Nelson Hospital. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
Health New Zealand is hiring an external project management team to run the Nelson Hospital redevelopment for the next six years.
The project aims to deliver new, refurbished and seismically strengthened buildings in three packages.
First up, design of a new 11,000 square metre inpatient unit and energy centre is due to begin next April.
Earthquake strengthening of intensive care, surgery and radiology buildings among others is last off the blocks, to run from mid 2027 till 2032.
The various projects range in value from $50 million to more than $150m each.
"Given the scale of the programme and HNZ's internal capacity, HNZ is now seeking to engage a full-service external project management team ... through to the anticipated completion in late-2032," a tender document said.
The team would oversee the day-to-day and end-to-end delivery of each project.
Applicants had to have project managed a health construction project in Australasia worth at least $150m in the last five years, and a large regionally-based one outside the main NZ cities, too.
The tender said price would only be 15 percent of what was factored in on awarding the work, with experience 30 percent and team capability 40 percent.
The refurbishment of the two main hospital blocks called George Manson and Percy Brunette was due to run from 2026 to 2031.
"The current deficit of medical surgical beds is 16 and without redevelopment and model of care changes, this would have risen to 53 beds by 2043," it said.
"Outdated facilities are preventing improvements to health equity, overall patient experience and time efficiencies."
It also noted that poor seismic resilience "jeopardises post-disaster healthcare following a significant seismic event".
Buildings had been categorised as earthquake-prone and had to be fixed or demolished by 2032.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.