The Victorian Government has announced it is currently undertaking market consultation as part of a new approach to the purchasing and management of telecommunications assets by the State Government.

State Minister for Technology, Gordon Rich-Phillips, said that the reforms will transform the existing Telecommunications Purchasing and Management Strategy (TPAMS) into a new government platform called VicConnect.

Mr Rich-Phillips said that the State Government is currently engaging with Victora’s ICT industry to obtain industry views and feedback on the VicConnect platform.

“We are seeking a broad range of views to inform the future of ICT within the Victorian Government,” Mr Rich-Phillips said.

Mr Rich-Phillips said the current TPAMS contracts arrangement was nearly 10 years old and required a significant reform.

“Technology and market changes offer a timely and substantial opportunity to transform how we purchase and manage ICT services,” Mr Rich-Phillips said.

“A new approach is needed to provide better services, reduce costs and increase competition. It is also important to introduce a more flexible approach that is adaptive to new technologies and markets.”