Transport dept calls for AusLink Web site

The Department of Transport and Regional Services has called for tenders to develop a Web site as part of the IT strategy for the federal government's AusLink program.

The tender, which closes March 14 2005, calls for a mapping and query system that will eventually provide background information as well as the locations and details of projects funded by the Australian government.

The department specifies that the Web site is to be used by the general public and therefore must be accessible across low bandwidth Internet connections; the Web site may eventually include additional pictures and graphics and will provide additional information such as road surface types and accident statistics, depending on data availability.

The site will be run as part of the AusLink program as announced in the 2004-2005 Federal Budget.

In order to meet the looming deadline, off-the-shelf products will be assessed as "more closely meeting the department's requirements than solutions involving significant software development".

The AusLink Web site must be operational one week before "Budget night", May 10 2005.

Requests for a copy of the tender, T2005/0167, should be sent to auslink.gistender@dotars.gov.au