The work is something that the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has intended to do for some time, as the current system was set up hurriedly at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, recent border cases, notably those aboard Rio de la Plata at the port of Tauranga and Mattina at Southport in Bluff, have highlighted posible problems with the current system.
Several of the mariners on Mattina had to be transferred to MIQ in Christchurch, a nine-hour, resource-intensive trip.
The request for proposal (RFP) also specifies that the successful tenderer will need to be able to take MIQ passengers from Queenstown International Airport to Christchurch.
‘‘Also included, dependent on the alert level, is the transfer of positive cases and their close contacts from various locations, such as their home, to a MIQ facility,’’ RFP documents said.
‘‘This could be required from any location in either the North or South Island. We require provider/s who can manage and deliver the day-to-day operations of the land transfer services.’’
Possible providers were required to be able to deliver land transport services for small or large numbers of passengers or crew, and to have the vehicles and staff to be flexible.
‘‘They need to have a good track record in being a responsive, health and safety conscious company that can work flexibly and effectively within a complex and fast-moving system.’’
Small companies were able to offer services as subcontractors for larger firms through a subsequent process.
The contract was expected to be finalised and started some time between November and January.
