Commissioning agency
Nau mai, haere mai
Welcome
Te Tauraki is operating as the commissioning agency for Whānau Ora in Te Waipounamu.
Who we are
Te Tauraki Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.
We have operated as an Iwi Māori Partnership Board (IMPB) since 2022 and, in that role, we monitor health inequities for whānau Māori across the Ngāi Tahu Takiwā.
Our function as a Whānau Ora commissioning agency sits alongside, but separate from, our function as an Iwi Māori Partnership Board.
Questions & Answers
Contact us with any other queries using the form below.
We will continue to add common questions and answers about Whānau Ora services and Te Tauraki Commissioning Agency over time.
Te Puni Kōkiri has changed the way that Whānau Ora services are commissioned and funded. Nationally, funding is now targeted according to the Social Deprivation Index. This has resulted in less funding for Whanau Ora in Te Waipounamu from 1 July 2025.
Te Waipounamu now has funding for 97 Navigator roles and Te Tauraki has selected providers across the region to ensure Whanau Ora support is available where it is most needed. We thank all providers, navigators and whanau for the mahi done to date to better the lives of tangata o Te Waipounamu. And we thank the providers and navigators that continue the mahi in this next phase of Whanau Ora with Te Tauraki.
Use our map to locate a service provider: Whānau Ora Navigator Providers Map – Te Tauraki
From June to November 2025, Te Tauraki Commissioning Agency will run an open tender process for all those interested in offering Whānau Ora navigator services from January 2026 onwards. More information about this procurement opportunity process will be shared with service providers closer to June.
Te Tauraki has taken a systematic, data-driven approach to establishing our commissioning function.
We have existing relationships across Te Waipounamu and strategic data capabilities through our Iwi Māori Partnership Board function and with backing from Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.
Our setup has focused on three key areas:
- Building our commissioning capability
- Establishing our provider network
- Ensuring we’re ready to deliver from day one
We have worked through a tender process to select providers for 97 Whānau Ora Navigator roles strategically positioned across Te Waipounamu and the Chatman Islands.
Primary and community care are fundamental to achieving the health outcomes we’re targeting for whānau. We’re focused on ensuring our Navigators can help whānau navigate not just social services, but the entire health system including primary care, making it more accessible and effective for Māori whānau.
Our approach recognises that Whānau Ora Navigators need to work seamlessly with primary and community care providers to ensure whānau receive coordinated, culturally appropriate care.
Our data capabilities allow us to understand health system performance and identify where gaps exist in primary and community care access and outcomes for whānau Māori. This intelligence helps us commission services that complement and strengthen primary care rather than duplicate it.
Important information about procurement of Whānau Ora services
We are running a two-stage procurement process for services:
- The now-completed first stage comprised a closed tender for providers, who already held contracts for Whānau Ora Navigators. Though this process, 37 providers and 97 Navigators were selected to operate from 1 July to 31 December 2025. This stage was to ensure continuation of Whānau Ora services across the region as well all transition to new operating and reporting requirements.
- From August to November 2025, Te Tauraki will run a comprehensive procurement process to determine provision of Whānau Ora navigator services for 2026. This will be an open tender process for all those interested in offering future Whānau Ora navigator services from January 2026 onwards.
If you would like to receive the RFP for stage two of this procurement, please email: whanau.ora@tetauraki.co.nz.