Small and medium Australian IT businesses marketing to the Federal Government will get a shot in the arm, with the announcement of a federal office designed to advocate government patronage of smaller IT suppliers.
Senator Kate Lundy announced the creation of the body last week, whilst delivering the keynote address to the CeBIT international technology conference in Hannover, Germany.
"The advocate will work as a broker and spokesperson for small to medium-sized businesses in the information technology sector. This initiative recognises the importance of government being able to access the often nimble, innovative capacity of small business."
The establishment of the advocate would be "as part of the Supplier Advocates initiative from Innovation, Industry Science and Research Minister, Kim Carr," according to the Senator.
"Making sure Government is a smart buyer of ICT is also important to both public and private innovation, particularly in Australia where the government is the largest procurer of ICT," Senator Lundy said.
Lundy has also highlighted an understanding of the challenges faced by small businesses in the federal-contract arena. "One of the most frustrating things is professional indemnity insurance requirement is often way beyond the value of the contracts. It’s an issue of education in the Government market about the perception of risk,” she said.
Senator Lundy's speech revolved around a broad summary of the Federal Government's recent ICT projects and policies, particularly focussed on the establishment of the National Broadband Network, but also touching on the Gov2.0 program, the Digital Education Revolution and the Gershon Report-driven ICT procurement efficiency reform project.
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