The Peak Industry Body for the Information, Communication and Technology sector has welcomed the Tasmanian Government’s response to its campaign to revise processes associated with procuring under Government contracts.
Informed by the submissions received from the Technology Procurement Services Review, as well as the ICT summit held this time last year, the Tasmanian Government will move to replace the ICT Professional Services Panel with a multi-use list of preferred technology services providers.
This will come into effect following the expiration of current panel arrangements on 30 June 2021.
Migrating to a multi-use list will allow for greater flexibility and agility with regard to allowing new suppliers to provide Professional Services to Government, will better reflect contemporary and emerging technologies and will allow buyers to procure from a wider array of suppliers.
Further, from 1 January 2021, contract management fees will no longer be applied to the C150 ICT Hardware Panel and the ICT Professional Services panel, nor will they be applied to the upcoming multi-use list of preferred technology services providers.
TasICT had taken a leadership position to reforming Government ICT procurement, submitting a paper to the Technology Procurement Services Review, as well as engaging Treasury officials and the office of Michael Ferguson MP, Minister for Science and Technology to take up industry’s concerns with the antiquated processes of the ICT Professional Services Panel.
TasICT Government Procurement Sub-Committee Chair Karen Murfett said “This news is a real boost for the ICT Industry in Tasmania and the removal of contract management fees will save local suppliers hundreds of thousands of dollars each year”.
“It is a strong sign that the Tasmanian Government is listening to the ICT Industry’s concerns and more importantly – acting on them” Karen Murfett said.