NEC scores AU$69.8m to manage SA govt's networks

NEC Australia has won an initial three-year term contract valued at AU$69.8 million to manage, maintain, and support the central and local networks of all South Australian government agencies.

The scope of work covers the maintenance, management, and support of physical and virtual networking devices such as routers, switches, and firewalls that comprise the state's data networks.

The services will be delivered from NEC's recently established control centre in Adelaide.

This contract replaces the previous managed network services arrangement with Dimension Data, which expired on September 30, 2014.

The arrangements take effect in the third quarter of this year, with an option to extend for two additional three-year periods.

Acting Minister for the Public Sector Martin Hamilton-Smith said the network management services contract will ensure that agencies have access to the right tools in digital technologies, mobile, and open data.

The whole-of-government arrangement falls under the state government's SA Connected strategy (PDF) aimed to deliver better IT outcomes for South Australian residents. It is one part of the government's overall across-government approach to IT.

The South Australian government outlined in its 2014-15 budget that cloud computing will be another focus for the fiscal year, as well as social media and open technology for its existing Open Government, Open Data, and StateNet programs.

The government is already delivering free wireless internet coverage within the Adelaide CBD, as part of the AU$1.5 million deal it has with Internode.