McConnell Dowell has been awarded the Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) contract by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) for a complex programme of work to strategically upgrade accommodation and infrastructure assets across the Pacific.

The Pacific Property System Project (PPSP) scope to construct MFAT’s chanceries, official residences, and staff housing spans seven countries – the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga. It will ensure these important assets are fit for purpose and can continue to support New Zealand’s important work in the Pacific.

During the ECI stage the project team, which includes key asset management staff from MFAT, designers GHD, Design Group Stapleton Elliot (DGSE) and McConnell Dowell, will engage with staff and stakeholders to identify their requirements and future-proof the new facilities.

McConnell Dowell’s General Manager for the Pacific Islands, Brent Leach is pleased the team will be involved in the ECI process. “Identifying efficiencies and improving constructability is easier the earlier you are involved in the process, so it’s great to be working with MFAT during the initial design phase.  This is a fantastic opportunity for the team to collaborate with the client and design team and add value to the engineering and construction.”

The Pacific Islands are already seeing the impacts of climate change, and sustainability is a key driver for MFAT.

“Working with the Ministry to identify employment and training opportunities and ways to reduce the carbon footprint of the projects across the different islands are key drivers for the team,” says Mr Leach.

McConnell Dowell is a foundation member of indigenous business networks Akina and Amotai in New Zealand and has a large network of ‘local suppliers and services gathered from more than 50 years working in the Pacific. 

The ECI phase is expected to take nine months with early investigation and mobilisation planned for 2023.