Safer Drinking Water in Schools (SDWS) Programme - Horowhenua District Bundle - RFQ

The Ministry of Education is seeking tenders for the delivery of drinking water infrastructure upgrades at Manakau School and Opiki School in the Horowhenua District as part of the Drinking Safer Water in Schools (DSWS) Programme. The programme has been established to address drinking water compliance requirements under the Water Services Act 2021 and improve the safety, reliability and resilience of self-supplying school water systems. Both schools have undergone condition assessments and design development, which have identified infrastructure upgrades required to improve drinking water quality, storage capacity, system resilience, and compliance with Ministry standards. Works vary by school but generally include new drinking water storage tanks, treatment sheds, telemetry and smart metering systems, first flush diverters, treatment equipment upgrades, associated pipework, electrical works, civil works, and commissioning activities. At Manakau School, the works will consolidate the school's existing separate rainwater collection and storage systems into a single compliant rainwater supply network, while at Opiki School, the works will replace ageing storage infrastructure and address deficiencies within the existing water collection and distribution systems. The Ministry has bundled the two schools into a single procurement package to improve delivery efficiency and streamline contractor mobilisation across the region. The successful contractor will be required to work within live school environments, minimise disruption to school operations, maintain strong health and safety practices, and coordinate closely with school stakeholders throughout delivery. Tender evaluation will be based on price (50%), proposed solution (20%), capability (10%), capacity (10%), and economic benefits (10%). Works are expected to commence in December 2026, with completion targeted by March 2027