New telecommunications and MOMs panels implemented

The federal government has created two new panels focusing on telecommunications services major office machines.

Services that the Telecommunications Services Panel will provide include network carriage, managed networks, internet connection and optional satellite services.

In addition, a new Major Office Machines (MOMs) panel will be put in place to provide more competitive purchase, lease and maintenance costs. It replaces the current Equipment and Support and Managed Print Services Panels, and will supply network printers, multifunction devices (MFDs), scanners and support services.

The Telecommunications Services Panel replaces the Internet Based Network Connection Services panel, which had 198 contracts at a value of $470 million and achieved savings of over $94 million. The new panel is expected to deliver similar savings.

The initial panel includes Macquarie Telecom, Nextgen Networks, Sliced Tech, Telstra Corporation, TPG Network and Verizon Australia.

It has been appointed for an initial term of four years, with options to extend for a further three periods of 12 months each. The government is continuing negotiations with other providers to be added to the panel.

The MOMs panel will also offer more streamlined contract management as it will be under the same ICT Deliverables Head Agreement as the Data Centre Facilities Supplies Panel and the ICT Hardware and Associated Services Panel. It will also have the ability to adapt to the government’s changing MOMs requirements.

It consists of four providers, including Fuji Xerox Australia, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Australia, Kyocera Document Solutions Australia and Ricoh Australia.

Image credit: ©iStockphoto.com/Robert Churchill