Whole-of-Government ICT policies for FMA Act agencies
The following outlines whole-of-government ICT policies for all Financial
Management and Accountability Act 1997 [
] (FMA Act) agencies. The policies have been endorsed by the relevant whole-of-government ICT governance processes, including the Secretaries ICT Governance Board. The policies have been developed by the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO) in conjunction with relevant Australian Government agencies.
| Category | Policy | Description |
|---|---|---|
Architecture |
||
| Mandatory | ICT Customisation and Bespoke Development Policy [ |
FMA Act agencies are required to comply with the strengthened governance arrangements for ICT Customisation and Bespoke Development. |
| Guidance | Australian Government Architecture | The Australian Government Architecture aims to assist in the delivery of more consistent and cohesive service to citizens and support the more cost-effective delivery of ICT services by government. |
| e-Security | ||
| Mandatory | Cyber Security Requirements for ICT-enabled New Policy Proposals | Agencies are required to consider and address cyber security risks and ensure proposals comply with relevant Government Cyber Security policies in all Business Cases prepared for ICT-enabled proposals. |
| Mandatory | Gatekeeper Public Key Infrastructure Framework | The Framework is aimed at making the application of Public Key Infrastructure less complex and more affordable for businesses and government agencies. |
| Mandatory | Gateway Review Process | The Gateway Review Process is designed to assist the Sponsoring Agency to deliver its project objectives and deliver projects on-time and within budget. It involves conducting a series of brief, independent reviews at critical stages in the development and implementation of a project. |
| Guidance | Identity Management for Australian Government Employees Framework | The Identity Management for Australian Government Employees Framework is an integrated, better practice approach for identity management of Australian Government employees and contractors. It provides a standardised set of identity management practices across the Australian Government. |
| Guidance | National e-Authentication Framework | The National e-Authentication Framework will assist agencies, jurisdictions and sectors in authenticating the identity of the other party to a desired level of assurance or confidence. |
| Guidance | National Smartcard Framework | The National Smartcard Framework is an essential reference guide for agencies introducing smartcard technology. It will facilitate the specification by these agencies of secure and interoperable credentials and will be fundamental to the delivery of better connected government services. |
| Guidance* | Protective Markings in Email Standard and Implementation Guidance [ |
Protective Markings in Email Standard and Implementation Guidance provides detailed implementation guidance for agencies on the inclusion of protective markings for email. It describes the email client requirements, user guidelines and the server behavior rules that must be considered in implementing the new requirements of the Information Security Manual. |
| Guidance* | Security Considerations for the use of Personal Electronic Devices | Security Considerations for the Use of Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) has been developed to assist Chief Executive Officers and Chief Information Officers in considering the approval, requirements and appropriate use of PEDs in their ICT environment in accordance with government security policy and consistent with a risk managed approach. |
| ICT Capability | ||
| Mandatory | ICT Business as Usual Reinvestment Fund Reporting | Agencies continue to be responsible for managing approved projects from the ICT Business as Usual Reinvestment Fund and reporting annually to Finance in July. |
| Mandatory | ICT Benchmarking Round | The Department of Finance and Deregulation provides reports on the outcomes of the benchmarking exercise for all FMA Act agencies to the Secretaries' ICT Governance Board, the Chief Information Officer Committee and agencies. |
| Mandatory | ICT Contractor Reductions | The Government has decided to reduce the number of ICT contractors in agencies while increasing skilled APS staff. |
| Mandatory | ICT Strategic Workforce Plan | The ICT Strategic Workforce Plan details the current capacity and capability of the APS ICT workforce, identify the anticipated movement of these factors in the short to medium term, and also outline the shifts in capability and capacity required to help agencies effectively deliver Government priorities. |
| Mandatory | ICT Two Pass Review Process | The ICT Two Pass Review Process enables a multi stage assessment of ICT proposals – each at increasing levels of detail and accuracy. For agencies, the process contributes to more effective delivery of policy outcomes by providing assurance that delivery options are identified and considered, costs are fully developed prior to requesting funding, and ensuring agencies only develop full business cases for proposals which government has given in-principle approval. |
| Mandatory | Opt-Out Policy for Whole-of-Government ICT Arrangements [ |
The Government has decided to change the system of self-approved opt-in by agencies to whole-of-government ICT arrangements. Under the new system agencies must seek approval from the Expenditure Review Committee to opt-out from agreed arrangements. |
| Mandatory | Organisational Capability in ICT Investment (P3M3) | FMA Act agencies are implementing the Portfolio, Programme and Project Management Maturity Model as a common methodology for assessing their organisational capability to commission, manage and realise benefits from ICT-enabled investments. |
