Defence drops distributed computing initiative

The Department of Defence said on Thursday it won’t proceed with planned market testing of a Distributed Computing Bundle, which formed part of the agency’s massive ICT transformation program.

The planned bundle included all end user and desk side support services across Defence locations across Australia. It also comprised an ICT service desk.

Defence said it would make a decision on the longer-term delivery of ICT services through a distributed computing bundle over the next two years.

Defence said the ICT transformation program currently underway is “significant and complex and required the full focus of the ICT organisation with Defence.”

“Another major procurement exercise would add more demand and complexity to the current program,” a Defence spokesperson said.

Read: Interview: Dr Peter Lawrence, CIO, Department of Defence

Instead, Defence has awarded a two-year $52 million contract extension to Unisys to provide IT support to 100,000 Defence users at 460 locations across Australia. Unisys has been providing support services to Defence since 2008.

Under the contract extension, Unisys is rolling out network security and infrastructure, and server and desktop support to the Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force, and Royal Australian Navy. The company also provides support for joints service and internal military exercises.