The announcement of a new goal the government is taking for the IT industry was followed by an introduction of a new set of developed technical standards governing how companies acquire mobility solutions while it is attempting a service-oriented delivery of solutions. The IT Strategy of 2012 was structured to lessen imitation problems and create a full on government approach to IT.
Procurement technical standards will similarly be developed to supplement last year’s ‘cloud-based services’ mandate by the government. Now, standards-based approaches on mobility solutions will be tested first, and secure the common base requirement for solutions being acquired by NSW government agencies. The new standards focus largely on mobile configuration management, mobile security management, and mobile service management.
According to the Office of Finance and Services, the standard will be reviewed in 12 months.
Some of the base requirements for the new standards are as follows: password authentication for all mobile devices, auto lock, data encryption, device data segregation, updated antivirus and firewalls, and most importantly a legitimate installed operating system.
The burden of proof lies on the agencies themselves. Personal assessment of the level of security solutions offer must be considered before purchasing. Among other criteria, the solution must be appropriate, and must remove agency data when the solution has ended its service. Device and device services risk assessment is also imperative.
To test the effectiveness of the new standards, suppliers already contracted to the state’s mobile sub-category of its ICT Services Catalogue will be called on. The test will run all through the entire process from smart procurement, to the more complex development of technical standards. Although the base requirements gives agencies more choices and harder decisions, it did however, offer suppliers a common ground. It also raised the services to meet the new standards, and created a standardized approach towards government mobility solutions acquisition.
The Australian Information Industry Association will review the process and determine feedback from the suppliers once the trial period has ended. Suppliers are encouraged to meet the minimum standards, while free to offer additional service upon the request of the agencies.
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