of Education contracts.
We have also made some minor edits to our standard SFA for School-led projects, so it aligns it with the current template for Ministry-led projects.
If you have any questions please contact us at EIS.Commercial@education.govt.nz.
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Increased building compliance scrutiny and Building Warrants of Fitness (BWOF) for State schools
Over recent years, there has been a clearer interpretation of the Building Act and relevant installation standards for specified systems. As a result, BWOF inspections are more comprehensive than they were previously, and some non-compliant aspects of school systems may only be being identified now.
The overall objective of the inspections remains the same: to ensure the safety features and systems at schools are operating as they should be and are fully compliant with the relevant acts and standards.
If items of non-compliance are identified and a Work Requirement Notice (WRN) is issued, it is important that schools organise for this work to be undertaken as soon as practically possible and then confirm to the Ministry's Building Act Compliance Manager, Argest, that this has been done. This process is crucial to enable a BWOF to be issued.
If you work with schools on projects to remediate WRNs, further information for State schools on Building Warrants of Fitness is available on our website.
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Ministry of Education contracts featured in Build magazine
We are responsible for managing the Crown’s school property portfolio of over 2,100 schools with a replacement value of $29.7 billion as at the end of the last financial year.
The sheer size of our property portfolio makes the Ministry one of New Zealand’s largest asset managers and users of construction services. Put simply, we have a vested interest in the health of the New Zealand construction sector.
In the latest issue of Build magazine our legal director, Rebecca Robertshawe, writes about the recent refresh to our 3910 construction contracts including the role of the Construction Sector Accord and what the changes mean for fairer risk allocation in construction contracts for school projects.
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Latest from the Construction Sector Accord
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Stay up to date with us
You can find out about important updates to property policies, processes and systems on the Information for Suppliers section on our website: www.education.govt.nz/suppliers
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The Ministry of Education is proud to be part of the Construction Sector Accord. Together the Construction Sector Accord Steering Group has taken an immediate leadership role in developing the Construction Sector Covid-19 Response Plan. Government Ministers support the Accord leadership and direction of the response plan and are regularly engaging with the Steering Group to access information and advice on what the construction recovery should look like.
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