New Zealand Rural Broadband Initiative

The New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development has issued an Expression of Interest for a Rural Broadband Initiative. (Reference: 29498). This appears a more modest project than the Australian Government's National Broadband Network. It concentrates on broadband for rural communities and schools.

Companies can download a an Expression of Interest document (MS-Word format 368kb) and a Schools List (Excel spreadsheet 284kb).

The Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) will use a two-stage process, involving an Expression of Interest (EOI) followed by a Request for Proposals (RFP) stage.

2. A two-stage approach is being used to enable the Government to gather more information so that it can make more informed decisions (e.g. about prioritising regions, minimum open access requirements, service specifications, what is likely to be possible within existing budget etc) when finalising the RFP.

3. Following the assessment of EOIs, an RFP will be released detailing the Government’s requirements.

The RFP will specify:

a. The regions for which bids are being sought in the first year of the RBI (noting that national bids will also be considered).
b. The intended scope of the proposed initiative.
c. The minimum service level requirements.
d. The minimum level of open access required.
e. Standards and interconnection requirements.
f. The criteria upon which bids will be assessed.

NZ Draft Electronic Recordkeeping Standard

Archives New Zealand is proposing to adopt a suite of standards from International Council of Archives for government Electronic Recordkeeping, with a NZ adapt ion document. There is a 17 page (480 Kbytes PDF) exposure draft available for feedback. The ICA standards should work okay for Australia and NZ as they were originally prepared for the Australasian Digital Recordkeeping Initiative. One problem with the Archives NZ exposure draft is that it is poorly formatted PDF with a large "DRAFT" watermark image which slows down loading of the document. A well formatted web page in HTML would have been preferable.

Contents
Chief Archivist’s Overview 4
Issue Statement 4
Adoption Statement 4
1. Introduction 6
1.1 Context: ICA-Req and ERKSS 6
1.2 Purpose 6
1.3 Scope 7
1.4 Advice and Guidance 8
2. Mandate and Responsibilities 8
2.1 Application 8
2.2 Interpretation of Functional Requirements 9
2.3 The Treaty of Waitangi 9
3. Benefits of Using this Standard 10
3.1 Benefits of Good Recordkeeping 10
4 Key Terms 12
Appendix A – Relationship with Archives New Zealand Mandatory Standards
14

From: Digital Recordkeeping System Standard, Exposure Draft, April 2010

End to End Secure Quadruple Play Communications Solution

The NZ Ministry of Economic Development has given notice it is intending to issue a Request for Proposal for the "Provision of End to End Secure Quadruple Play Communications Solution (Voice, Video, Data Mobile with security)". The wording of the announcement is worryingly loose and sounds like it was cobbled together from some vendor brochures. As an example a single service is "likely to encompass ... probably security perimeter ... possibility of datacentre consolidation... Probably VoIP telephony ...". The ministry is also asking for: single number for staff, a one user – one device voice model, mobile device deployment and management for secure mobile communications, GPS integrated mobile devices with mobile mapping and locating, Data Centre acceleration (whatever that is):

"The Ministry of Economic Development is giving advance notice to suppliers of its intention to release a Request for Proposal for the Provision of End to End Secure Quadruple Play Communications Solution (Voice, Video, Data Mobile with security).

The scope of this procurement is to select a single contracted service provider to work in partnership with the Ministry for the provision of Network Services. The Ministry expects to have a prime vendor arrangement with the Vendor taking responsibility for all aspects of the requested service.

Such a single service is likely to encompass the following areas:

· End to End fixed and mobile communications inclusive of data, video, fixed voice, mobile voice, internet and probably security perimeter

· The possibility of datacentre consolidation

· End-to-end monitoring via defined back to back commercial interfaces with the Ministry’s infrastructure suppliers

· Probably VoIP telephony both internally, call centre and externally prepared for the next level of innovation

· Specific fibre solutions for disk mirroring and/or replication to support DR

· Innovation consisting of, but not limited to :

o Single number for staff
o A one user – one device voice model
o Mobile device deployment and management for secure mobile communications
o GPS integrated mobile devices – mobile mapping and locating
o Data Centre acceleration
o WAN acceleration
o CTI for the call centres
o Authentication
o Security

Call and Data routing utilises the most appropriate least cost path (eg on-net, off-net, internet – via wifi, cellular etc) and this is transparent in service delivery and commercial arrangements..."

