The contractor - when one is appointed - will also help refine the design.
Replacing the city’s hospital has been called the biggest health-related building project in New Zealand’s history, with a price tag of about $1.4 billion.
The inpatients building on about 74,000sqm in the central city will be the main part of the development.
Documentation for potential contractors refers to buildability, construction methodology and innovation and ‘‘thereafter if suitable’’ a contract to build the inpatients building.
The ministry has not disclosed the number of proposals it received, saying this was commercially sensitive.
Evaluation of contractors’ proposals will be followed by negotiations between the ministry and the preferred company.
After the main contractor is appointed, it is expected to work with the ministry’s design team for up to two years in the final stages of design.
Construction work itself is expected to be split into three components - foundational work, the structure above the foundation, and internal fit-out.
The outpatients building on about 15,000sqm is to be considered separately.
The hospital build has been approved for consideration for a fast-tracked consent.
That could mean a smoother and quicker run through the consent process than the project might otherwise have had.
A detailed business case for the development is yet to be approved by the Cabinet, however.
