Finance creates three-year ICT panel

The Department of Finance and Deregulation has tendered for a new three-year panel of vendors to offer ICT services and commercial off-the-shelf software and hardware to all Government portfolio agencies.

According to tender documents released this morning, vendors appointed to the panel will compete on the open market for work.

The panel excludes goods and services, such as labour hire, that are covered by existing or planned whole-of-government coordinated procurements.

The tender seeks to cultivate interest from the ICT industry, noting the Government market for these services is "likely to be larger than just the portfolio agencies" and that the volume of services required may increase.

But the department warned portfolio agencies will not commit to a minimum volume of services.

The deadline for the tender is December 20. An industry briefing is scheduled in Canberra on Tuesday November 29.

The new panel is separate from plans unveiled last year to set up a whole-of-government ICT services panel, according to AGIMO first assistant secretary for services John Sheridan.

Sheridan told iTnews that an announcement on the whole-of-government panel - known as WISP - would be issued separately "shortly".

Correction: This story originally stated that today's panel tender appeared to be the outcome of the WISP consultation, which is not the case. The two processes are separate and unrelated. iTnews apologises for the error.