From: Provision of End to End Secure Quadruple Play Communications Solution (Voice, Video, Data Mobile with security), NZ Ministry of Economic Development, GETS Reference: 27573, 9 October 2009

New Zealand Sahana Disaster Management System Cluster

Tim McNamara has called a meeting to form a New Zealand non-profit group to work with others around the world on the Sahana free open source disaster management system. The meeting is in Wellington, New Zealand, 30 July 2009:

Sahana Free and Open Source Disaster Management System | New Zealand Cluster

Have a Play

http://demo.sahana.lk/cvs/

Get Involved

http://tinyurl.com/nz-sahana-cluster

Turn Up

5:30pm, 30 July 2009, Level 6, Willis Street, Wellington, New Zealand

(RSVP via http://tinyurl.com/nz-sahana-cluster)

What is this anyway?

The New Zealand Sahana Cluster is being formed to bring together technology experts, translators, emergency managers, researchers to bring forward widespread adoption of Sahana in New Zealand.

Sahana is Sinhalese for 'Relief' and signifies the history of the project from its development to reconnect families displaced due to the Boxing Day Tsunami. The New Zealand Cluster seeks to have the same positive impact for Kiwi communities.

Some deployments:

• Asian Tsunami in Sri Lanka (2005)
• Kashmir Earthquake in Pakistan (2005)
• Landslide disaster in Philippines (2005)
• Sarvodaya and Terre des Hommes, Sri Lankan NGOs (2005-)
• Yogjakarta Earthquake, Indonesia (2006)
• Earthquake in Peru (2007)
• Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh (2007)
• Coastal Storm Plan in New York City (2007-)
• Ica Earthquake, Peru (2007)
• Chendu-Sitzuan Earthquake, China (2008)
• National Disaster Management Center &
• Ministry of Resettlement & Disaster Relief Services, Sri Lanka (2009)

International Sponsors:

Measuring the effectiveness of e-Learning

The NZ Ministry of Education has issued a Request for Proposal for a ICT PD Cluster Programme Research Review Project". This is to review the ICTPD School Clusters Programme, which aims to provide e-learning for school teachers. The RFT asks some questions relevant to any e-learning program:

4.2 Establish and document the value of the ICT PD programme

Identify and provide evidence of the value of the ICT PD programme in terms of:-

• Increasing the capability of teachers to effectively use ICTs in their practice; through a cluster model;

• Effectiveness of the cluster model;

• Impact on outcomes for students;

• Strengthening professional learning communities (CoP);

• Impact on whole school development.

4.3 Establish and document the best practice findings from the programme

• What are the key features of the current programme model that are best practice and could be retained in any future model?

4.4 Research and document international approaches to ICT PD

• How does the NZ approach to ICT PD compare internationally?

4.5 What is the future scope of the ICT PD initiative?

• What are the key strategic ICT PD objectives for New Zealand?

• What are the key requirements of the sector for ICT PD support (recognising that schools have a range of experience and e-capability)?

• What is the relationship between different ICT PD initiatives in developing the e-learning capability pathways of schools?

4.6 How could future programme provision better support the needs of the sector?

• How could future programmes address the changing needs and differing contexts of New Zealand schools?

• How can the relationship between ICT PD initiatives be strengthened to provide e-learning capability development pathways for schools?

4.7 Development of Recommendations

Recommendations will include:-

• Requirements for ICT PD in NZ schooling sector over the next five years;

• Revised implementation model/s for a National e-learning PD programme;

• Level of funding required for continued e-learning capability building in the NZ schooling sector;

• Interim solutions required in the transition period to a new model. ...

From: ICT PD Cluster Programme Research Review ProjectRequest for Proposal, NZ Ministry of Education, 27 November 2008

Business travel reduction projects for Carbon Neutral Public Service

The New Zealand Ministry for the Environment has issued a Request for Proposal for "Business travel reduction projects for Carbon Neutral Public Service and Govt3 Agencies". There are two document for the RFP: Travel management framework,
Business travel reduction projects for CNPS and Govt3 Agencies.

A target in the New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation strategy (NZEECS) requires Government departments to prepare workplace travel plans that reduce business travel. Reducing kilometres travelled for business travel will also lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

The Ministry for the Environment (MFE) coordinates the Carbon Neutral Public Service (CNPS) and Govt³ programmes. These programmes are working together to assist government organisations to reduce their carbon footprint and take actions to become more sustainable.

