Credit: Blue Coat Photos/CC BY-SA 2.0

The Australian Government’s Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) has proposed the creation of a new Cloud Marketplace (CMP) offering government buyers an expanded range of services.

The new platform would replace the existing Cloud Services Panel, a framework through which agencies can buy 500 separate services offered by 240 companies – some 70% of which are SMEs. 

The DTA is proposing to build a new marketplace and has identified a number of key “drivers” for doing so, including the availability of an ever-growing range of services, and a broader array of Australian SMEs operating in the market.

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Changes to vendors licensing and resale models could also allow government buyers to achieve greater value for money, the DTA said.

The transformation unit – which has a similar role to the UK’s Government Digital Service – is proposing that the new marketplace covers three fundamental areas: cloud services; cloud consulting services; and cloud-centric managed services.

The cloud services section of the marketplace would address offerings across six “core ICT components provided as a service”: infrastructure; platforms; software; applications; functions; and connectivity.

The consultancy section will cover areas such as integration, migration, analytics, and security, while the managed services segment will address configuration, monitoring, and maintenance.

“We know the government demand for cloud services is changing. Technology and industry are evolving and we’re working to create a better place for agencies to buy cloud services,” the DTA said. “The new arrangement will better suit industry developments and respond to the changing needs of agencies. We want to achieve value-for-money outcomes for agencies when they buy cloud services.”

The transformation agency has launched a consultation and is seeking feedback on its proposals. Submissions are open until 13 November.