Deloitte collect $9.5m for stage one of myGov rebuild

Deloitte has scored a $9.5 million deal with the Digital Transformation Agency to build out the first stage of the Facebook-inspired digital services platform that is tipped to replace myGov.

The big four consultancy was handed the seven-month contract last week to further develop a prototype government digital experience platform (GovDXP) that it began building in January.

Deloitte was paid just under $1 million earlier this year to develop the prototype in a 90-day sprint using government user research and architecture requirements.

The prototype platform, which the government is pitching as its answer to online services for citizens, was expected to be complete by May, though its current status is unknown.

The DTA has refused to comment on the project to date, saying only that it is “continuing work to improve digital experiences for Australians”.

It is understood Deloitte will progress the build of the prototype until mid-September through what the DTA is calling ‘horizon one’ - one of three key releases for the myGov update.

The platform is expected to eventually give citizens a single, tailored view of their interactions with the government, though it will initially operate in parallel to myGov.

Horizon one is expected to include a beta of the “new government platform”, as well as a “web-based myGov inbox, opt-in notifications and login access to myGov”.

The DTA has already released ‘horizon zero’ - a homepage on Australia.gov.au to help centralise information on the current coronavirus pandemic.

A future ‘horizon two’ will then be delivered in partnership with a system integrator that will include “an integration layer [that] will sit over the myGov systems”.

“The new front end will provide dashboard, profile, inbox and forms, along with information systems such as content pages and notifications,” a DTA blog hypothesises.

“The platform will collect services, apps and other customer experience capabilities to give users everything they need. 

“This will operate on a 'Netflix' model, providing users with what they need to do next based on their previous interactions with government services — similar to Netflix’s 'recommended for you'.”

The contract with Deloitte to build out the prototype comes a week after McKinsey was tapped to develop the business case for the project.

The firm is expected to complete the business case by mid-July, in time for consideration as part of the government’s delayed budget deliberations later this year.

However, it is not known whether the business case forms part of the first or second stage of the ICT investment approval process.

The existing myGov has also been updated in recent weeks to handle thousands of new customers forced out of work in the wake of coronavirus.

Services Australia has bolstered the portal several times, increasing capacity from 55,000 concurrent users to 300,000 users in a bid to support those seeking welfare services.