MFE has developed a package of projects to accelerate improvements in government organisation transport sustainability and reduce kilometres, CO₂ emissions, and costs. To implement this package, the Ministry for the Environment (MFE) seeks a contractor to:

• undertake travel audits of central government organisations with high air travel

• prepare guidelines outlining practical methods for achieving reductions in business travel, and

• provide expert travel planning advice to selected central government organisations

Background

The NZEECS has set a target for public service departments to have a workplace travel plan in place, and achieve a 15 per cent reduction in kilometres travelled, by the end of 2010.

The CNPS programme aim is for the six lead public service departments¹ to be retrospectively carbon neutral by 2012. The other 28 core public service departments² will be on the path towards carbon neutrality by 2012.

The carbon neutrality process has three parts:

Measure – agencies will firstly measure their greenhouse gas emissions

Reduce – agencies will implement emission reduction activities

Offset – any unavoidable emissions will be offset through New Zealand based offset projects.

There are currently 57 Govt³ members (which include the 34 core public service departments). The Govt³ programme provides tools and guidance to assist government organisations to take practical action to become more sustainable across a range of different areas, including transport, buildings, waste, office consumables and equipment, and procurement. The delivery of the Govt³ programme helps achieve carbon emissions reductions under the CNPS programme.

In 2007, as part of the transport Govt³ programme, fleet audits were undertaken of 21 government departments with fleets larger than 50. As a result, the sustainability and fuel efficiency of government agency vehicle fleets have been improving as their fleets are reviewed and replaced.

The transport Govt³ programme is now focusing on travel planning. The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), in partnership with MFE, have developed a travel planning process that Govt³ organisations follow to fulfil the requirements of the CNPS and Govt³ programmes, whilst helping to achieve the NZEECS target.

MFE have run six training workshops on the travel planning process aiming to build capacity of government organisation representatives to prepare travel plans. All Govt³ organisations have also been provided with templates, tools, case studies and guidance. See http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/sustainable-transport/travel-behaviour-change/workplace-travel-plans/index.html for an example of some of this material.

Each government organisations travel, and therefore transport footprint, is different depending on its respective role and operational requirements. Business travel is typically split between the use of fleet vehicles (leased and owned), rental cars, taxis and air travel. While some government organisations have large fleets, air travel comprises the largest proportion of business travel.

This request for proposal focuses on reducing government agency business travel (air travel in particular), and is to assist individual organisations to prepare their travel plans by providing targeted assistance on specific tasks as part of the wider workplace travel planning process.

Workplace travel planning

Workplace travel plans take a holistic approach to organisational travel to develop a package of initiatives to improve travel choices, and reduce travel and its associated environmental impacts. Travel planning follows a five step process (see Figure 1) and covers both commuting and business travel. For the purposes of these projects, the key focus is on reducing business travel (It does not include the employee commute). ...

Agencies are at various stages in the travel planning process, but many have not yet commenced their travel plans. Some government organisations have implemented sustainable transport initiatives outside the travel planning process, such as installing video conferencing equipment.

Scope

There are three projects in this request for proposal. You are welcome to submit a proposal for all three projects or for one or two of the projects. MFE reserves the right to select one or more consultants for the projects to ensure best value for money and outcomes:

Project 1 – Travel audit of selected government departments with high air travel

Project 2 – Guidelines for business travel reductions

Project 3 – Expert travel planning advice for selected government departments

These projects will link into, and build on, the wider travel planning programme to:

• provide targeted expert advice to organisations with the highest travel footprint

• help accelerate progress of organisations towards the travel planning target and CO₂ emission reduction

• fill gaps in the current travel planning resources

• build capacity within organisations on how to manage business travel

• meet the goals of both the Govt³ and CNPS programmes.

The key outcome of this work is to reduce government organisations kilometres travelled and CO₂ emissions. This will also likely lead to a reduction in government travel costs, improvements in the supply chain and make available guidance to the private sector.

Project 1 – Travel audits of selected agencies with high air travel

A travel audit is part of step two of the travel planning process: data collection (see Figure 1). A travel audit is a stocktake of:

• the extent and reasons for an organisation’s business travel, and

• the effectiveness of organisational travel policies, procedures, and procurement practices from a sustainability point of view.

The quality and objectives of an organisation’s travel policies, procedures, and travel related decision making are a key factor determining the efficiency and extent of business travel, particularly air travel. Therefore, focusing on how to improve these policies and procedures has the potential to deliver considerable kilometre, carbon and cost reductions.

