In response to stakeholder feedback, the Department of Finance and Deregulation’s planned changes to its whole-of-government Data Centre Panel are likely to include reduced lease terms (down from existing 10-year leases) and space and kilowatt requirements (down from 500m2 or 500kW). This will enable smaller agencies to procure directly from panellists rather than through consortium arrangements. The consultation phase is currently ongoing.
The Department of Health and Ageing will approach the market by the end of 2013 to market test its ICT outsourcing deal, reports ZDnet. The arrangement covering IT Services, mainframe and storage services has been held by IBM since 1999, with the most recent four-year renewal signed in July 2010 for $119.9 million.
Ambulance Victoria will deploy Oracle software including a Business Intelligence solution to improve patient care, financial management and real-time mapping of ambulance locations. The project will initially provide information dashboards to around 600 personnel, with an outlook towards providing access to all internal and external healthcare functions, including other state services.
UXC has signed a contract with Queensland Rail to assist with its asset management project, reports ZDnet. The project includes an integration of Queensland Rail’s IT systems and the implementation of an SAP ERP platform.
The South Australian Department of Communities and Social Inclusion has issued a request for tender on behalf of Housing SA for information on the replacement of its core business systems relating to clients, assets and financials to aid the development of a business case. A briefing session will be held in North Terrace, Adelaide on 10 May 2013, and the RFT closes 4 June 2013.
Victoria’s Department of State Development, Business and Innovation (DSDBI) will be announcing successful projects for Round Two of its Broadband-Enabled Innovation Program (BEIP) grants before the middle of this year. The program provides funding to community, business and government organisations to develop innovative, broadband-based technologies.
The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE) is the latest Federal agency to announce staff cutbacks, with voluntary redundancies being sought for at least 100 staff due to three of its programs nearing completion, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. The Department of Finance and Deregulation and CSIRO also announced staff cuts ahead of the new financial year.
The Defence Materiel Organisation has signed a standing offer arrangement with Synnex Australia for the provision of goods and maintenance services for laptop computers and ancillary items. The one-year contract is due to expire in December 2013, and is not available for use by other agencies.
Australian Bureau of Statistics has been subject to a series of cyber attacks over the past four years, with attacks often occurring prior to the release of data that affects financial market prices, reports the AFR. An ABS spokesperson said that none of the attacks have been successful.
The NSW Government will launch a Community of ICT Professionals knowledge-sharing group for public sector ICT workers on May 23, reports IT News. Registrations are open online for the forum, which will be similar to those for public sector finance and HR workers which have been in place since 2008.
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