Vic ICT strategy drives telecoms procurement, Web revamp

The state of Victoria is revamping the sourcing of telecommunications by state government agencies with a rebranded procurement arrangement designed to improve service levels, reduce costs and increase competition across the sector.

The new program, known as VicConnect, will modernise the decade-old Telecommunications Purchasing and Management Strategy (TPAMS) to reflect changes in the market since its introduction. Currently being floated past a range of ICT industry organisations for feedback, VicConnect will address connectivity, mobility and collaboration services.

VicConnect is among the first program deliverables to be kicked off in the wake of the state’s 2013-2014 Victorian Government ICT Strategy, which technology minister Gordon Rich-Phillips presaged last year and launched at an AIIA event in February in which he anticipated “unprecedented” industry engagement around the 50 hard action points in the document.

“This is an unprecedented shift in the way in which government engages with the ICT industry for the delivery of ICT services and systems to government meet new demand,” Rich-Phillips said at the launch.

“It is about effectively managing ICT expenditure by developing an innovative culture that manages risk, increases productivity, and delivers better services through innovation – and in doing so, helps to stimulate growth in the industry.”

VicConnect isn’t the only initiative to stem from the launch of the ICT strategy: the state government also recently debuted a totally revamped version of the state’s top-level Web portal, which receives over 450,000 unique visitors per month.

The new version of vic.gov.au – the site’s first overhaul since 2003 – is mobile-optimised and has a focus on effective search capabilities, with linkages into a range of social media services; lists of topic-based direct information feeds; a consolidated Twitter feed for the entire state government; and a directory of Victorian government mobile apps.

“The new vic.gov.au has been built to be agile and flexible so that it can quickly accommodate new and emerging functionality,” Rich-Phillips said in a statement. “The Victorian government is acutely aware that there continues to be both a growth in the variety of online communication services and an increase in the number of Victorians using them.”

“As government entities increasingly use these services to keep the public informed, this site will continue to adapt and grow with the technology. We believe this improved way of delivering information and services will increase efficiencies and visitor satisfaction.” – David Braue