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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 1 Hansard (20 February) . . Page.. 323 ..

CHIEF MINISTER

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION

QUESTION NO 370

Public Service - Software Purchasing

Ms McRae asked the Chief Minister:

(1) What arrangements are in place for the purchasing of software for each government department.

(2) Are there any local suppliers favoured and if so who.

(3) In what ways can small local business compete with the major providers.

(4) Are they assisted to do so in any way.

Mrs Carnell the answer to the Members' question is:

(1) In terms of desktop application software, standard products were selected some time ago and whole-of-Government pricing structures agree eg Microsoft and Lotus Licence Agreements. These agreements were designed to continue the involvement of local companies in the provision of the related products eg Microsoft Word and Excel or Lotus cc:Mail and Organizer while maximising purchasing power using a `whole-of-Government' philosophy. Under these arrangements purchase is undertaken through normal retail channels.

The current arrangements for Department specific business application systems utilise the normal tender processes in order to identify and select appropriate application system providers and/or developers.

(2) There are no favoured local suppliers.

(3) The development work of the standard desktop applications is undertaken by the large companies such as Microsoft and Lotus. However, local suppliers are encouraged to participate, within the retail outlet chain, in the provision of the software to Departments. Local suppliers also provide technical support and training services within the ACTPS.

In relation to business applications, local suppliers would be able to compete by participating in any tender process which is let.

(4) The Government is committed to sustaining and growing the local industry base. To this end, the involvement of local industry through strategic partnershipping is the cornerstone of the InTACT Group's approach to the provision of IT services. Reference within the current Request for Offer to the Canberra Region Industry Plan has strengthened the focus of respondents on providing opportunities to local IT companies. Although the Request for Offer specifically deals with IT infrastructure services the flow-on to local software developers/providers should not be underestimated.

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