NSW government expands ICT services scheme

The New South Wales government has expanded its ICT services scheme to include hardware acquisition, software licensing and telecommunications services and products.

According to NSW minister for finance and services Dominic Perrottet, the scheme was expanded to “create further opportunities” for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) when they are negotiating with government agencies for technology work.

He said that hardware acquisition, software licensing and telecommunications were added to the ICT services scheme as the NSW government phased out two older agreements. These were a government telecommunication agreement which expired on 31 March and a contract for storage and server devices that expired on 30 April this year.

The ICT services scheme scheme began on 1 March 2013. There are now more than 1000 companies registered with the scheme which includes categories (PDF) such as data centres, end user computing and networking. Under the scheme, NSW state government agencies can work with approved suppliers through direct negotiation.

Alternatively, ICT suppliers can participate in request for tenders (RFTs) through the eQuote online system. eQuote is used to issue RFTS to registered suppliers.

In December 2013, the NSW government sold its shares in IT services company, ac3, to Sydney-based systems integrator Kilkon Solutions for an undisclosed sum.

The sale was made as part of the government’s ICT Strategy which involves a transition away from providing ICT services to buying services from suppliers.

The strategy also has a stated goal of getting “greater transparency and better value” from IT investments. For example, the NSW government is currently consolidating 130 data centres into twoTier III data centres operating at Silverwater and Unanderra .

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