The Digital Transformation Agency(DTA) has announced it is to replace its Digital Marketplace in 2024 and improve the way Government buys digital and ICT services.
The Agency said following its announcement last year, it had been conducting extensive research to understand users’ challenges and how a new marketplace could meet their needs better.
“As part of our discovery process, we interviewed Government buyers, sellers, industry groups, and internal stakeholders the DTA media team said.
“We spoke with our State, Territory and international counterparts to learn what other Governments are doing, and the team has reviewed over a thousand pieces of user feedback about the existing marketplace.”
It said combining this information had helped it to build a clear picture of what was working well and where there were gaps or pain points, which informed where to go next.
“This is not just an approach to market to establish a new panel,” said the DTA Director Anthony Conway.
“We are looking at how we design a marketplace and BuyICT platform to deliver an exceptional user experience, and also how we can implement new measures to support the Government in improving the value, transparency and integrity of using contractors and consultants across government,” Mr Conway said.
He said following on from the initial discovery phase, the team had identified five objective areas for further research:
Value – achieving value for money for government by ensuring a robust and competitive panel, that is open to appropriately vetted businesses to sell their products and services.
Transparency – greater transparency in ICT labour hire and professional services procurements that support data-driven investment decisions by government.
Equity – continuing to improve equity and participation for small-to-medium enterprises and Indigenous businesses.
Simplicity – making it efficient and easy for government to do business with the ICT industry.
Consistency – developing a reusable approach to purchasing digital product or services that benefits buyers and sellers.
“We are conducting intensive user research … through to the end of 2023 – and not just to collect data to reinforce a pre-existing idea of what we might want the new marketplace to be,” Mr Conway said.
“If research shows that a particular measure is not feasible, then we will respect that. If we uncover a different path or innovative ideas to achieve our policy outcomes, then we will assess those options too.”
He said following the research and design phases, an approach to market to establish the new marketplace would be released by early 2024.
Sellers interested in applying for the new marketplace should register for AusTender for notifications when the tender is released.
Mr Conway said the Agency was committing to engage meaningfully and transparently throughout the project, particularly to understand how it can remove barriers to entry for small-to-medium enterprise, Indigenous business and sellers working with government for the first time.
“Keep an eye on the DTA blogs over the coming months, as we publish our research findings to provide insight into how they are shaping the design of the new marketplace,” he said.
“By coming on the journey with us, our hope is that you will get to understand the direction in which Government is moving and can respond accordingly.
“Likewise, this is your opportunity to have a say in where we are headed.
“If you would like to be included in the user research for one the topics listed above, email us at [email protected]”
