Telcos line up for NSW govt work

"All major industry players" have responded to a call put out by the state in early April for expressions of interest in providing services, according to a statement issued today by NSW Commerce Minister John Della Bosca.

The state is attempting to reduce its AU$260 million annual telecommunications spend through negotiating whole of government contracts that would cover all of its agencies.

Representatives from the nation's largest telcos Telstra and Optus are understood to have been among the more than 100 individuals who attended industry briefings on the matter held by the state over the last month.

New South Wales' move to seek expressions of interest is the precursor to a formal procurement process, with a Request for Tender expected to be issued in August.

Della Bosca's statement said existing panel contracts would be consolidated into six new supply categories under "a common head of agreement".

The process is just the latest move New South Wales has made to consolidate its telecommunications spending.

In November the state switched on the core of its AU$300 million new broadband network built by telco Soul. The network provides interconnection services to suppliers providing local access services to government facilities across the state.

In related news, in January, 15 councils in the state collectively issued an AU$6 million Request for Tender for telecommunications services over the next six years.