| Mandatory | Teleworking Policy for ICT Staff [ |
The Australian Government Teleworking Policy for ICT staff helps to reform the ICT workforce in the Australian Public Service and ensure agencies attract and retain skilled ICT professionals. |
| Guidance | Performance Indicator Catalogue | AGIMO has developed a Performance Indicator Catalogue with indicators suitable for measuring performance across the whole project lifecycle, from planning to implementation to realising benefits. |
| ICT Infrastructure | ||
| Mandatory | Australian Government Data Centre Strategy 2010-2025 | The Government has endorsed the Data Centre Strategy as the whole-of-government approach to future data centre requirements. The primary objective of the Data Centre Strategy is to develop an ICT investment approach to avoid $1 billion in data centre costs over 10 to 15 years. |
| Mandatory | Strategy for the Transition to IPv6 for Australian Government agencies | The Australian Government has developed a Strategy for the Transition to Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) for Australian Government agencies to assist government agencies in transitioning from IPv4 to IPv6. The benefits of IPv6 include increased end-to-end security of systems and automated address allocation for internet connected devices. |
| ICT Procurement | ||
| Mandatory | This policy focuses on IT Services panels and limits portfolios to a maximum of three IT Services panels each. In addition, each of the IT Services panels is required to have a multi-agency-access clause. | |
| Mandatory | Statement of Intellectual Property Principles for Australian Government Agencies [ ] |
The Intellectual Property Principles for Australian Government Agencies (‘the Statement of IP Principles’) provides a policy for the management of IP by Australian Government agencies covered by the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997. Agencies are individually responsible for implementing the Statement of IP Principles. |
| Mandatory | Australian Government Open Source Software Policy | The revised Australian Government Open Source Software Policy was released on 27 January 2011 and applies to any ICT procurement activity commenced after 1 March 2011. It requires agencies to consider open source software when undertaking software procurements. |
| Mandatory | Australian Government Telecommunications Arrangement | The Department of Finance and Deregulation partners with telecommunications suppliers and Australian Government agencies to enable agencies to obtain telecommunications at whole-of-government prices through a Head Agreement framework with standard terms and conditions. |
| Mandatory | The Government has established a coordinated procurement contracting framework to deliver efficiencies and savings from goods and services in common use by Australian Government Departments and Agencies subject to the FMA Act. | |
| Mandatory | Data Centre Facilities Panel | The Data Centre Facilities Panel is part of the whole-of-government Data Centre Strategy. It provides agencies with an improved means to procure data centre facilities. |
| Mandatory | Data Centre Migration Services Panel | The Data Centre Migration Services Panel is part of the whole-of-government Data Centre Strategy. It assists agencies to move their ICT infrastructure to new Data Centres. |
| Mandatory | Microsoft Volume Sourcing Arrangement | The Microsoft VSA provides pricing and licensing conditions for the supply of Microsoft products to FMA Act agencies and Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 (CAC Act) bodies (excluding Government Business Enterprises). |
| Mandatory | Whole-of-government Desktop Hardware and Associated Services Panel | The whole-of-government Desktop Hardware Panel is managed through the Head Agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia as represented by Department of Finance and Deregulation, acting through AGIMO and selected vendors as Panel suppliers for the Provision of certain Desktop Hardware and Associated Services. |
| Mandatory | Telecommunications Commodities, Carriage and Associated Services Panel | The Telecommunications Commodities, Carriage and Associated Services Panel provides agencies with a panel that is flexible, efficient, and responsive to changing technology and Agency business requirements, so that the Commonwealth can make savings on its telecommunications commodities purchases through standardisation, in a manner that provides goods and services that are competitively priced, fit for purpose and managed and supported throughout their life. |
| Mandatory | Telecommunications Management Panel | The Telecommunications Management Panel covers activities and services agencies may need to manage their overall telecommunications requirements or specific telecommunications technologies, applications and/or projects. |
| Guidance | Government Information Technology and Communications Framework | The Government Information Technology and Communications Framework (GITC4) is designed to assist government buyers and industry suppliers to develop contracts in the most efficient and effective manner. GITC4 differs from SourceIT in that GITC4 allows one to build a customised contract from a list of clauses. |
| Guidance* | Guide to Open Source Software for Australian Government Agencies | The Guide to Open Source Software provides practical information to assist agencies assess open source software solutions, including the key issues to consider when procuring open source software. This guide also provides information on the types of open source software licences, licensing risks and risk mitigation techniques. |
