It’s been just over a year since the federal government began consolidating IT functions, but there’s still some uncertainty among companies that sell technology services and products about what it will mean for them.
The first in a series of roundtables held last week with the private sector didn’t clear things up much, says the head of CABiNET, which represents small and medium sized providers of IT and consulting services to the federal government.
It’s true that the voyage has barely started, said Jeff Lynt, who is also president of inRound Innovations, a consulting firm that does a lot of contract work for federal departments.
But until the government declares an IT procurement policy his members worry that Ottawa may structure IT buying that gives preference to one or two large firms – think of Bell Canada, IBM or CGI – than smaller providers.
“Until they have really mapped it out determined their transformation plan these questions will still be in the air,” he said.
The government’s plan is built around the creation of Shared Services Canada (SSC), whose goal is to build a single email system across the public service, slash the number of data centres to 20 from about 300, and create a government-wide voice and data network.
Earlier this month SSC president Liseanne Forand told a conference that there’s been a great deal of progress since the August, 2011 announcement creating her department. Taking over existing infrastructure from 43 departments, SSC now has 6,000 staffers and created an operational team that oversees 95 per cent of the federal government’s IT infrastructure.
The new consolidated email system should be online in 2015 after a contract is awarded next spring.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Howard Solomon
Quelle/Source: IT WorldCanada, 29.11.2012
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