The Department of Corrections of New Zealand yesterday announced that Next Step Partners (NSP) has been shortlisted to develop a proposal for designing, building, financing and maintaining a new maximum security facility at Auckland Prison.

NSP, a consortium which brings together Fletcher Construction Company Ltd and the Public Infrastructure Partnership equity fund, was selected following an evaluation of responses to the call for Expressions of Interest.

NSP will now select an organisation to provide asset management and facilities maintenance services for the entire Auckland Prison site, as well as organisations to provide debt to the consortium, through a competitive procurement process. Once this has been confirmed the request for proposal will be released to NSP.

Correction's National Commissioner Jeremy Lightfoot, said:

"We are pleased to be working with Next Step Partners through the procurement process to design a facility that is safe and secure and introduces opportunities to enhance rehabilitation through design."

"The existing buildings do not support the rehabilitation of our most challenging prisoners and they don't provide the capacity to deliver specialist services to prisoners with special needs. We expect fresh ideas from the private sector."

"Corrections will work closely with Next Step Partners to ensure the Department's expectations are met" said Mr Lightfoot.

Corrections anticipates receiving a detailed proposal from NSP in December 2014. A rigorous evaluation and negotiation process will follow with the Department retaining the right to revert to traditional means of procurement, if the proposal does not meet the Department's requirements, including delivering value for money.

The project investment is estimated at NZ$200 million.

Construction is expected to start in 2015 and the new facility will be operational towards the end of 2017.