Computerworld

Government agencies to get information management as a service

Companies on the ECMS panel will provide agencies with services that include document and records management, workflow and collaboration tools, and efficient access to information through mobile devices.

New Zealand firm Intergen and international companies Team Informatics and Open Text have been selected for a supplier panel which will provide enterprise content management as a service (ECMS) to government agencies.

Companies on the ECMS panel will provide agencies with services that include document and records management, workflow and collaboration tools, and efficient access to information through mobile devices.

The panel is expected to reduce procurement and purchasing costs for agencies, and help the government benefit over time from economies of scale created by volume discounts.

According to GCIO Colin MacDonald, this new all-of-government information management service will help agencies create better public services in a digital world, says Government Chief Information Officer Colin MacDonald.

"The new service will improve the ability of agencies to create, store, share, protect and manage their digital information. This will help us to unlock the value of the information held across government to design and deliver new services and support evidence-based policy-making.

“Better information management leads to better decision-making, and better services for all New Zealanders,” said MacDonald.

The cloud-based ECMS offering will support initiatives to improve information management in government, as outlined in the Government ICT Strategy and Action Plan to 2017 announced in June. The Ministry of Primary Industries led the ECMS procurement process working closely with the Department of Internal Affairs, the Department of Conservation, the Ministry of Social Development and NZ Police. The Department of Internal Affairs will be responsible for the ongoing management of the panel.

ECMS is one of a suite of cloud-based offerings intended to simplify ICT management in government agencies, help them work together, and make them more efficient and effective. An all-of-government desktop management service was announced recently, and an office productivity service that will standardise the approach to email is expected soon.