| Guidance | ICT Management Consultants Multi-Use list | The ICT Management Consultants Multi-Use list was established to enable Australian Government agencies to improve the quality of their business case development and benchmarking, corporate governance, project management and delivery of ICT investments. |
| Guidance | ICT Multi-Use List | The ICT Multi-Use List is a list of ICT suppliers that Australian Government agencies can use to source ICT goods and services and to select tender. |
| Guidance | Principles of Engagement on ICT | The Government and Industry Principles of Engagement on ICT outline the expected standards and behaviours for all members of the Australian Government’s value chain including Government agencies/bodies and suppliers. |
| Guidance | SourceIT Model Contracts | The SourceIT model contracts provide templates for Australian Government agencies to develop sound commercial agreements efficiently and effectively. It is expected that this will encourage good business practice and minimise the risk of conflict and disagreements between agencies and suppliers. |
| Guidance | The Department of Finance and Deregulation has produced a Strategic ICT Supplier Management Framework for whole-of-government management of the Government’s Key ICT suppliers. | |
| Guidance | Telecommunications Invoice Reconciliation Panel | The Government has established a panel to provide a mechanism for agencies to engage telecommunications invoice reconciliation suppliers. This panel provides agencies with an opportunity to analyse their telecommunications invoice data, obtain recommendations from suppliers in respect of the payment of those invoices and ensure ongoing value for money is achieved. |
| Interoperability | ||
| Guidance | Business Process Interoperability Framework | The Business Process Interoperability Framework provides a valuable guide and set of tools to assist agencies in making the transition to connected and shared modes of operation. It has been endorsed by the Business Process Transformation Committee as a key tool to support whole of government business transformation. |
| Guidance | The Government Information Licensing Framework makes it easy for people who use public sector information to understand the rights of use associated with the material. | |
| Guidance | Information Interoperability Framework | The Australian Government Information Interoperability Framework identifies those components that support an environment where information that is generated and held by government will be valued and managed as a national strategic asset. |
| Guidance | National Collaboration Framework | The National Collaboration Framework is a structured approach to collaborative service delivery across traditional boundaries. The Framework provides a tiered approach for Government agencies to follow when seeking to collaborate. |
| Guidance | National Government Information Sharing Strategy | The National Government Information Sharing Strategy offers the opportunity to unlock the engine room of government and improve the delivery of services to the Australian community. |
| Guidance | Technical Interoperability Framework | The Australian Government Technical Interoperability Framework provides the first step in establishing compatibility at the technical level for the exchange of data and harmonisation of related business transactions within a trusted environment. |
| Online Engagement | ||
| Guidance | Gov 2.0 Online Engagement | Government 2.0 Online Engagement will be central to delivering on critical national objectives including delivering on our National Innovation Agenda — including the aspiration for a more innovative public sector. |
| Sustainability | ||
| Mandatory | The ICT Sustainability Plan 2010-2015 outlines strategies and actions that will assist Australian Government agencies to introduce low carbon emission initiatives to improve the sustainability of their ICT operations. This aligns with the Australian Government's carbon emissions mitigation strategy and its commitment to reduce greenhouse emissions by 60 per cent of 2000 levels by 2050. | |
| Web Standards | ||
| Mandatory | Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 National Transition Strategy | The Web Accessibility National Transition Strategy sets a course for improved web services, paving the way for a more accessible and usable web environment that will more fully engage with, and allow participation from, all people within our society. |
| Guidance* | The Web Guide brings together Australian Government guidance for website management. It makes it easier for Australian Government agencies to be aware of their legal and policy obligations and find policies, guidance and examples of better practice. |
|
| Whole-of-government Business Process | ||
| Mandatory | Common Parliamentary Workflow Language [ 25 KB] |
FMA Act agencies are required to transition to the new Common Parliamentary Workflow Language Terms and Definitions, as systems are upgraded, enhanced or new agencies formed through machinery of government changes. |
| Mandatory | Engagement of an Individual [ |
The Engagement of an Individual Business Process Patterns (the Patterns) outlines the business process patterns agencies must use when they engage with an individual for a service or obligation. The Patterns provide a common language across agencies to support the development of whole-of-government service delivery capabilities. |
NOTE: '*' guidance with mandatory components.
Contact for information on this page: better.practice@finance.gov.au