Australian Government agencies can now access telecommunications management advice, services and support through a new whole-of-government panel.

The Telecommunications Management Panel facilitates access to service providers that can help agencies:

• Design new telecommunications solutions;
• Manage mobile phone fleets;
• Manage telecommunication services contracts;
• Improve billing and inventory management;
• Procure telecommunications help desk support; and
• Source specialist telecommunication management advice to complement internal resources.

It is the first time agencies will be able to procure the management layer of underlying telecommunications products and services through a whole of government panel arrangement.

The panel will help Australian Government agencies procure services to supplement their internal capabilities. This arrangement will also achieve savings and efficiencies through the procurement process and better utilisation of aggregated buying power.

The companies forming the panel are:

• Boeing Defence Australia Ltd
• Bridge IT Engineering Pty Ltd
• Consultel IT and T Pty Ltd
• Fujitsu Australia Limited
• NEC Australia Pty Ltd
• Optus Networks Pty Ltd
• Telstra Corporation Limited (Telstra)

A number of companies may be added to the panel in the near future, as negotiations and contractual arrangements are finalised.

It is mandatory for Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (FMA) agencies to use this panel, and optional for agencies under the Commonwealth Authority and Companies Act 1997 (CAC). State government agencies can use this panel.

The Telecommunications Management Panel has an initial term of three years. The initial term may be extended by the Department of Finance and Deregulation for a further two, twelve-month periods.

The panel for the provision of telecommunications management was described in the Request for Tender (RFT) issued by AGIMO in August 2010.