ICT Reform Program projects
The ICT Reform Program implemented 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 comprised a number of separate projects. The majority were 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 Expenditure Review Committee (ERC) of Cabinet provides ministerial oversight to the implementation of the ICT Reform Program.
The Secretaries' ICT Governance Board (SIGB) meets regularly and is the main decision making forum on Whole-of-Government ICT policies.
The ICT Reform Program Board met during 2009. The Board was dissolved by SIGB in December 2009 as there was sufficient oversight of the ICT Reform Program by SIGB and the ERC.
email: sigb@finance.gov.au
Whole-of-government opt-out
SIGB approved the policy governing opt outs from Whole-of-Government arrangements.
email: sigb@finance.gov.au
Redefine AGIMO’s role
AGIMO’s role was approved by SIGB in February 2009. SIGB reviews the AGIMO work plan on an annual basis.
email: sigb@finance.gov.au
Agency governance
Improve agency capability
Further information can be found on the Agency Capability in ICT Investment webpage .
email: capabilityassessment@finance.gov.au
Guidance: COTS/GOTS
The ICT Customisation and Bespoke Development Policy was issued on 29 October 2009 and the Central ICT Governance Arrangements were approved by SIGB on 16 June 2011. These policies can be found on the Whole-of-Government ICT Policies webpage.
email: aga@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
Appropriate guidance was initially provided in December 2008 and is revised and reiterated annually in the Budget context to key agency stakeholders.
email: gateway@finance.gov.au
Custodian: Benefits best practice
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and AGIMO have selected Centrelink as the custodian of best practice in benefits realisation in 2009.
Centrelink established services to agencies through a community of practice from February 2010.
email: capabilityassessment@finance.gov.au
Defence report to SIGB
The Department of Defence reported to SIGB in March 2010.
email: sigb@finance.gov.au
Business-as-usual funding
ICT business-as-usual funding
The review of ICT business-as-usual (BAU) expenditure across 53 FMA Act agencies returned $1 billion of savings to the Budget from 2009-10 to 2012-13.
The Government established the ICT BAU Reinvestment Fund (the Fund) to make available half of the savings for reinvestment in projects that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of agencies’ ICT BAU or ICT-enabled business activities.
In December 2009, the Government agreed to an initial round of allocations from the Fund for 14 projects totalling $19.8 million from 2009-10 to 2012-13.
In the 2010‑11 Budget process, the Government agreed to a second round of allocations from the Fund for 30 projects totalling $211.5 million over the Budget and Forward Estimates.
The Government continues to oversee 44 projects in the first two rounds of the Fund.
On 9 November 2010, the Government announced the removal of the Fund in the Mid-year Economic and Fiscal Outlook 2010-11.
This measure will achieve savings of $447.5 million over four years.
Agencies will continue to be responsible for managing approved projects and report annually to Finance.
email: ictinvestmentframe@finance.gov.au
Annual benchmarking exercise
The Business Process Transformation Committee agreed to a Benchmarking Framework in June 2009, formalising an annual benchmarking process and agreed metrics.
The ICT business-as-usual review team developed tools to benchmark agencies’ 2007-08 ICT activities, which Finance refined and used in subsequent benchmarking rounds. Finance provides reports on the outcomes of the benchmarking exercise to SIGB, the CIO Committee and agencies.
Benchmarking will continue on an annual basis, and Finance will refine the process in consultation with agencies.
email: ictbenchmarking@finance.gov.au
Enhancing the APS ICT skills base
A cross-agency team from AGIMO and the Australian Public Service Commission was established to implement these recommendations.
Whole-of-government ICT career structure
The ICT Career Structure was launched in April 2010 and consists of a Whole-of-Government ICT Capability Framework and online career planning tool. The ICT Career Structure is available to members of the Australian Public Service (APS). Its purpose is to support ICT employees in the Australian Publis Service (APS) with their career planning and capability development.
email: ictskills@finance.gov.au
Whole-of-government strategic ICT workforce plan
The whole-of-government strategic ICT Workforce Plan [
] was launched in April 2010 and provides a high level overview of the issues affecting the ICT workforce and strategies to address the future human capital needs of ICT employment in the APS. Using this plan, agencies will be better able to plan, develop and manage a qualified, satisfied and flexible ICT workforce, while providing an attractive career path for ICT professionals within the APS.
email: ictskills@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 workforce 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).
email: ictcontractors@finance.gov.au
Reduce the Canberra-centricity of existing agency ICT activities
Larger APS agencies are required to demonstrate how they will develop/increase their capability to manage ICT work remote from Canberra. This requires the development of 5-10 year plans.
email: ictskills@finance.gov.au
Security vetting project
The Government has established a single security vetting agency in the Department of Defence for Commonwealth security clearances reflecting the intent of the Gershon recommendation with regard to better practice. The single vetting agency [] commenced operations in October 2010.
email: securityclearances@defence.gov.au
Equip organisational leaders to harness ICT
A suite of information and educational opportunities [] has been established to promote a greater understanding of ICT issues at senior levels of agencies.
email: ictskills@finance.gov.au
Whole-of-government tele-working policy
A whole-of-government tele-working policy [
- 55 KB] for ICT staff has been developed to assist agencies with the attraction and retention of suitably skilled ICT professionals. Agencies were required to develop an implementation plan by 30 June 2010 and implement their plans by 1 January 2011.
email: ictskills@finance.gov.au
Sponsor annual ICT awards
To raise the professionalism of ICT, the Government sponsors annual awards to recognise outstanding professionalism in key ICT disciplines. The awards are incorporated into established award programs and are open to ICT professionals working in the APS.
email: ictskills@finance.gov.au
Data centres
Data centre strategy
In March 2010, the Government announced the Australian Government Data Centre Strategy 2010-2025.The Strategy is to deliver $1 billion in avoided costs through a whole of government approach to data centres. The key activities as at December 2011 are described below.
