The Ministers for Māori Development and Economic and Regional Development have announced a new target to encourage public service agencies to cast the net wider when awarding contracts.

“The government spends $42 billion a year on procurement of goods and services. We are looking for more ways to use this buying power to accelerate the economic recovery for Māori businesses,” said Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson.

Te Puni Kōkiri (TPK) has contracted Amotai to offer intermediary services including making the connections between Māori businesses and Buyers, verifying that businesses are Māori businesses, practical business support and training.

“This support is critical to creating a more inclusive and prosperous Aotearoa for future generations. We are already seeing the impact of this work in small pockets across the country and look forward to accelerating our impact with this support,” says Ariana Paul, Manukura (General Manager).

Amotai connects buyers to Māori and Pasifika-owned businesses and promotes supplier diversity and development in Aotearoa.

The development of Amotai has been heavily influenced by the Australian commonwealth government’s Indigenous Procurement Policy and Supply Nation, the largest national directory of verified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses. Supply Nation is Australia’s intermediary and together, these initiatives have proven to deliver step-change for Australia’s indigenous economy.

Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson said, “Intermediaries have an important role in matching buyers and suppliers and linking businesses to capability support”.

TPK’s funding has allowed Amotai to branch into regions across Aotearoa and drive supplier diversity nationally to support the implementation of these new targets. “Amotai is expanding nationally which enables us to support more government agencies and Māori businesses to prepare for when this policy arrives”, said Paul.

Amotai have already been working with several government agencies including Kāinga Ora, Waka Kotahi and the Provincial Development Unit (PDU) inside of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Amotai have specifically been supporting the PDU to ensure social procurement outcomes are included in each funding contract.

“We believe the government’s procurement rules in removing disparity for Māori and Pasifika businesses is moving Aotearoa into a stronger social and economic future. We also want to support agencies and organisations for when social procurement is legislated in Aotearoa. It’s only a matter of time and we want to ensure that projects delivered in our communities have positive social outcomes for our communities”, says Paul.