• Implement policies relating to works functions
• Design plan, supervise, execute and maintain Government works. 
• Provide technical advice to and liaise with other instrumentalities such as water supply services and local and provincial governments. 
• Operate and maintain government plant and arrange for contracting out of transport facilities (including the allocation of the Government's mobile light fleet). 
• Responsible for construction and maintenance of Government assets. 
• Provide services to Building Boards, Central Building Tribunal and standing or ad hoc organisations relating to the functions of the Department. 
• Maintain Government Stores and appropriate services.

Pro-independence Era

The Department of Works & Implementation, as it is currently known, is older than post-independence Papua New Guinea. It was first established during the Australian colonial administration as the Public Works Department (PWD).

During that time it co-existed with the Commonwealth Department of Works (CDW) which was an Australian department. As the country was preparing for nationhood it was inevitable that only one Department of Works should remain, hence all responsibilities of the CDW were absorbed by PWD.

In those days the contracting concept was not yet adopted enabling the Department to be fully involved in all infrastructure constructions and maintenance work. This trend continued on into the 1980s and early 1990S.

Shift in Responsibility

In 1995 the Department was assigned a now role. By then the awarding of jobs through contracts was gaining momentum therefore, to relieve the Department of its other roles, a bulk of the construction and maintenance responsibilities were let to the private sector. These have been fully achieved in the main centres of Port Moresby, Lae and Mt. Hagen, Also by this time some of the functions had been transferred to provincial governments, leaving the department to concentrate more on design, supervision and quality control. To date these are its main functions and responsibilities.

However, it is still responsible for construction and maintenance of infrastructure in the remote areas where contractors do not have the capacity to carry out such jobs.

YEAR 2001- PROGRAM.

Design Services:

The Design Services Division undertakes design work for proposed infrastructure projects provided by the National Planning Office and other no-government agencies.

The process starts at proposed planning stage to formulation of contract documents. Before they can be constructed, projects such as buildings, roads or bridges, usually involve some or all of the following:

• Surveying
• Land acquisition
• Site investigation (for ground bearing conditions and design parameter)
• Design of infrastructure
• Quantity survey (for project cost estimates) and
• Contract documentation, (for awarding of contract for construction)

The Division is comprised of six branches which are; Science and Technology, Roads and Bridges, General Engineering, Architecture and Building, Quantity Survey Project Auditing and, Survey and Lands.

2001 Construction Program:

A total of 9,500 kilometers of national roads and nine bridges will either, be constructed, upgraded or completed in 2001 throughout the country. By end of 2001 at least K198 million will have been spent on these infrastructure. The roads are Bereina - Malalaua (ongoing), Ramu Highway [Ramu - Gogol) (ongoing), Mumeng - Bulolo (ongoing), Alotau - Gurney (ongoing), Doa - Aropokina (upgrading), Karu - Tandis (new sealing), Lae City Roads and Wabag - Wapenamanda. The funding aspects of the projects are as follows:

The nine bridges to be constructed will cost a total of K10 million. The projects will be co-funded by Government of PNG (GoPNG) and Donor Agencies, as follows:

2001 Maintenance Program

Maintenance work will be carried out throughout the country as per the newly introduced RAMS (ROAD ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM) Program and recommendations.

The funding component of the program totaling K137,025,400 will be distributed as follows:

Total GoPNG (Maintenance) Funding = K69,300,000
Total Donor (Maintenance) Funding K67,725,400