BOARD 20/04/26
DECISION
MWLR TRANCHE 2 STRATEGIC OUTCOME/NGĀ RAKAU TAKETAKE
INVESTMENTS - ASSURANCE
Purpose
To provide an update and seek the Board approval for approach to assurance over BioHeritage
Tranche 2 Strategic Outcome / Ngā Rakau Taketake investments
Key Points
•
The Board received BioHeritage Tranche 2 Strategic Outcome/Ngā Rakau Taketake investments
from Mana Rangatira at the April Board meeting.
•
The Board discussed the paper and agreed they were happy to endorse the paper subject to the
external review being carried out to ensure the process had met the required standards
•
I have subsequently had further conversations with the co-chairs (James Buwalda and Glenice
Paine) and Emily Parker which are summarised below.
•
A self-review (by Mana Rangatira) submitted to the Manaaki Whenua Audit & Risk Committee
is now proposed.
Recommendation
To approve the internal audit assurance to be provided:
•
By internal self-review, completed by the Challenge Leadership team and reviewed by Mana
Rangatira as part of each specific contract development.
•
The self-review to be submitted to the Manaaki Whenua Audit & Risk Committee.
•
Based on this review matters raised to the Board as appropriate by the Audit & Risk Committee
on an exception basis.
•
Approval to sign contracts within the total investment to be delegated to the Audit & Risk
Committee by the Board
I note the Board retains the right to request an external probity review, following specific contract
analysis.
Health and Safety
No direct impacts
Risk and Financial Implications
The purpose of this approach is to manage risk related specifically to the investment and contracting
process related to Tranche 2 Strategic Outcome/Ngā Rakau Taketake investments.
Author: Nigel Thomson
Page: 1 of 2
Date:
28 April 2020
Proposed Approach
The proposed approach is summarised as:
•
Mana Rangatira will complete a self-review of the process including requesting the Challenge
leadership to document key elements of the process.
•
The key focus areas for the self-review are documented in the below table:
Quality of proposed
Provider’s capacity to
Conflict(s)-of-interest
Pricing/Value-for-money
Significant risks
activity
deliver
Confirm Science
Assessment that the
Confirm policy has
Specific consideration of
Any significant risks for (for
quality review carried
contract party(ies) have
been applied
value-for-money
awareness/attention of Mana
out and
capacity to deliver
Rangatira)
(organisation and key
Conflicts identified and
Significant pricing
Any significant issues
individuals)
declarations completed
consideration(s)?
highlighted
Documented plan for
How have these been
identified material
addressed?
conflicts.
Confirmation of
documented of
evaluation process
outcomes and
assessment minutes
How have these been
managed?
•
Mana Rangatira will discuss this framework and may add to the focus areas.
•
The review will be completed progressively for each contract / strategic objective, documenting:
o
historic considerations – for example management of conflict of interest during strategic
objective setting, project and lead organisation selection
o
prospective considerations – for example considering Pricing/Value-for-money as
contract proposals are negotiated and contracted
•
Mana Rangatira will review and critique the summary documentation of the table
•
Mana Rangatira and/or the MWLR Board reserve the right to conduct further and external
reviews (ie probity review).
•
The review of conflicts of interest will be assessed with specific reference to the BioHeritage
conflicts of interest polic
y (available publicly here) and the MWLR policy (both of which apply)
at each step of the process.
•
The completed framework will be provided in conjunction with each contract for approval and
signing.
•
It is proposed that this review be delegated to and MWLR’s Audit & Risk Committee as part of
each specific contract signing with an expectation that matters will be raised to the Board as
appropriate on an exception basis.
Author: Nigel Thomson
Page: 2 of 2
Date:
28 April 2020
