ICT Reform Program projects
The ICT Reform Program is implementing the Government's directions regarding the recommendations of the Review of the Australian Government’s use of Information and Communication Technology by Sir Peter Gershon.
The ICT Reform Program comprises a number of separate projects. The majority are managed by the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO) working with a range of other agencies. A few project teams are based in other agencies with AGIMO maintaining a monitoring role.
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Pan-Government Governance Agency Governance |
Business-as-usual funding APS ICT skills base
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Data centres ICT Sourcing for Government Agencies
Green ICT |
Pan-Government Governance
Establish Governance Committees
Recommendations: 1.1, 1.2, 1.5
The Secretaries' ICT Governance Board (SIGB) will meet regularly and held its first meeting on 6 February 2009.
The ICT Reform Program Board will meet quarterly and held its first meeting on 21 May 2009.
email: sigb@finance.gov.au
Whole-of-government opt-out
email: sigb@finance.gov.au
Redefine AGIMO’s role
AGIMO's role has been approved by the Secretaries' ICT Governance Board (SIGB).email: sigb@finance.gov.au
Agency Governance
Improve Agency Capability
AGIMO has completed an evaluation of eleven methodologies for agencies to self-assess their capability.
As a result of this evaluation AGIMO has selected P3M3 (Portfolio, Programme and Project Management Maturity Model) to be trialled for its suitability for the Australian Government.
P3M3 is an 'off the shelf' capability assessment methodology developed by the UK Office of Government Commerce.
email: AGIMOProgramManagementUnit@finance.gov.au
Guidance: COTS/GOTS
Strengthening governance regarding the adoption or modification of off-the-shelf solutions.
email: aga@finance.gov.au
Custodian: Benefits best practice
email: AGIMOProgramManagementUnit@finance.gov.au
Integrate Gate 0 reviews into NPP process
Advice to agencies was provided in December 2008.
email: gateway@finance.gov.au
SRO Training and policy guidance
All Senior Responsible Officials were provided with updated advice on the Gateway processes by December 2008.
Presentations on the policy changes were provided to Agency CFOs and CIOs between December 2008 and February 2009.
Online guidance on the new policy has been available on the finance.gov.au web site since 18 December 2008.
email: gateway@finance.gov.au
Defence report to SIGB
The Department of Defence is expected to report to the Secretaries' ICT Governance Board (SIGB) in October 2009.
email: sigb@finance.gov.au
Business-as-usual funding
ICT business as usual funding
Recommendations: 3.1, 3.2, 4.2
Implementation of these recommendations is being undertaken in two phases. Phase one has been completed. This included working with the 53 agencies with ICT expenditure in 2007-08 greater than $2m to: validate information and communications technology (ICT) and business-as-usual BAU financial baselines; develop and refine cost reduction initiatives; develop implementation plans and support the budget process.
Over the next few months, agencies will identify further initiatives to be implemented from 2010-11 towards the target of $1,016 million over the forward estimates to 2012-13, half of which will be reinvested.
More details on ICT business as usual funding
email: ICTReview@finance.gov.au
Annual benchmarking exercise
During Phase One of the business-as-usual review the team established and coordinated a range of cross government benchmarking and data collection activities. This process is being refined in Phase Two to provide an ongoing toolset through which agencies can develop a greater awareness of the cost drivers for services and identify better practice. This benchmarking will then occur annually with AGIMO reporting to SIGB.
email: ICTReview@finance.gov.au
Enhancing the APS ICT skills base
A cross-agency team from AGIMO and the Australian Public Service Commission is working to implement these recommendations.
More details on enhancing the APS ICT skills base
Whole-of-government ICT career structure
The career pathway will support ICT employees in the APS with their career planning and capability development. The pathway will deliver an online toolset available to all APS staff.
The ICT career pathway will be released in late 2009.
email: ICTskillsreform@finance.gov.au
Whole-of-government strategic ICT workforce plan
The strategic workforce plan will detail the current capacity and capability of the APS ICT workforce and identify the capability and capacity required to help agencies deliver Government priorities.
The strategic workforce plan will include strategies to address capacity and capability gaps. It will also include whole-of-government strategies for the improved recruitment, retention and engagement of ICT personnel.
email: ICTskillsreform@finance.gov.au
Reducing contractors and increasing skilled APS staff
To reduce the over-reliance of Government on ICT contractors the Government has decided to reduce the number of ICT contractors in agencies while increasing skilled APS staff. FMA Act agencies whose contractor work force made up more than 10 per cent of their total ICT workforce in 2007-08 are required to reduce their number of contractors by 50% of the 2007-08 figure over three years from 1 January 2009 (with a 10% reduction to be achieved in 2009, a further 15% in 2010 and a further 25% in 2011).
The metrics that will be used to calculate whether agencies had more than 10 percent contractors in 2007-08 are being confirmed by agencies in October 2009.
email: ICTcontractors@finance.gov.au
Equip organisational leaders to harness ICT
A suite of information and educational opportunities will be established to promote a greater understanding of ICT issues at senior levels of agencies.
email: ICTskillsreform@finance.gov.au
Whole-of-government tele-working policy
Australian Government agencies will be provided with a framework for establishing, implementing and maintaining a tele-working policy for ICT employees. The primary objective of the policy is to assist agencies with the attraction and retention of suitably skilled ICT professionals.
email: ICTskillsreform@finance.gov.au
Sponsor annual ICT awards
To raise the professionalism of ICT, the Government will sponsor annual awards to recognise outstanding professionalism in key ICT disciplines. The awards will be incorporated into established award programs and will be open to ICT professionals working in the APS.
email: ICTskillsreform@finance.gov.au
Reduce the Canberra-centricity of existing agency ICT activities
Larger APS agencies will be required to demonstrate how they will develop/increase their capability to manage ICT work remote from Canberra. This will require the development of 5-10 year plans.
email: ICTskillsreform@finance.gov.au
Security vetting project
email: AGIMOProgramManagementUnit@finance.gov.au
Data centres
Data centre strategy
AGIMO is currently developing the whole of government data centre strategy for the next ten to fifteen years. Information on the data centre strategy will be published after the Government has considered the strategy.
