Nextgen Networks, Sliced tech, and Verizon Australia are among the local telcos that have made it onto the Federal Government’s new Telecommunications Services panel.
The telecommunications service providers join Macquarie Telecom, Telstra, and TPG Network on the new panel, which was established to provide a coordinated, whole-of-government provision of telecommunications services, including internet connection services.
The new procurement panel, which comes under the remit of the Department of Finance, replaces the Internet Based Network Connection Services (IBNCS) panel, which gave rise to 198 contracts at a value of $470 million.
The IBNCS panel included Pacnet, Soul Pattinson Telecommunications, AAPT, Transact Capital Communications Fujitsu, and Optus among its roster of telecommunications providers, along with most of the providers that have been selected for the new panel, of which Optus and Fujitsu are notably absent.
The services that the procurement panel will provide include network carriage, managed networks, internet connection, and optional satellite services.
The head agreements established by the Department of Finance see the panellists appointed for an initial term of four years, until November 30, 2020, with options to extend for up to three periods of up to 12 months each.
While the department has entered into head agreements with the initial tranche of six successful tenderers, the government is continuing negotiations to add other providers to the panel, according to a statement from Minister for Finance, Mathias Cormann.
Meanwhile, corporate Commonwealth entities and other government bodies can also use the panel arrangement, if they choose to.
According to the Department of Finance, it is mandatory for non-corporate Commonwealth entities to procure terrestrial managed WAN services, transport data link services, and internet connection services from the panel.
However, it is optional for non-corporate Commonwealth entities to source corresponding satellite-borne services.
The latest panel announcement comes as the government names the first IT providers for its new Major Office Machines (MOMs) procurement panel, which provides office machines, products, and services for the Federal Government under both purchase and lease contractual arrangements.
The four initial panellists include Kyocera Document Solutions Australia, Ricoh Australia, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Australia, and Fuji Xerox Australia.
The new technology panels come as both the Department of Defence and Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development seek feedback from local IT service providers over the proposed establishment of two new procurement panel arrangements set to go live next year.
