09 June 2025
C197282
Nigel McFall
[FYI request #30932 email] Tēnā koe Nigel,
Thank you for your email of 9 May 2025 to the Department of Corrections – Ara Poutama
Aotearoa, requesting additional information regarding your proposed pilot programme –
Strengthening Family Connections in Corrections. Your request has been considered under
the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA).
Your requests are answered in turn below. You requested:
“Strengthening Family Connections in Corrections” – a pilot programme designed to
support whānau connections for incarcerated individuals through supervised, offline
video messaging.
I request the following information:
•
The name(s) and role(s) of the Corrections staff who received, reviewed, or
responded to the proposal.
•
Whether the proposal was internally referred to or considered by:
•
The Rehabilitation and Reintegration Services team
•
The Māori Partnerships or Whānau Engagement teams
•
Parenting Programme staff
•
Policy, Strategy, or Innovation units
Corrections engages in a tender process when looking to source providers for services or
products and uses the Government Electronic Tender Service (GETS). Corrections is required
to openly publish its tender opportunities on the GETS website (www.gets.govt.nz) as per
the Government Rules of Sourcing. GETS is a free web-based service provided by the
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, which allows people to view and respond
to New Zealand Government tender opportunities.
Your initial correspondence dated 17 March 2025 about the proposal for a pilot programme
was attached to an email sent by Ministerial Services to Corrections’ Pae Ora team, who
have oversight on rehabilitation programmes, via a centralised email address. However, the
inclusion of this attachment was not for the purposes of reviewing or responding to the
proposal, but rather for confirmation that GETS is the appropriate avenue for considering
the pilot programme proposal, as outlined in our response to you of 23 April 2025. Due to
NATIONAL OFFICE, WELLINGTON
Mayfair House, 44 – 52 The Terrace, Wellington, 6011, Private Box 1206, Wellington 6140,
Phone +64 4 460 3000
www.corrections.govt.nz
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the GETS process that Corrections engages in when looking to source providers for services
or products, the proposal was not formally reviewed, evaluated or responded to.
•
Any meeting notes, internal communications, email threads, or file
memos relating to the review or discussion of the proposal.
•
Whether the proposal was assessed using any criteria, framework, or
formal process for unsolicited community-initiated proposals.
As the proposal was only received by the Pae Ora team for the purposes of reviewing our
response to your initial correspondence, whereby you were referred to the GETS process,
rather than for Pae Ora to formally assess, review or respond to, this part of your request is
refused under section 18(e) of the OIA, as the documents alleged to contain the information
requested does not exist or, despite reasonable efforts to locate it, cannot be found.
As per section 18B of the OIA, we have considered whether consulting with you would
enable the request to be made in a form that would remove the reason for the refusal.
However, we do not consider that the request can be refined in this instance.
•
Whether Corrections has an internal process or pathway for reviewing
ideas that are submitted outside of GETS.
•
Whether Corrections intends to consider the subject matter of the
proposal (i.e. child-to-parent connection through secure video messaging)
in any future initiatives or tender processes.
Corrections does not currently operate a formalised process for reviewing unsolicited
proposals or ideas submitted outside of GETS. However, particularly within the social
services sector, it is not uncommon for Corrections to engage in discussions with potential
suppliers, mana whenua, and other third parties regarding innovative approaches to service
delivery.
Corrections actively seeks to identify partners capable of delivering a broad range of goods
and services across New Zealand that contribute to achieving optimal public value
outcomes. This includes the use of co-design methodologies as part of its broader
procurement and service development strategies.
Should a direct source award be contemplated, it must undergo a formal tender exemption
process prior to any contractual commitment. This process includes a thorough assessment
of compliance with the Government Procurement Rules, particularly Rule 14, which outlines
the circumstances where an agency may be exempt from the requirement to openly
advertise, and alignment with the New Zealand Government Procurement guidance on
managing unsolicited proposals. You can find more information about the Government
Procurement Rules here:
https://www.procurement.govt.nz/principles-charter-and-rules/government-procurement-
rules/getting-started/exemption-from-open-advertising/
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In addition, the Proceeds of Crime Fund reviews proposals for initiatives across the justice
sector that reduce violent crime. The approval process requires consideration of the
initiative and its alignment to approved criterion. Information regarding the Proceeds of
Crime Fund and proposal process is publicly available online here:
https://www.justice.govt.nz/justice-sector-policy/about-the-justice-sector/proceeds-of-
crime-fund/ Corrections also acknowledges that regular contact and support between people in prison
and their loved ones has important and positive effects for all involved. For this reason, we
provide a range of ways for prisoners to stay in touch with friends and family while they are
in prison, including through phone calls, email, mail, video calling and visits.
Information about staying connected, including via video calling, can be found at the
following link on Corrections’ website:
https://www.corrections.govt.nz/our_work/when_someone_you_care_about_goes_to_pris
on/staying_connected_with_people_in_prison
•
A copy of any internal response or recommendation relating to the
handling or outcome of this proposal.
We have interpreted this part of your request as relating to any response or
recommendations relating to the proposal. As the proposal was only received by
Corrections’ Pae Ora team for the purposes of confirming GETS as an appropriate pathway
for the pilot programme proposal, as outlined above, this part of your request is refused
under section 18(e) of the OIA, as the document alleged to contain the information
requested does not exist or, despite reasonable efforts to locate it, cannot be found.
As per section 18B of the OIA, we have considered whether consulting with you would
enable the request to be made in a form that would remove the reason for the refusal.
However, we do not consider that the request can be refined in this instance.
Please note that this response may be published on Corrections’ website. Typically,
responses are published quarterly or as otherwise determined. Your personal information
including name and contact details will be removed for publication.
I hope this information is helpful. I encourage you to raise any concerns about this response
with Corrections. Alternatively, you are advised of your right to raise any concerns with the
Office of the Ombudsman. Contact details are: Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152,
Wellington 6143.
Ngā mihi
Alice Sciascia
DCE Strategy & Corporate Services
