1. Coverage and zones
- List every building, block, hall, gym, library and admin area the system must reach
- List outdoor areas: courts, fields, covered walkways, bus bays, gates
- Define the zones you need to address separately (blocks, indoor/outdoor, hall-only, etc.)
- Note spaces with high background noise (workshops, kitchens, gyms) that need specific treatment
2. Bells and schedules
- State the bell schedule requirements: timetables, A/B weeks, term-aware calendars
- Who can pause, advance or override bells, and from where
- Custom tones/chimes required, and whether different zones need different schedules
- See the bells and announcements guide for the full capability list
3. Announcements and paging
- How many live paging points (office consoles, handsets, software clients) and where
- Priority rules: routine paging must not block emergency messaging
- Any requirement for scheduled or pre-recorded daily announcements
4. Emergency capability
- Pre-recorded lockdown and evacuation messages (provide scripts to be consistent across quotes)
- Number and location of activation points, and who is authorised
- Zone-targeted emergency messaging requirements
- Redundancy: endpoint-local message storage, UPS backup, multi-path activation
- Integration with existing security, duress or notification systems — or state clearly none is required
5. Intercom and two-way
- Exact locations needing two-way audio (gates, reception, selected classrooms)
- Required integration with your phone system (SIP/VoIP/Teams) and who supports it
- Whether missed-call handling (voicemail/roll-over) is needed for gate intercoms
6. Architecture and existing infrastructure
- State what may be retained: existing speakers, 100V cabling, network switching
- Require testing evidence for any reused cabling in the quote
- Specify IP, hybrid or traditional — or require bidders to price the trade-off explicitly
7. Network readiness (for IP/hybrid)
- Attach your completed network readiness checklist to the tender documents
- State clearly who provisions VLANs, QoS and PoE — installer or IT partner
- Require the PoE power budget calculation in the quote
8. Management and support
- Who administers schedules, zones and users day to day, and via what interface
- Training included at handover, for how many staff
- Warranty period on endpoints, labour and configuration
- Ongoing support: response times, remote monitoring, firmware updates
- Spare parts availability and NZ-local support presence
9. Commercial
- Total installed price separated into equipment, cabling, switch/network work, labour and configuration
- GST status clearly stated
- Payment milestones and retention terms
- Exclusions listed explicitly (e.g. switch upgrades, after-hours work)
- Indicative programme: lead times for equipment, installation windows around term dates
How to use it with suppliers
- Send the checklist with the same maps, photos and network information to every bidder
- Require a compliance response per section ("complies / partially / not included + price")
- Score on lifecycle and support, not just the bottom line — see the platform comparison for the dimensions that matter
- Check indicative market pricing with the ballpark calculator before accepting anything outlier-high or suspiciously low
Connecting to funding
A clear specification is also what a 10YPP / 5YA property funding case needs: documented need, defined scope and evidence of value for money. See the funding guide and run the funding checker for an indicative read.
Continue planning your project
Last reviewed 12 September 2026. Procurement-support guidance only — follow your school's and the Ministry's procurement rules for any formal tender.