8 June 2026
File Ref: OIAPR-1274023063-50358
Miss M Quicken
By email:
[FYI request #34665 email]
Tēnā koe Miss Quicken
Request for information 2026-206
I refer to your request for information dated 8 May 2026, which was received by Greater
Wellington Regional Council (Greater Wellington) on 8 May 2026. You have requested the
following:
“Dear Wellington Regional Council,
Relating to my earlier request of Go Media / Advertising services;
Please provide:
A) ADVERTISING SERVICES Procurement Plan
B) Evaluation panel membership (names) of the said RFP (Advertising services)
C) Independent advisors (names) who participated in RFP
D) Conflict of interest register for the B & C
E) Who or What process was the responsible of advertising & selecting B & C
I would like to understand the council RFP governance as part of my research on transparency
in the conduct of public sector procurement practices.
This is especially important given the conduct was not in the spirit of Part 2 of Commerce Act
1986 s.27 (Contracts, arrangements, or understandings substantially lessening competition
prohibited)”
Wellington office
Upper Hutt
Masterton office
0800 496 734
PO Box 11646
PO Box 40847
PO Box 41
www.gw.govt.nz
Manners St, Wel ington
1056 Fergusson Drive
Masterton 5840
[Wellington Regional Council request email]
6142
Greater Wellington’s response follows:
Your request has been assessed under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings
Act 1987 (the Act).
a. Advertising Services Procurement Plan
Please see
attachments 1-3 which contains a copy of the Procurement Plan, the RFP - our
requirements document, and the RFP response form.
We have withheld the signature of our staff, and the names and signatures of external
organisations under section 7(2)(a) of the Act in order to protect the privacy of natural persons,
including that of deceased natural persons.
When withholding information under this section we are required to consider the public
interest in the release of the information. We have considered this and do not believe that the
public interest outweighs our decision to withhold the information.
b. Evaluation panel membership (names) of the said RFP (Advertising services):
Please refer to
page 14 of
attachment 1 for the Evaluation panel membership (names) of the
RFP.
c. Independent advisors (names) who participated in RFP.
There was one independent advisor who participated in the RFP. This person's name is withheld
under section 7(2)(a) of the Act in order to protect the privacy of natural persons, including that
of deceased natural persons.
When withholding information under this section we are required to consider the public interest
in the release of the information. We have considered this and do not believe that the public
interest outweighs our decision to withhold the information.
d. Conflict of interest register for the B & C
No conflict of interest register exists. Therefore, this part of your request for information is
refused under section 17(e) of the Act in that that the document alleged to contain the
information requested does not exist or, despite reasonable efforts to locate it, cannot be
found.
When refusing under this section, we are required to consider consulting the requester. We
have considered this and do not believe that consulting with you would change our decision to
refuse under this section.
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Greater Wellington Officers involved in the RFP process including evaluators completed a
Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Agreement. The evaluation panel chair managed the
probity requirements throughout the process.
If requested under the Act, Greater Wellington would likely refuse to release these Conflict of
Interest or Confidentiality Agreements to you and would be withheld under section 7(2)(a) of the
Act in order to protect the privacy of natural persons, including that of deceased natural
persons.
e. Who or What process was the responsible of advertising & selecting B & C
Michael Freeman, then Senior Business Development Specialist in the Strategy and Investment
team was responsible for the stand up of the panel.
The evaluation methodology in the procurement plan (
attachment 1) sets out the process.
If you have any concerns with the decision(s) referred to in this letter, you have the right to
request an investigation and review by the Ombudsman under section 27(3) of the Act.
Please note that it is our policy to proactively release our responses to official information
requests where appropriate. Our response to your request will be published shortly on Greater
Wellington’s website with your personal information removed.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Fiona Abbott Kaiwhakahaere Matua Waka-ā-atea | Group Manager Metlink (Acting)
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