September 30, 2020
Maori procurement initiative goes national
A south Auckland-based initiative to include Māori and Pasifika firms in Auckland Council’s procurement and supply chains is going national.
He Waka Eke Noa is being relaunched as Amotai, Supplier Diversity Aotearoa with a new digital platform.
Spokesperson Anna-Jane Edwards says over the past year the initiative has created $45 million of contracts for Māori and Pasifika-owned firms.
She says by working on the demand side to give those firms access to large buyers, Amotai will create the change needed for Māori and Pacific economies to thrive.
This year Auckland Council set a target spend of 5 percent with Amotai’s more than 400 registered businesses and social enterprises, which will grow to a 15 percent in 2022.
Ms Edwards says there has been a positive response to supplier diversity targets, and Amotai looks forward to advising and working with central and local government and other buyers nationwide.
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