Stan Beer
Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:56
IT Industry -
Deals
Enterprise Content Management (ECM) developer Tower Software hassigned a whole of government contract for the supply of ECM solutions -- worth a seven figure sum -- with the Northern Territory Government.
Under the contract the Northern Territory is expected to become the
first Australian state or territory to deploy a single ECM platform
across all government agencies. The agreement will see the number of
public servants with access to Tower Software's TRIM Context ECM
software expand from between 3000-4000 currently to all NT Government
employees who use computers.
The contract covers the purchase of a perpetual license to TRIM Context
for all Northern Territory Government agencies and employees and
includes five years software maintenance with an optional extension for
three years.
"We expect numbers of ECM users to increase considerably over the next
few years," said Greg Coleman, Director of the Northern Territory
Archives Service with the Department of Corporate and Information
Services, which manages licensing for records management and ECM
solutions for the NT Government. "Ultimately, everyone who has a
desktop will be able to access TRIM."
TRIM Context is already used by all major Northern Territory Government
agencies for records management. Its installation on all desktop
computers will allow agencies to deploy a full range of ECM solutions,
including Electronic Document Management, supporting delivery of
government services.
"Expanding our deployment of Tower Software's solution gives us a
consistent content management platform supporting good government with
an emphasis on offering services electronically," said Coleman. One of
the priorities under the new agreement, he said, will be upgrading the
Territory's agencies to TRIM Context 6 with ice Web client support.
"The government has a strong centralised IT focus and is aware of the benefits of eGovernment," said Coleman.
A number of Tower Software's implementation partners -- Alphawest,
Gen-i, iCognition, Kaz, KnowledgePartners, MicroHelp and CSM Group --
are also included in the agreement for the provision of training,
change management and additional support which may be required by
Northern Territory Government agencies.
"The new whole of government ECM contract is a win for both Tower
Software and the Northern Territory Government," said Martin Harwood,
CEO for Tower Software. "By leveraging its existing investment in TRIM
Context, the territory has cost-effectively purchased a single ECM
solution for all government employees supporting all its content
management needs."