Benchmarking review of IT function and related enabling capabilities

⁠⁠⁠Overview

The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is seeking to engage a consultancy to undertake a benchmarking review of its IT function and related enabling capabilities.

Purpose

The review will establish an evidence base to support Executive Board consideration of future service priorities, strategic alignment, sustainable operating models, workforce settings and opportunities to improve efficiency, productivity and service delivery. The review should be undertaken in parallel with the broader review of non-ICT corporate and enabling functions, to support a holistic Executive Board view of the Department's IT and non-ICT corporate and enabling services.

Objectives

• Establish an activity-level evidence base
• Map activities to legislated obligations, critical functions and priorities
• Benchmark investment, resourcing, service levels and operating models
• Identify duplication, consolidation opportunities and productivity improvements
• Where relevant, identify investment and capability uplift opportunities where investment would increase longer term efficiency and sustainability
• Determine minimum viable and sustainable ICT service levels
• Develop current and future state options
• Align with the broader review of non-ICT corporate and enabling functions to support integrated Executive Board consideration of IT and non-ICT corporate and enabling services

Scope

The scope includes:

Workstream 1: Activity Prioritisation

• Undertaking an activity-level review of functions
• Mapping activities to obligations
• Assessing risk of stopping or reducing activities
• Assessing service impacts
• Developing a prioritisation framework

Workstream 2: Benchmarking and External Comparison

• Benchmarking ICT and enabling functions against comparable organisations
• Assessing investment levels, workforce mix, contractor reliance, service levels and operating models
• Identifying opportunities for consolidation
• Identifying sustainable ICT service levels and options to reduce contractor dependence

Workstream 3: Current and Future State Design

• Developing a current state assessment
• Producing service and capability maps
• Developing future state options
• Developing operating model recommendations
• Determining capability requirements
• Preparing Executive Board-ready recommendations

Workstream 4: Workforce and Implementation Planning

• Assessing workforce profile, contractor usage and capability gaps
• Assessing workforce transition requirements, implementation dependencies and risks
• Developing roadmap activities
• Informing and supporting the in-house developed strategic communications and engagement strategy, as well as change management

Deliverables

• Project initiation pack
• Data and evidence plan
• Activity inventory and prioritisation framework
• Benchmarking methodology
• Benchmarking analysis
• Current state assessment
• Future state options paper
• Workforce and implementation plan
• Executive Board pack
• Final report

Outcomes

• Evidence-based prioritisation of activities
• Benchmarking against comparable organisations
• Sustainable ICT operating model recommendations
• Reduced contractor reliance options
• Future state operating model options
• Workforce and implementation plan
• Executive Board-ready recommendations, which complements the broader review of non-ICT corporate and enabling services and functions