ACS Welcomes Government Outsourcing Win for Aussie SME

ICT Professional Society Congratulates Volante Systems and Announces Research Project to Identify True Cost of Outsourcing to Australia

Wednesday 16 April 2003 - The Australian Computer Society (ACS) has applauded a decision by the Federal Government to award an outsourcing contract to Australian firm, Volante Systems.

Volante will provide information and communications technology infrastructure, software and support to the Electoral Offices all over Australia of Commonwealth Senators and Members of Parliament.

ACS President Richard Hogg said he was very pleased to see Volante secure such an important contract and commended the Government in going against the trend of giving contracts mainly to multinational service providers.

"The ACS has been outspoken in our criticism of the Commonwealth Outsourcing Program, primarily because of the way it has been dominated by multinationals and sidelined Australian SMEs," he said.

"It's refreshing and extremely encouraging to see a small Australian company buck the trend to win the contract. I hope it is the first of many such decisions by the Government."

ACS Research Project to Address Outsourcing Issues

Mr Hogg said a new research project about to be funded by the ACS would seek to provide a clearer picture of the impact both of Government outsourcing to multinational companies operating in Australia as well as outsourcing offshore by corporate and government entities," said Mr Hogg.

"This will be a comprehensive initiative that considers not only the cost to local companies and the economy of multinational dominance of the outsourcing market, but also the benefits gained by departments and companies that outsource both locally to multinationals or which send projects overseas."

The ACS plans to weigh the multiplier effect of local jobs that are created and lost by outsourcing decisions to gauge the impact of these decisions on local industry and the economy as a whole.

"We believe this kind of in-depth research will provide a valuable tool both for industry stakeholders and government decision-makers both in informing future policy development and purchasing decisions," Mr Hogg said.

This media release is available on the ACS Web site at http://www.acs.org.au/news/160403.htm

ENDS

About the Australian Computer Society: The ACS is the recognised association for information technology (IT) professionals, attracting a large and active membership from all levels of the IT industry and providing a wide range of services to its 16,000+ members. A member of the Australian Council of Professions, the ACS is the public voice of the IT profession and the guardian of professional ethics and standards in the IT industry, with a commitment to the wider community to ensure the beneficial use of IT. See the ACS Home Page for more information.

Media Enquiries:

Richard Hogg, ACS National President, Tel: (0408) 549 531, Email: richard_hogg@acslink.net.au

Caroline New, ACS PR Consultant, Tel: (02) 9555 1986 or (0411) 889 456, Email: cnew@acslink.net.au