In May 2009, an expression of interest for immediate and interim data centre facilities was released. This was necessary as some agencies had an urgent need for data centre facilities. The results of the expression of interest will be consistent with the whole of government data centre requirements.
email: AGIMOProgramManagementUnit@finance.gov.au
ICT Sourcing for Government Agencies
Value for money is the core principle underpinning Australian Government Procurement including its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Sourcing activities. In a procurement process this principle requires a comparative analysis of all relevant costs and benefits of each proposal throughout the whole procurement cycle (whole-of-life costing).
Objectives
The basic objective of ICT sourcing is to deliver the best level of support for the agency’s business requirements in the most cost-effective way.
The Strategic Sourcing Branch of the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO) is supporting Australian Government agencies in this endeavour through the following project initiatives.
ICT sourcing – ICT panel arrangements
Making better use of the Government’s collective buying power by optimising the number of ICT panel arrangements established by agencies across government. A working group with representation across Government and industry has been established by AGIMO to drive input for this project, with the ICT Panels Arrangement project's deliverable date being September 2009.
email: ictprocurement@finance.gov.au
ICT sourcing – Develop and implement e-auctions
Improving procurement arrangements for ICT commodity products and services and volume sourcing arrangements for key items of software. This includes the use of aggregated arrangements and investigation of the potential use of e-auctions to add value to the Coordinated Procurement Contracting Initiative, where appropriate. The concept of e-Auctions is similar to the Request for Quote process with quotes received from a whole of government panel, providing value for money to Government. The e-Auction's project deliverable date is December 2009.
email: ictprocurement@finance.gov.au
ICT sourcing – Strategic management of ICT suppliers
Implementing the strategic management of key ICT suppliers including greater intelligence gathering on industry health to inform proactive government stances for dealing with increases in the dominance of large suppliers, bankruptcies, mergers and acquisitions, etc. Improving the ability of the Australian Government to manage its key ICT suppliers will assist agencies with being informed procurers able to identify and monitor vendor relationships, encourage a more diverse, competitive market for critical supply chain vendors and provide a framework for periodic reporting on key vendor performance to the Department of Finance and Deregulation. The Implementation of the Strategic Management of Key ICT project's deliverable date is September 2009.
email: ICTProcurement@Finance.gov.au
ICT sourcing – Client and supplier codes of conduct
Working with industry and government to develop client and supplier codes of conduct with agreed escalations for non-compliance which will assist with achieving a more efficient and effective ICT marketplace. A code of conduct will provide adherence to government policy (e.g. IP and supplier liability), early engagement with industry before entering competitive procurement processes, increased transparency and accountability in government procurement and improved consistency of government procurement process. The Supplier and Client Code of Conduct project's deliverable date is September 2009.
email: ictprocurement@finance.gov.au
ICT sourcing – Integrate ICT and SME policies
Integrating the Government’s ICT and small and medium enterprise (SME) policies so that they are mutually reinforcing. AGIMO and the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (“Innovation”) are jointly leading the Integration of the ICT and SME policies project to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Government’s ICT procurement market place. Consultation has begun with agencies, SMEs and other suppliers to assist with identifying barriers and examples of best practice. This project's deliverable date is September 2009.
email: ictprocurement@finance.gov.au
ICT sourcing – Reassess current IP policy
Determining if the Government’s current policy on intellectual property (IP) is a significant barrier to entry and a cost driver. The Attorney-General's Department is leading the review of the current IP Policy. An IP Consultation paper has been provided to all FMA Act Agencies. Feedback on this paper will form the basis of further consultations with agencies at a Workshop in mid-June 2009. The review is scheduled for completion at the end of June 2009 and it will then be submitted to the Government for consideration.
email: ictprocurement@finance.gov.au
ICT sourcing – $80k threshold under the FTA
Considering if the Australian Government is getting a net benefit from the $80,000 open tender threshold under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) leading the Free Trade Agreement $80K threshold project review. Issues for consideration include that the $80K threshold is significantly lower than the threshold in Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 agencies and other jurisdictions and is seen as a significant burden by agencies and many suppliers. This project's deliverable date is October 2010.
email: ictprocurement@finance.gov.au
Green ICT
Green ICT procurement kit
The Green Kit's purpose is to provide guidance and tools to help agencies when procuring ICT products and services to manage environmental issues relating to manufacture, distribution, packaging, energy efficiency and disposal.
email: greenict@finance.gov.au
Green ICT quick wins
AGIMO, in conjunction with the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) has identified a list of best practices already adopted by some agencies and the private sector. The list was endorsed by the Chief Information Officer Committee (CIOC) on 7 April 2009.
email: greenict@finance.gov.au
ICT Sustainability and energy efficiency
The Whole-of-Government ICT Sustainability Plan [
] (developed by DEWHA, in consultation with Finance) aims to identify the standards that should be applied in Government purchasing of ICT products and services and include measures to improve the ICT environmental performance across government departments, particularly in terms of energy efficiency.
email: greenit@environment.gov.au
Contact for information on this page: AGIMO Program Management Unit