NSW government sets Linux tender release date

The AU$40 million-plus tender, being managed through the state Department of Commerce, had previously been shifted to a mid-September release after being delayed from a provisional date of 30 August.

Last week the tender notification remained on the Web site with no indication of any change to the mid-September date and a closing date still listed of 5pm Friday 17 September. In what appeared to be just a holding move, officials late Thursday shifted that closing date to 21 September.

The tender documentation, which encompasses supply of enterprise-level Linux system software, application software and associated services for desktop and server environments, is believed to still be awaiting sign-off from senior departmental officials.

ZDNet Australia   understands the latest delay is -- as was the previous delay -- due to the complexities of pulling together meetings with interested agencies and suppliers, filtering the feedback and tweaking the documentation rather than making any massive change to the tender specifications. Officials said the government wanted to ensure it cleaned up the documentation as much as possible in the first instance rather than subsequently issue a raft of amendments in response to queries from the industry.

The release of the documentation and receipt of responses will allow the state government to pull together a panel of suppliers.