Digital Canberra – Data Centre Services for ACT Government

⁠⁠⁠Overview

Digital Canberra, on behalf of the ACT Government, is seeking information from the market through this Request for Information (RFI) to better understand the range of solutions available to support whole-of-government Data Centre hosting, storage, disaster recovery, business continuity and operational resilience requirements.

About

Data Centre services underpin critical ACT Government ICT systems and support the delivery of secure, reliable and continuous government services across the Territory. The Territory currently uses Data Centre services delivered from two geographically separate facilities within the ACT.

The primary users of Data Centre and related infrastructure services are ACT Government entities responsible for delivering and supporting government systems and digital services. Users rely on infrastructure services to host and protect business applications, data and digital services that support government operations and public service delivery. While the broader community is not a direct user of these services, it relies on the availability and performance of the government services they support.

Purpose

The objective of this RFI is to explore current market capabilities, emerging technologies and alternative service delivery models that may provide improved value, flexibility, scalability or resilience compared with existing arrangements. Respondents are encouraged to provide information on innovative service models, including hybrid-cloud, direct to cloud, single and multi-site disaster recovery capabilities, high availability solutions and other emerging technology that could meet the Territory's security, availability, performance and business continuity requirements.

This RFI is not intended to shortlist suppliers or define a preferred solution. It is intended to inform future planning and improve the Territory's understanding of available market options. There is no guarantee of a future procurement activity.

Objectives

Key user needs identified for this RFI include:

• Secure and reliable infrastructure services that support the ongoing operation of government systems and services
• Appropriate levels of resilience, disaster recovery and business continuity to minimise service disruption and support recovery from incidents
• Solutions that support compliance with government security, privacy and regulatory obligations
• Flexible and scalable service models that can respond to changing business needs, technology requirements and demand over time
• Efficient and cost-effective service delivery that provides value for money across government
• Support for modern technology approaches, including cloud, hybrid and emerging service delivery models where appropriate
• Effective management, reporting, access control, monitoring and support arrangements that enable the ongoing operation and maintenance of government services

Information Requested

The Territory requires infrastructure services that support the security, availability, resiliency and continuity of critical government systems and services. Respondents should demonstrate how their proposed solution addresses:

• Business continuity and disaster recovery requirements for government services
• Appropriate levels of resilience and redundancy to minimise the impact of service disruptions
• Security, privacy and regulatory obligations applicable to ACT Government data and systems
• Operational support requirements, including appropriate monitoring, reporting and access requirements for authorised ACT Government personnel where required
• Future scalability and flexibility to accommodate changing business and technology needs

The Territory is seeking information on a range of approaches that may satisfy these requirements and does not intend to prescribe a particular technical architecture or service delivery model through this RFI.

Instructions to Tenderers

The project is expected to commence within one month.