Four consortia have formed to bid for the AUD 700m-AUD 800m (USD 417m-USD 476m) Christchurch men’s prison public-private partnership (PPP) in New Zealand, according to four sources.

New Zealand energy and infrastructure advisor Mafic Partners is working with local builder Southbase and Australian builder Built, along with real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield and NZ government-owned Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), the sources said.

Melbourne-based infrastructure investor, developer and manager Plenary is aligning with local builder Leighs Construction and Webuild Australia, they added.

Infrastructure sponsor, advisor and asset manager Tetris Capital, also Melbourne-headquartered, has joined with Spanish infrastructure company FCC Group, New Zealand builder Naylor Love and technology conglomerate Honeywell, according to the sources.

Netherlands-based infrastructure investor Invesis is teaming with Australia-based builder CPB Contractors, and Australian builder Besix-Watpac, the sources said.

Infrastructure investor Aberdeen Investments is interested in the project but not currently aligned with anyone, one of the sources said. Defence and justice technology business Serco is also likely to be in a bidding group, said another.

New Zealand’s Department of Corrections in early May called for expressions of interest (EOIs) for the redevelopment project around 15km from Christchurch’s city centre.

EOIs close on 25 June and shortlisted bidders should be announced by 5 August. A request for proposals is due to be issued to the shortlist around 8 September and responses are due by 17 December.

The government and the private sector have been debating whether two or three parties should be shortlisted, one of the sources said.

The prison will include 240 new high security beds and a 52-bed intervention and support unit.

The preferred bidder should be notified by about March 2026 and financial close of phase one of the project is scheduled by July 2026.

Corrections want a private sector partner for phases one and two of the project, which involve delivering 320 new cells to house 480 prisoners and related facilities.

The successful bidder will hand the project back at the end of a 25-year concession term.

The New Zealand government has devoted NZD 6.8bn for rail, roads, health and education infrastructure in its 2025 budget.

Aberdeen, Mafic, Tetris, Honeywell, Built, ACC, Serco, FCC Construction and Webuild declined to comment.

Plenary, CPB Contractors, Cushman & Wakefield, Southbase, Besix-Watpac and Naylor Love did not respond to requests for comment.