The Department of Finance has announced that the GovNext Information and Communication Technology (ICT) program is to enter a new phase since its current operations are coming to an end and new arrangements are being developed.
The Department said GovNext was introduced in 2015-16 as a foundational element of the State Government’s ICT Strategy 2016-2020.
“It aimed to consolidate the Government’s data centre requirements and reduce its spending on ICT infrastructure,” Finance said.
“In the six years the program has been operating, there have been considerable shifts in public sector purchasing behaviour, with public sector agencies moving away from buying static ICT infrastructure and instead investing in cloud-based services.”
It said consultation to determine the parameters of the new ICT services contracts would start this year and Agencies will be supported to transition to the new frameworks which will provide improved agency choice and more flexible outcomes.
Minister for Finance, Sue Ellery said the program had achieved its objective of changing public sector purchasing behaviours to deliver consistency in ICT procurement across State Government agencies.
“The public sector’s decision-making for ICT investment has matured, moving away from legacy ICT systems and practices and is now adopting common digital approaches across agencies, meaning GovNext is no longer required,” Ms Ellery said.
“The Department of Finance will work with other State Government agencies to develop ICT contracts that are fit for purpose, create more choice for services and deliver more flexible outcomes.”
Finance said tender opportunities are to be advertised to appoint suppliers in early 2024, with State Government agencies required to continue purchasing using GovNext arrangements until April 2024.
