QLD energy provider to outsource IT services

State-owned energy provider CS Energy is looking to outsource its service desk and systems administration in order to decrease staff costs and improve the availability and resiliency of the operations. 

CS Energy employs 500 people across three power stations in regional Queensland and its corporate office in Brisbane.

It was established in 1997 as a provider of electricity, and in July 2011 fell under a Queensland government restructure which saw three government-owned electricity companies merged into two.

This week it approached the market for contractors and suppliers to provide service desk and Windows/Intel systems admin services.

It sought to lower staff costs; improve infrastructure service levels and operational efficiency; ensure availability of skills; provide an overflow facility for increased call volumes or staff absence; and more proactively respond to incident and problem requests.

CS Energy called for an "out-of-the-box" managed services solution that it could adopt "with a minimum of development and customisation".

It also asked for a service provider skilled in system upgrades, hinting at a potential Windows XP to Windows 7 upgrade. CS Energy declined to comment on the plans.