Federal Government to revamp tech buying

The Federal Government has unveiled a radical shake-up of the way departments and agencies buy desktop computing and telecommunications products and services.

In a statement, Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner said that whole-of-government procurement arrangements, including panels and contracts, would be established this financial year.

In the interim, agencies would be able to use a desktop computing equipment panel currently being formed by the Department of Defence to buy more kit.

"Agencies with an immediate requirement to purchase desktop computing equipment will be eligible to utilise the Defence panel until whole-of-government arrangements are in place," Tanner said.

Further whole-of-government arrangements for telecommunication management services and mobile phone handsets were planned to be established in the next financial year.

The changes aggregated the Government's buying power to achieve "savings and efficiencies", Tanner said.