Feds seek network for new Information Commissioner office

The Federal Government has released details of a $2 million ICT and network infrastructure tender for the new Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

When launched on 1 November 2010, the OAIC would house inaugural Information Commissioner John McMillan, as well as Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim.

The Australian Human Rights Commission, which shared its ICT infrastructure with the Privacy Commissioner's 67 staff, would also assume responsibility for the OAIC's ICT.

It planned to deploy new networks in Canberra and Sydney so that the OAIC would have its own dedicated 'protected' and 'in-confidence' networks.

Thirty staff would be housed in the OAIC's Canberra premises. Other staff would work from the Commission's existing Sydney office until it moved to a new office by 30 June 2011.

The Commission had not yet decided on whether it would use an existing internet link at the Sydney site, or require new links to be established at both premises.

It required a minimum internet access speed of 10 Mbps with an option to increase in 10 Mbps increments to at least 50 Mbps.

A redundant data link between the two premises was also required, and all telecommunications services were to be obtained from pre-approved suppliers until 30 June 2011 only.

Data links had to handle VoIP and high definition video, and would be configured to prioritise voice, video and data traffic in that order.

New equipment would have to integrate with legacy systems including the Human Rights Commission's existing Avaya VoIP system, records management system CARMS, and payroll system CONNX.

The Commission also required sufficient backup power to enable the network and IP handsets - but not PCs - to remain operational for eight hours in the event of a power outage.

All data would also be replicated between LTO5 tape drives at the two premises "where appropriate" for performance and disaster recovery purposes, the Commission wrote.

It intended for user experience to be identical at both sites, and required localised access to Exchange, SharePoint, Windows 7 and Office 2010 "to avoid lag where possible".

Remote access facilities were required for OAIC staff as well as for the Commission's IT staff, who would manage the network.

The request for tender was issued yesterday and closed on 1 September. It was valued between $1 million and $2 million.

Because of the 1 November deadline, the Commission wrote that it would prefer tenderers that could source stock in Australia.