AGIMO blogs about telco panel tender

True to Gov 2.0 promises, the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO) has invited public input into its establishment of a whole-of-Government telecommunications panel.

The agency yesterday published draft tender documents (pdf) alongside a message from acting branch head Mundi Tomlinson on its newly created procurement blog.

Tomlinson sought comments about establishing a Panel for the Provision of Telecommunications Operational Management Services (TOMS), whose members would be responsible for integrating and managing the Government's telecommunications services.

TOMS tenderers would provide design and specification, consolidated help desk support, service level management and telecommunications billing management.

"One of the challenges of this work is ensuring that we are asking for services that industry can actually provide," Tomlinson wrote of defining tender requirements.

"We do that by conducting market research and talking to industry and agencies. However, probity rules limit how much we can say unless we say it to everyone. Now, with the advantages provided by Gov 2.0, we can ask everyone."

Tomlinson hoped to receive feedback via the blog or e-mail for two weeks, after which AGIMO would consolidate the responses and issue a final version of the request for tender.