What Open Plan does

Open Plan is a New Zealand infrastructure planning consultancy founded in 2016 by chartered professional engineer Angus Bargh, headquartered in Christchurch with a distributed team of 1-10 employees across the country. The firm supports the delivery of large-scale infrastructure programmes for central government, local councils, and network utility operators, with particular depth in transport planning and alliance-framework programme management drawn from its founders' experience on the SCIRT (Christchurch earthquake) and NCTIR (Kaikōura earthquake) rebuilds.

The company operates two core technology products on behalf of the Digital Built Aotearoa Foundation: the National Forward Works Viewer, an online geospatial map amalgamating planned works from multiple organisations into a single source of truth; and the Underground Asset Register (NZUAR), a 24/7 web map of underground infrastructure assets with a continuous human-driven feedback loop for data quality improvement. Both platforms are built on open-source technologies (React, Leaflet, Django, Python) deployed on Kubernetes cloud infrastructure. Open Plan is also engaged on major active programmes including NZTA Waka Kotahi's 10-year Speed and Infrastructure Programme, the Auckland Transport Activity Coordination Project, and the TREC East Coast cyclone recovery alliance covering 863km of state highway.

The business model combines professional services (transport engineering, programme modelling, network operations support) with platform programme-lead mandates. Open Plan serves as the appointed programme lead for nationally critical infrastructure tools and provides tooling, modelling, and automation services to government clients on a project basis. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and revenue is contract-driven rather than subscription-based at the platform level. Customer base is concentrated almost entirely within New Zealand government and quasi-government infrastructure organisations.

Name

Open Plan

Legal name

Open Plan

Website

https://openplan.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Open Plan is a New Zealand infrastructure consultancy that builds open-source geospatial platforms (National Forward Works Viewer, Underground Asset Register) and provides transport planning and programme management services to government agencies, local councils, and infrastructure alliances.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Infrastructure Programme Management

NAICS

Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (54137)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Infrastructure Planning, Capital Programs & Project Delivery Offices (PMOs) (BPAIALAJ), Construction Management & Delivery (EPCM/CMAR/Design-Build Oversight) (EUANALAE)

Keywords

• Infrastructure programme planning
• Transport planning consultancy
• Geospatial software platforms
• Forward works viewer
• Infrastructure delivery consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Christchurch

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Programme Lead Services: Appointed by Digital Built Aotearoa Foundation as programme lead for national tools. Provides tools and services to manage infrastructure programmes for government clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Open Plan is a New Zealand infrastructure consultancy that provides programme planning, transport planning, and infrastructure planning services to government agencies. The company also develops and maintains open-source geospatial software platforms — the National Forward Works Viewer and the Underground Asset Register — that amalgamate planned infrastructure works and underground asset data from multiple organisations onto a single map, serving as a single source of truth for infrastructure delivery.

Product overview

Open Plan is a New Zealand-based infrastructure planning and programme management company established in 2016. The company offers two core products: the Underground Asset Register (NZUAR) and the National Forward Works Viewer. The Underground Asset Register is a 24/7 online map of underground infrastructure assets (lifelines and taonga) that enables users to upload photos and excavation findings to create a continuous feedback loop for data quality improvement. The National Forward Works Viewer amalgamates planned infrastructure works from multiple organisations onto a single map, providing a unified source of truth. Both tools are built on open-source technologies and are designed to be scalable, helping to automate and semi-automate repeatable processes for infrastructure delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Underground Asset Register (NZUAR) A 24/7 available online map of Wellington's underground lifelines and taonga (treasured assets) that allows users to take photos and upload details of excavation findings, creating a continuous feedback loop to improve asset data quality. Targeted at the construction industry and infrastructure sector.
• National Forward Works Viewer An online map that amalgamates the who, what, when, where and why of planned works from different organisations onto one map to provide a single source of truth for infrastructure planning and programme management. Targeted at government infrastructure agencies, local councils, and network utility operators.
• Programme Lead and Infrastructure Consulting Services Professional services including programme lead work, transport planning, programme modelling, network management/controls, programme optimisation, and software development support for infrastructure delivery alliances (SCIRT, NCTIR, TREC) and large government programmes such as the NZTA Speed and Infrastructure Programme.

Quantifiable outcome

• 460 planned recovery projects coordinated across 863km of state highway
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Digital Built Aotearoa Foundation (DBAF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAppointed by DBAF as programme lead for two critically important tools: National Forward Works Viewer and Underground Asset Register. Collaborates on open-source solutions for infrastructure sector.
• NZTA Waka KotahicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partner on infrastructure programmes including SCIRT, NCTIR, TREC, and Speed and Infrastructure Programme. Collaborates on national infrastructure planning tools.
• Wellington City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with DBAF and NZUAG to produce Wellington's Underground Asset Register - Aotearoa New Zealand's first underground asset map.
• New Zealand Utilities Advisory Group (NZUAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Wellington City Council and DBAF to create the Underground Asset Register - a simple map of Wellington's underground assets accessible from anywhere at any time.
• Auckland TransportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking closely on Activity Coordination Project to enhance National Forward Works Viewer for total adoption by AT and retire their existing geospatial project viewer.
• SCIRT (Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance framework for earthquake recovery; founder Angus Bargh held leadership roles at SCIRT. Open Plan uses first-hand experience from SCIRT to inform current work.
• NCTIR (North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance framework for Kaikōura earthquake recovery; team members worked on this project. Provides earthquake recovery experience that informs current solutions.
• TREC (Transport Rebuild East Coast)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance for East Coast cyclone recovery. Open Plan creating innovative tools to streamline and automate prediction and monitoring of delays on the transport network.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WSP: Global professional services firm with a large NZ transport and infrastructure practice. Comparable to Open Plan as a broader incumbent serving NZTA and local councils on infrastructure planning and delivery.
• Arcadis: Global design and consultancy firm with mobility, infrastructure, and digital asset practices. Comparable to Open Plan's blend of infrastructure planning and data-driven spatial tools, though at much greater scale.
• Stantec: Global engineering, architecture, and infrastructure consultancy with active NZ operations across transport and community development. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering overlapping infrastructure advisory services.

Direct peers

• Abley: NZ transport planning and engineering consultancy focused on road safety, network operations, and transport data analytics. Closely comparable to Open Plan's transportation planning and programme modelling work.
• Aurecon: Asia-Pacific engineering and infrastructure advisory firm with significant NZ presence across transport, water, and urban planning. Comparable to Open Plan in serving government clients on infrastructure programme design and delivery.
• Tonkin + Taylor: New Zealand-based environmental and infrastructure consultancy with strong government and council relationships. Comparable to Open Plan in providing specialist infrastructure planning and asset data services to NZ public sector clients.
• Beca: One of New Zealand's largest employee-owned engineering and infrastructure consultancies. Beca operates in transport planning, infrastructure delivery, and asset management, directly comparable to Open Plan's government-facing infrastructure planning work.

Emerging players

• Trimble: Provider of geospatial and infrastructure lifecycle software, including utility mapping and asset management solutions. Comparable to Open Plan's NZUAR-type underground asset mapping functionality as a global technology provider that could expand into NZ.
• PelicanCorp: Provider of 'before you dig' and underground utility location platforms used in Australia and NZ. Comparable to Open Plan's Underground Asset Register in providing shared, web-based visibility of buried infrastructure for planners and contractors.

Others

• Esri: Global GIS platform provider whose ArcGIS technology underpins much of the geospatial infrastructure mapping done in NZ government. Comparable to Open Plan as an enabling geospatial platform for infrastructure planning, rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Open Plan