From 01 January 2023, the government funding for the Procurement Qualification that you have studied for has ceased. Training and assessment costs for all procurement qualifications now must be covered by your employer.
Clever Buying no longer works as a Training Provider for Connexis [aka Te Pukenga WBL]; and no longer trains or assesses students for the New Zealand Certificate in Infrastructure Procurement Procedures.
We now offer our students the opportunity to transition all of their work done to date to the Diploma in NZ Public Sector Procurement.
Key facts:
- This is a Professional Industry Qualification. All of the course content that has traditionally been covered by the NZQA Level 6 Procurement Qualification will be covered.
- This qualification has been fully audited for this equivalence by independent external professional auditors [The New Zealand Organisation for Quality, NZOQ]. The audit has confirmed that “the Diploma in NZ Public Sector Procurement offered by Clever Buying aligns directly to equivalent components in the NZQF New Zealand Certificate in Infrastructure Procurement Procedures. In fact, the Clever Buying programme for the NZ Public Sector Procurement Qualification covers additional aspects.”
- Subject to review of that audit, this qualification will be recognised and supported by Waka Kotahi and other Government organisations to provide all of the credentials needed for Qualified Tender Evaluators.
- This qualification will also be updated frequently as new procurement practices (such as Lean/Agile Procurement and Progressive Procurement) roll out across New Zealand’s Government Agencies.
- Students will be able to progress at their own pace, via tailored individualized study programmes. Timeframes will be discussed and agreed with students, so they can complete professional development alongside their work and personal commitments. As long as students are in regular contact with their tutors, there will be no unrealistic deadlines imposed for assignments. The qualification can be put on hold for periods as well, with no financial penalties or additional fees due.
- Employers and / or students do not have to pay re-enrolment fees each year; nor will there be financial penalties if students do not finish within any set period.
- The training and assessment programme will be fully administered through Clever Buying. Our team will provide all student support, administration, training resources, facilitated training, and assessment needed for students to progress and graduate.
- As an added benefit, students and graduates will have free membership to the New Zealand Procurement Institute (for a limited period). Your membership will give you free access to a comprehensive library of procurement resources and guides. It will also provide opportunities to participate in best practice procurement forums and sources for expert procurement advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I continue to work with my current assessor? Yes, as long as you are happy to do so. If your assessors is unable to review your work promptly at any time, we can easily organize another member of our assessment team to give you guidance so that you can move forward to progress through your qualification at a pace that suits you.
What are the costs to transfer? There are no re-enrolment costs or annual fees, and your organisation will not incur financial penalties if you exceed the duration that was set for the NZQA qualification. The full cost for the training and qualification for new students will be $4,800 plus GST.
If you are part-way through your qualification, the following fee scale will apply for your transition to the Diploma in NZ Public Sector Procurement :
| If you have completed and had full sign-off for: | Qualification fee (excl. GST) | |
| Assignments 1, 2, 3 and 4 | Unit Standards 18926, 18927 and 18930 | $800 |
| Assignments 1, 2 and 3 | Unit Standards 18926 and 18930 | $1800 |
| Assignments 1 and 3 only | Unit Standards 18926 and 18930 | $2300 |
| Assignments 1 and 2 only | Unit Standard 18926 (part of 18927) | $2500 |
| Assignment 1 only | Unit Standard 18926 | $2600 |
| Assignment 3 only | Unit Standard 18930 | $2800 |
| Clever Buying Two-Day course only | No Unit Standards completed | $3300 |
If you are unsure about what fees will apply to you, please contact us. You will need a Purchase Order Number to include on your registration form.
Can I get training and assessment mainly online? Yes! We are building an online platform which will give students access to learning materials (like interactive information slides, video tutorials, quizzes and templates) to streamline progression through the qualification and make it more accessible. This will be particularly helpful for students who need to balance their study alongside busy work roles or personal commitments. The foundation face-to-face two-day Clever Buying course will remain a staple of the qualification, normally done in the first few months of study.
I don’t have suitable procurement examples available in my workplace in the next few months. Is there a way I can continue to progress? Yes! We will form a tailored plan to support you. This may involve providing you with scenario materials to work through, to demonstrate your skills in procurement, including tender evaluation. We expect to be able to convene student study groups online to enable you to work together with others.
What if I don’t transfer to the Diploma in NZ Public Sector Procurement? What are the implications? You can continue to study the Connexis-led qualification, however:
- Connexis will need to change your assessor to one provided by Connexis. Your Clever Buying assessor will not work with Connexis.
- You may not continue to use Clever Buying Resources. These have taken decades to develop and are Clever Buying’s exclusive IP. All workbooks, tools and templates issued by Clever Buying are under copyright license. They are available for the exclusive use of current Clever Buying students and graduates only, unless express written permission is given by Clever Buying for each use. Connexis does not have the right to use or permit anyone else to use Clever Buying materials.
- Connexis normally require students to complete their qualification within 14 months of starting. Students who are over this duration incur a $700 per year additional fee (please check this with Connexis).
- Fees will be charged by Connexis for assessments. The cost that has been advertised by Connexis for the full qualification with training is $5,400 or without training is $5,000, plus GST. Connexis can inform you of their specific fees for you to complete, if you are part way through your qualification.
How can I keep building my professional development in procurement outside of this programme and/or after I graduate? As a graduate of the Diploma in NZ Public Sector Procurement and a Member of the New Zealand Procurement Institute, you will have opportunities to attend forums, seminars and tutorials as well as benefit from emerging best practices in procurement that are directly applicable to public sector procurement practice in New Zealand.
We will aim to have regular refresher courses about enlightening procurement practices that are evolving throughout New Zealand and internationally.
