Guidance for Government Use of Overseas ICT Providers

The State Services Commission has released draft guidance for government agencies looking at using offshore ICT providers.

Government CIO, Laurence Millar says the guidance will assist agencies in taking a professional approach to considering offshore as an option to improve service delivery.

"Government is in the information business – and that business is changing dramatically," he said.

"Many agencies are looking at the way they handle information and whether it is appropriate to use offshore ICT providers to manage that data," he said.

"They are increasingly turning to SSC for guidance on what the potential pitfalls could be in that process and that has prompted the delivery of this advice.

"The guidance we've produced identifies key risks associated with sending government data offshore or outsourcing data processing and management services offshore. We offer some possible suggestions for mitigating those risks that departments can take into consideration.

"It does not apply to contracting for software development that does not involve either transferring government information offshore or processing government information from a foreign location. It also does not apply to formal secure networks where risks are already sufficiently mitigated.

"With this document we are encouraging agencies to consider the risks and then make their own decisions.

"This is not new policy. It is up to each individual agency to decide what they do with their own projects in the end.

"This is all simply part of the work we are doing as we change from a bureaucracy built for the industrial age to one that meets the needs of the information age.

"SSC is looking for feedback on the guidance. It is in draft form at this stage and we welcome any comment or feedback from agencies or suppliers on ways to improve it. We are taking feedback through to 15th December 2008," he said.