Overview

The Integrated Delivery Model (IDM) will be the new delivery model for the majority of the state highway road maintenance requirements across Aotearoa New Zealand. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is developing this model following the NOC Review that took place during 2022, and the IDM will replace the current NOC model from late 2025 onwards.

Our vision for the IDM is that those working in the road maintenance sector are empowered to bring their best selves to work every day, supported by an environment that links people together, inspires them, supports them and grows their skills to enable the delivery of great transport outcomes for Aotearoa.

Objectives

The IDM will enable NZTA and the road maintenance sector to become more efficient and coordinated in the delivery of corridor-level improvements. At the heart of the new model is an aim to simplify commercial and delivery mechanisms to focus road maintenance requirements on outcomes that deliver value to New Zealanders.

We do however want to keep elements of the NOC model that have worked well. For example, our emergency response mechanism is considered world class, and we want to ensure that this is carried through into the IDM.

The IDM ensures NZTA gives effect to the State Highway Asset Management Plan (SHAMP), which shows how maintenance, operations, and improvements together provide services to customers. Maintaining and operating the existing state highway network ensures road users have safe and accessible roads to travel on.

The Government Policy Statement (GPS) for 2024–27 provides a significant increase in funding for road maintenance, along with increased scrutiny on performance and effectiveness. The IDM will better enable NZTA to report on areas of interest to the current government, as well as any future requirements.

Increased maintenance and resilience is one of four key strategic priorities within the GPS. Under the new Pothole Prevention Activity Class funding is ringfenced for road resealing, road rehabilitation and drainage maintenance, with the long-term aim being that we deliver 2% road rehab per year and 9% resealing per year across the state highway network - approximately 2700 lane kilometres per year.

However, before we reach that point, we need a significant uplift in capacity and capability across the sector, to bring the network back to an efficient and sustainable standard of maintenance. Throughout 2024 we developed the key aspects of the new model and the contract form (the Integrated Delivery Contract) that will give life to our vision.

All existing NOCs will continue until procurement takes place, with contract extensions enabled in line with our procurement plan for the IDM. This will ensure we have consistency of delivery now while we develop the right model for the future. 

The Integrated Delivery Model ecosystem

The IDM will bring about significant change to the way in which NZTA contracts and administers performance of state highway maintenance requirements.

NZTA will take a much more active role in the collation of asset condition data, with new collection methods driving better network knowledge, which will help ensure the right treatments are chosen for the right road at the right time.

Oversight of programme management will lead to better co-ordination of works across and within networks, meaning customer journeys will be proactively managed. This will be tied to a more consistent and broad communication approach – meaning everyone has access to the right information ahead of their journey.

Performance management will be simplified. If suppliers do a good job they will be rewarded with more work. If work doesn’t meet expectations suppliers can expect to complete less work moving forward until they can prove they can complete work to the required quality.

Directories will unlock additional capacity across the country, with suppliers outside the main contract able to work directly for NZTA. The Directory approach will also enable NZTA to better respond to changes in priorities over time, by focusing on areas where there is high demand for delivery.

View a larger diagram on how the system works under IDM [PDF, 1.3 MB]

Why is it called the ‘Integrated’ Delivery Model?

The integration aspect refers to how we deliver work on the state highway network. Programmes across the main IDC supplier, directory supplier (or suppliers), new infrastructure works and third parties will be integrated and optimised to make best use of available resource and time available to complete the work. This will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of delivery, meaning state highways are more accessible to those driving on them.

The outcome of the IDM will be a better contracting environment producing better outcomes on the road, while will result in a better experience for road users, stakeholders and partners.

Timeline

A number of procurement activities related to the Integrated Delivery Model will be running in parallel throughout 2025. These are explained below:

Integrated Delivery Contracts

This is the core contract for each network, which covers the main scope of works, including cyclic maintenance, emergency response and a portion of proactive renewals.

  • Respondents to the Request for Information (RFI) received their outcome letters prior to Christmas 2024.
  • The Request for Tender (RFT) will be released to successful Respondents in March 2025.
  • The RFT will close in late June 2025.
  • Preferred Suppliers will be nominated in September 2025.
  • Contract award will take place, and transition will commence, in late 2025.

Directory of Suppliers

The Directory will be a pre-qualified set of suppliers who will be able to tender for contestable work packages. The scope of packages may change over time depending on government/funding priorities, however initial expectations are that the packages will align with the current focus on road rehabilitation, along with activities that can be nationally or regionally delivered, such as certain pavement marking activities.

The Invitation to Qualify (ITQ) as part of the pre-qualification refresh project is open until 4:30pm, Friday 31 January 2025:

GETS | NZ Transport Agency – Prequalification Refresh – Invitation to Qualify(external link)

More information on the Directory approach will appear in 2025.

Professional Services

Professional Service providers will support NZTA to deliver a variety of functions under the IDM.

  • The Professional Services Registration of Interest (ROI) closed on 20 January 2025.
  • An Notice of Intent (NOI) will be released in mid-2025, followed by the RFT.

More information will be provided in due course.

Contestable work packages

While the IDM is in development and procurement, there is an immediate need to support delivery in areas that have a significant programme of works.

The RFT for the Akerama and Towai road rebuilds package is open until 4pm, Friday 7 February 2025:

GETS | Maintenance and Operations Pavement Rehabilitation : SH1N Akerama and Towai Northland 2024-25(external link)

We will be releasing a number of road rebuild packages for the 2025/26 delivery season. Information regarding this will appear from mid-2025.

Supporting delivery uplift

With the 2024–27 GPS now finalised, there is confirmation of a significant focus on state highway road renewals, via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund.

Through this ring-fenced activity class, NZTA is looking to significantly increase the volume of rehabilitation work undertaken for each of the three summers within the current NLTP, when compared to the 2023/24 figure of approximately 110 lane kilometres.

We acknowledge that we need to start delivering this now, and while we develop and implement the IDM we are also looking to uplift delivery of road rehabilitation over the next two years (2024/25 and 2025/26).

For 2024/25 we targeted two key networks (Northland and Taranaki), where road rebuild programmes are substantial (30 lane kilometres or more).

Additional capacity was procured through three packages:

  • Northland - North/West – Far North Roading
  • Northland - Dargaville West – Wharehine
  • Taranaki South – Fulton Hogan

An additional Northland package (Akerama / Towai) is currently out for tender.

Programmes for 2025/26 will also be significant, and NZTA wishes to de-risk programmes during the transition period from NOC to IDM. As such a number of road rebuild packages will be released to the market ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Communication

Throughout the development of the IDM we will keep external stakeholders and partners informed of our progress. Regular e-newsletters will be produced, and you can sign up to these directly via the subscribe link below.

Subscribe for updates on the Integrated Delivery Model(external link)

Contact us

The team delivering the IDM can be contacted via IDM@nzta.govt.nz