Imagine having decades of government contracting knowledge on tap, whenever you need it
With our Contracting Guide, that's exactly what you get
Comprehensive guidance on the nuts and bolts of
New Zealand government contracting
Is the guide for you?
Our guide gives commercial specialists, procurement professionals, senior managers and lawyers the information they need to understand the complex world of government contracting. The guide helps staff at all levels, as well those advising or contracting with them, to navigate the contracting landscape with confidence and negotiate fair agreements that support each party's objectives and address key risks.
We have you covered
The guide covers virtually every type of contract commonly used in government, and applies whether the contract is of low risk or high. The guide includes a wealth of practical information, spanning over 350 pages if printed in full. It explains simply what each contract should contain, and includes a multitude of checklists and example clauses presented in both short and long form. It can be read cover to cover for a thorough understanding of good practice, or dipped into to help draft a particular clause or resolve a thorny contracting issue. The guide is updated to account for changes in government requirements, and as users provide feedback on suggested improvements.
Here's a quick peek at the guide's main parts...
Part 1 - The Contracting Landscape
Here we explain the lay of the land. Starting with some contract basics, before explaining:
- the management of contract risk
- good contracting processes
- key contracting tools
- issues applying to all contracts
Part 2 - Types of Agreements
Next we provide a detailed commentary on a wide range of contracts used in government:
- procurement agreements
- funding agreements
- ICT agreements
- collaborative agreements
- master and multi-party agreements
- other agreements ranging from NDAs through to MOUs
Part 3 - Drafting Common Clauses
Then we dive into the drafting of common clauses. We cover clauses on:
- entering the agreement
- interpreting the agreement
- describing the core deal
- managing performance risk
- dealing with property rights
- managing performance failure.
Numerous specimen clauses are included.
Keen for more detail? You can see the full table of contents here.
Or kick the tyres with free access below.
Kick the tyres with free access to some chapters
Get free access to the chapters on Disclaimers, Software Escrow Agreements, and Force Majeure.
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About us
The Contracting Guide is the creation of Elwood Law, a Wellington-based law firm specialising in drafting and
negotiating contracts for the New Zealand government.
JOHN ELWOOD - Managing Director of Elwood Law, Lead Author of the Guide to New Zealand Government Contracting
The firm's Managing Director is John Elwood. John is a contracts expert, with over 30 years of contracting experience across a diverse range of roles, and is passionate about better, faster, and cheaper contracting. John is a senior Gateway Reviewer and a founding member of Interwoven Law, an alliance of independent law firms. The Interwoven Law alliance is a member of the Government's AoG External Legal Services Panel.
RICHARD BEST - Technical and Design Support
Richard Best is the principal of Richard Best Law and has lived and breathed government contracting since becoming an in-house lawyer for a central government agency in 2006. Richard runs The Contract Foundry, is another founding member of Interwoven Law, and provides technical and design support for the Contracting Guide.
What our clients say
As someone new to contract drafting and negotiation, John’s book answered all my burning questions and provided a comprehensive guide to all aspects of government contracting. It covers the key legal, commercial and practicable concepts and steps, as well as John’s expertise in IT contracts, in a plain English way. I believe that practitioners of all levels could benefit from this guide, whether you are looking to develop your capability and efficiency in contract preparation, or just need drafting tips and guidance for different types of public sector contracts.
Lakan Beech ● Solicitor, Te Puni Kōkiri
Wigs off to Elwood Law. This comprehensive guide for drafting State Sector contracts
is an invaluable resource for both the novice and seasoned professional. A welcome
addition to our legal library.
