Glossary of Terms

Agreement

The legally enforceable obligations and any associated conditions that two or more parties have agreed they owe to each other. The terms of a contract will often be recorded in writing but do not have to be. There will always be a contract in a purchasing relationship, and there may often be a contract underpinning a grant arrangement

As defined in Office of the Auditor-General (2008) 

Contract

See Agreement

Evidence based

Practice refers to the use of research and scientific studies as a base for determining the best practices in a field.  This basic premise is to provide transparency and to assure the public that techniques and procedures will provide the best possible interventions or treatments 

Funding agreement

An agreement under which the national or local government agrees to fund an independent body for a particular purpose.

Impact

Defined in the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 as ‘the contribution made to an outcome by a specified set of outputs, or actions, or both' 

Infrastructure

The basic physical and organisational structures and facilities (e.g., buildings, roads, and power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise 

Taken from the Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English (2009) 

Input

A ‘factor of production' used to produce an output (for example, staff time, travel, telephone calls, computer equipment, rental accommodation) 

As defined in the New Zealand Treasury (2009) 

Kanohi ki te kanohi

Translated - ‘Eye to eye'.  To meet face to face to discuss issues.  This is seen as important so physical reactions like body language and facial expressions are easily read 

Non-government organisation

A non-profit organisation that is organised, is independent of government and self-governing and does not have compulsory membership 

As defined in Office of the Auditor-General (2008) 

Outcome

Defined in the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 as ‘(a) a state or condition of society, the economy, or the environment; and (b) includes a change in that state or condition' 

Outputs

Defined in the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 as ‘(a) goods and services that are supplied by a department, Crown entity, Offices of Parliament, or other person or body; and (b) includes goods or services that a department, Crown entity, Office of Parliament, or other person or body has agreed or contracted to supply on a contingent basis, but that have not been supplied' 

Probity

The quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency 

Taken from the Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English (2009) 

Procurement

All the business associated with purchasing, spanning the whole cycle from identifying needs to the end of a service contract or the end of the useful life and subsequent disposal of an asset 

As defined in Office of the Auditor-General (2008)