The Ministry of Social Development has ditched TelstraClear and is in contract negotiations with Gen-i and Vodafone for its telecommunications services.
The new telecommunications service contract will provide for all data, voice and mobility communications connectivity throughout the ministry, says Tim Occleshaw, the ministry's CIO.
The MSD undertook an open tender process earlier this year, as the current agreement with TelstraClear expires on 30 June 2008.
“The objective of the tender process was to identify a vendor that best meets existing and future business requirements,” says Occleshaw.
A Request For Information was issued in late November 2006, followed by a Request For Proposals in March 2007.
“We have now completed our evaluation of vendor proposals," says Occleshaw. "We are in the process of negotiating an agreement with the ministry’s preferred vendors, Gen-i and Vodafone."
Bronwyn Saunders, the ministry's chief media advisor, declined to give a specific reason for why TelstraClear's contract wasn't renewed. "We have gone through a comprehensive RFP process, and we have gone for [the vendors] that are the best fit for our business needs," she says.
She adds that the MSD is now entering negotiations with Gen-i and Vodafone and that a final decision has not been made.