In September 2011 Finance concluded a whole of government procurement of data centre facilities and services. Through this process, two panels were created to provide data centre services to government agencies. The Data Centre Facilities Panel provides agencies with an improved means to procure data centre facilities and services. The Data Centre Migration Services Panel allows agencies to access expert migration services from industry specialists.
Finance has developed the mandatory Data Centre Optimisation Targets Policy. This policy sets power efficiency targets for an agency when operating a data centre, and the timeframes for improved targets. The policy will reduce electricity use, which is central to avoiding future costs.
Finance is currently consulting with agencies and industry to identify requirements for the Data Centre as a Service project.
email: datacentres@finance.gov.au
ICT sourcing for government agencies
Value for money is the core principle underpinning Australian Government procurement including its 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.
AGIMO is supporting Australian Government agencies in this endeavour through the following project initiatives associated with the ICT Reform Program.
ICT sourcing – ICT panel arrangements
Finance has delivered better use of the Government’s collective buying power by optimising the number of ICT panel arrangements established across Government. Consultations with agencies have produced positive support for the establishment of improved panel arrangements.
Coordinated procurement processes have been established for Desktops, Data Centres and Telecommunications and have effectively reduced the number of panel arrangements.
ICT services have been addressed by cooperative procurement arrangements at the portfolio level. The Portfolio Panels for IT Services policy optimises the number of IT Services panels across Government.
email: ictprocurement@finance.gov.au
ICT sourcing – develop and implement e-auctions
Finance has investigated and piloted the use of e‑Auctions to add value to Government procurement.
One of the recommendations from the pilot was that e‑Auctions should be recognised as a suitable tool that can be used in Government procurement. It is noted that e‑Auctions are used to enhance a procurement process not replace it. e‑Auctions can assist in obtaining competitive pricing as part of a Value for Money decision.
The provision for e‑Auctions has been included in the deeds for Desktop and Telecommunication Panels.email: ictprocurement@finance.gov.au
ICT sourcing – strategic management of ICT suppliers
Finance reported on agency engagement of key ICT suppliers. This information has provided a greater understanding of agencies procurement behaviour and which ICT suppliers have strong Australian Government agency penetration.
Finance delivered the Strategic ICT Supplier Framework [ - 59 KB] to provide agencies access to greater intelligence on industry health and promote a Whole-of-Government perspective on key ICT suppliers.
email: ictprocurement@finance.gov.au
ICT sourcing – Client and supplier codes of conduct
Finance worked with industry and Government to develop Government and Industry Principles of Engagement on ICT (the Principles) to assist with achieving a more efficient and effective ICT marketplace. On 25 May 2010, the Hon. Lindsay Tanner MP, Minister for Finance and Deregulation endorsed and signed the Principles on behalf of the Government.
The Principles, as agreed between the Government and the ICT industry, aim to improve the operation of the Government ICT marketplace by outlining the standards and behaviours expected by industry and Australian Government agencies.
email: ictprocurement@finance.gov.au
ICT sourcing – reassess current IP policy
The Attorney General’s Department, in consultation with Finance and the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (Innovation), reassessed the current Intellectual Property (IP) Policy and the potential for reduced costs to agencies as vendors grow revenue through leveraging IP.
In February 2010, the Government agreed to change the IP principles to a default position in favour of the supplier owning the IP in software created under contract with an FMA Act agency. The Principles are conditional on the granting to the Commonwealth, a licence to all IP rights, except a right of commercial exploitation.
The Principles include a non-exhaustive list of exceptional circumstances where it may be necessary for the Commonwealth to own the IP. The new policy applies to ICT contract negotiations starting from 1 October 2010.
email: ictprocurement@finance.gov.au
ICT sourcing – integrate ICT and SME policies
Finance, with assistance from other agencies, identified and delivered options for mutual reinforcement of the Government’s ICT and small to medium (SME) policies. Finance and Innovation undertook a study to address SME concerns and found that existing Australian Government ICT and SME policies are in alignment and fit for purpose.
The Government endorsed this finding in December 2009.
Initiatives such as the Australian Government Procurement Statement have been delivered to reinforce ICT and SME policies.
email: ictprocurement@finance.gov.au
ICT sourcing – $80k threshold under the FTA
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), in consultation with Finance, was to determine whether the Australian Government was getting a net benefit from the $80,000 open tender threshold under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States.
email: ictprocurement@finance.gov.au
Sustainability of ICT
ICT sustainability and energy efficiency
The Whole-of-Government ICT Sustainability Plan [] (developed by Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPAC), 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: AGIMO.Feedback@finance.gov.au
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. The Green ICT Procurement Kit has been published on the Finance Website.
email: AGIMO.Feedback@finance.gov.au
Green ICT quick wins
AGIMO, in conjunction with SEWPAC 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: AGIMO.Feedback@finance.gov.au
Contact for information on this page: AGIMO Program Management Unit