South Wairarapa District Council

Wairarapa-Tararua water transition - digital workstream

Advance notice – Wairarapa Tararua water organisation digital transition

Wairarapa Tararua councils, together with Rangitāne and Ngāti Kahungunu, have agreed to establish a water organisation to deliver water services to the region. A programme has been established to manage the establishment of the organisation and manage the transition from councils. The councils have committed to legally establish the organisation by 30 March 2026 (stage 1) and complete operational transition by 1 July 2027 (stage 2).

The water organisation will be a three waters organisation, delivering drinking, waste and stormwater services to approximately 25,000 connections, with a focus on delivering:
• more affordable and resilient water services for communities
• increased access to finance to enable delivery of necessary investment programmes
• operational efficiency and cost savings resulting from a single entity planning, contracting and delivering works across the region and
• regional employment opportunities from a larger, locally based infrastructure provider.

The councils are seeking a supplier to lead the digital and systems workstream over the transition. The digital and systems workstream includes finance systems, procurement and inventory management, HR, payroll, health and safety, asset management, work management, consenting and compliance, customer and billing, corporate systems, operational technology, GIS and data management.

This work will involve leading the development and implementation of the digital workstream to be ready for Day 1 of the new water organisation and working with the Programme Director and other workstream leads to ensure the workstream is well integrated with the wider programme to deliver desired programme and establishment results.
This will be a simple, fast tender process comprising a written response, with referee contact details, and a pricing response. Work is expected to begin at pace in the new year, to prepare for the incoming Board, who are expected to be in place by the end of March.

The councils expect to release a request for tender in mid-November, with responses due in mid-December.

If your company is interested in this opportunity, please email Katherine.meerman@swdc.govt.nz by 19 November. You only need to provide your company name and contact details to indicate your interest. We will notify you when the tender documents are ready.