Election 2013: Government IT Election 2013: Government IT

The Federal Government has boasted of millions of dollars in savings generated from its coordinated approach to ICT procurement. The strategy has been to trade membership of exclusive markets through restricted panels for hefty discounts on everything from desktop hardware and Microsoft licences to floor space in data centres.

The Coalition plans to turn this on its head, scrapping the panels in favour of a single central list of suppliers vetted to supply to government across all goods and services categories. It says that this will avoid the costs of bidding for a panel place, which can exceed $40,000.

Labor:

  • Fixed term procurement panels for commodity goods and services, including ICT
  • Savings generated by leveraging coordinated buying power in exchange for discounts
  • Agencies required to consider cloud options as part of new ICT procurements
  • ICT procurement overseen by the Department of Finance and Deregulation
  • Panels mandated but agency autonomy in other buying areas

    • Coalition:

  • One central panel of all prequalified suppliers, including ICT
  • Savings generated by minimising administrative costs and red-tape
  • Advocate ‘cloud first’ approach where cloud options would be selected as default
  • ICT procurement overseen by the Department of Finance and Deregulation
  • ICT spending audit
  • Allow ‘heavy user’ agencies to maintain IT autonomy while ‘light user’ agencies move to cloud or shared solutions

    • Govt invites tenders for $20m apprenticeships system

    Govt invites tenders for $20m apprenticeships system

    Upgrade expected to reap $93 million in savings.
    Paris Cowan Oct 29 2014 12:01PM Software
    NSW Govt issues telco procurement demands

    NSW Govt issues telco procurement demands

    Agency purchases must comply with new standards.
    Paris Cowan Oct 2 2014 2:40PM Telco/ISP
    Finance floats whole-of-govt cloud email, desktop buying scheme

    Finance floats whole-of-govt cloud email, desktop buying scheme

    Feasibility study underway.
    Paris Cowan Sep 26 2014 10:12AM Software
    Winner takes all in revised CenITex outsourcing

    Winner takes all in revised CenITex outsourcing

    Bidding to be re-opened to the full market.
    Paris Cowan Sep 23 2014 1:33PM Strategy
    NSW Govt to recognise interstate procurement creds

    NSW Govt to recognise interstate procurement creds

    Apply just once.
    Paris Cowan Sep 4 2014 6:12AM Strategy
    NSW Govt to scrutinise all telco deals over $100k

    NSW Govt to scrutinise all telco deals over $100k

    Ups the ante on agency procurement practices.
    Paris Cowan Aug 15 2014 12:40PM Telco/ISP
    NSW agencies open ERP standards to vendors

    NSW agencies open ERP standards to vendors

    Creating a level playing field for procurement.
    Paris Cowan Aug 7 2014 12:50PM Strategy
    Qld Govt launches cloud infrastructure panel

    Qld Govt launches cloud infrastructure panel

    First three suppliers signed up by the ‘cloud-first’ state.
    Paris Cowan Aug 7 2014 11:50AM Networking
    Federal Govt unveils cloud services panel terms

    Federal Govt unveils cloud services panel terms

    But cloud market is not mature enough to make it mandatory.
    Paris Cowan Aug 5 2014 10:24AM Strategy
    Finance to launch revised whole-of-govt hardware panel

    Finance to launch revised whole-of-govt hardware panel

    RFT due before end of 2014.
    Paris Cowan Aug 4 2014 6:42AM Hardware
    ANZ banks on universities for tech R&D

    ANZ banks on universities for tech R&D

    Uses sourcing data to put the squeeze on vendors.
    Brett Winterford Jul 29 2014 3:17PM Strategy
    IBM, NEC picked for major NSW Transport deals

    IBM, NEC picked for major NSW Transport deals

    Final contract negotiations begin.
    Paris Cowan Jul 28 2014 6:09AM Hardware
    NSW Transport reveals infrastructure outsourcing timeline

    NSW Transport reveals infrastructure outsourcing timeline

    Two mega-deals due before the end of the year.
    Paris Cowan Jul 23 2014 12:13PM Strategy
    NSW Govt sets out new technical standards for mobility

    NSW Govt sets out new technical standards for mobility

    Trials as-a-service contracts.
    Allie Coyne Jun 26 2014 4:45PM Strategy
    Agencies to become tech guinea pigs in NSW

    Agencies to become tech guinea pigs in NSW

    New IT minister says innovation can't come from govt handouts.
    Paris Cowan Jun 26 2014 12:49PM Strategy
    Auditor-General slams Victorian bus GPS tender

    Auditor-General slams Victorian bus GPS tender

    Begs transport agencies to work together on IT.
    Paris Cowan Jun 11 2014 1:09PM Hardware
    Qld orders agencies to buy cloud as default

    Qld orders agencies to buy cloud as default

    Rules out offshore hosting for classified data.
    Paris Cowan May 27 2014 12:35PM Strategy
    Chinese govt to vet all IT providers

    Chinese govt to vet all IT providers

    Calls US a "high-level hooligan".
    Staff Writers May 23 2014 7:04AM Security
    Finance begins work on whole-of-gov cloud panel

    Finance begins work on whole-of-gov cloud panel

    Wants to know what you think.
    Paris Cowan May 14 2014 4:04PM Software
    Tax Office opens up on 'exhausting' outsourcing journey

    Tax Office opens up on 'exhausting' outsourcing journey

    IT multi-sourcing reality very different to what was planned.
    Paris Cowan May 13 2014 6:47AM Strategy

    Log In

      |  Forgot your password?