Hon Steven Joyce
Minister for Communications and Information Technology
Hon Nathan Guy
Minister of Internal Affairs

22 December 2010
Media Statement

Ministers welcome cross-government ICT tender

The process to streamline and simplify state sector ICT infrastructure is now underway, with the release today of a request for proposal document.

This has been welcomed by the Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Steven Joyce, and the Minister for Internal Affairs, Nathan Guy.

The Government Infrastructure as a Service concept will deliver a shared cross-government approach to core and common computing needs, including a pay-as-you-go approach for central computer servers, processing and data storage, at the appropriate security level to protect the information.

Mr Joyce says the initiative is about bringing the government’s ICT provision into the 21st Century.

“A service like this will mean that each agency who has signed up to the service will only use the computing services their business needs when they require them, rather than having to pay for full-time dedicated resources in every instance.

“This will result in a more efficient and cost-effective public service. ICT is a $2 billion spend for the government and any savings or efficiencies this move creates will make a real difference down the track.

"We want to ensure that taxpayer money is invested wisely and that we get value for money. A 2008 survey found that much of this ICT spend is fragmented and duplicated,” says Mr Joyce.

“Initiatives such as Government Infrastructure as a Service are central to the success of Directions and Priorities for Government ICT, which seeks better services and value for money from the government’s ICT spend,” says Mr Guy.

“I expect this initiative will allow for improved infrastructure services to be delivered, making better use of taxpayer dollars and driving greater innovation in the supplier market.”

The Department of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Economic Development have worked with the Department of Conservation, Inland Revenue, Land Information New Zealand, the Ministry of Social Development, the New Zealand Defence Force, the New Zealand Police and the New Zealand Transport Agency to develop the Government Infrastructure as a Service Request for Proposal, which is available online at www.gets.govt.nz.

ENDS

© Scoop Media