An in depth travel audit would contribute valuable information and analysis to the data collection stage, and provide a sound base to develop a workplace travel plan. By involving a consultant with specialist skills and experience in travel management³ and sustainable travel (including travel reduction), the outcomes of the travel planning process will be improved.

Project 2 – Guidelines document on reducing business travel

The Govt³ travel planning programme has largely drawn on the resources developed by Land Transport New Zealand (LTNZ) (now New Zealand Transport Agency). These resources have a strong focus on commuting. There is a gap in the travel planning toolkit in terms of practical guidance on how to reduce business travel.

The CNPS and Govt³ programmes focus on business travel, and the NZEECS has set an ambitious target for reducing business travel, so MFE is seeking to take the lead in this area. The guidelines would be relevant to all government organisations (and other sectors) and would provide practical advice and guidance to government organisations with their travel plan development.

These guidelines would be owned by the Ministry for the Environment.

While there are a number of international resources that provide good reference material on business travel reduction, guidance tailored to the New Zealand situation is needed because of our unique travel profile (i.e. higher air travel, geography, distances between cities), and also to consolidate the most relevant and useful information into one document.

The document should be a ‘how to guide’ so should contain less description and more practical advice, tools, and techniques. The document should be concise and easy to read.

Project 3 – Expert travel planning advice to selected government organisations

The time and cost of travel audits for medium sized government organisations is not cost effective given the relative size of their transport emissions. However, all government organisations are required to prepare travel plans and work towards the NZEECS target. Therefore MFE wishes to fund up to 10 hours expert travel planning advice to eight organisations, to assist them to progress their travel planning.

The aim is to give government organisations a kick start by providing expert advice that can be used to inform the travel planning process, as opposed to completing it for them.

The selected government organisations will have the option to choose the best use of this time for their organisation within certain parameters.

Selected organisations would be required to formally commit to the travel planning process.

1 The lead six agencies include the Ministry for the Environment, Inland Revenue Department, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Economic Development, Treasury and the Department of Conservation.

2 For a list of the 34 public service departments, see http://www.ssc.govt.nz/display/document.asp?docid=6802&pageno=1#P4_7

3 Travel management is the practice of approaching corporate travel strategically. Managed travel programmes balance employee needs with corporate goals, maximize the value of every travel dollar, ensure cost tracking and control, facilitate travel policy adherence, create savings through negotiated discounts, and mitigate risk by centralising all employee travel information. ...

From: Request for Proposals For Business travel reduction projects for Carbon Neutral Public Service and Govt3 Agencies, New Zealand Ministry for the Environment , 5 November 2008

New Zealand Government tender includes energy efficiency of computers

A recent New Zealand Department of Labour request for quotation for "Supply of desktop and infrastructure hardware" asks for environmental accreditation information, including energy efficiency, but does not specify any particular standard and does not make it mandatory. This contrasts with one Australian Government tender request which has detailed mandatory requirements for energy efficiency and two others which ask for details, but do not require it.

(f) Environmental Information/Accreditation – provide information on environmental impacts such as such as accreditations obtained, sustainable production practices, energy efficiency, recycled content, durability and reuse options, hazardous material content, and end-of-life disposal provisions. ...

From: DoL Hardware RFQ, DoL Hardware RFQ v1.2 08092008 FINAL.doc, "Supply of desktop and infrastructure hardware" , GETS Reference: 23231, Request for Quote, New Zealand Department of Labour

Government electronic document policy

Do you have an e-document policy? Later in the year I will be facilitating a workshop on government electronic document policy with people from Australian and New Zealand state and federal governments. We will aim to come up with some guidelines for Government CIOs. But first I need to get an idea of what is out there now. Any pointers to policies, relevant standards or other documents would be most welcome. I will then collate the results and make it available.

My thinking is that most e-document and e-archiving policies are misdirected. Records managers and archivists need to stop being passive receivers of whatever junk they are given. Instead they need to start with the new "killer applications" such as social networking for business, mash ups and the like and build the policies in there. But I would suggest a more cautious approach than that of the UK Government's "Power of Information TaskForce".

Please include a web address where the policy is available, if possible. After all who would be silly enough to distribute their e-document policy on paper? ;-)

By the way the intention is to use a similar computer assisted format and some of the content from the Electronic Document Management course I ran last year. This used a computer equipped lab and a Moodle based system for content and exercises.

Here is a quick list of items I found with a web search:

1. International: Recommended Practice - Analysis, Selection, and Implementation Guidelines Associated with Electronic Document Management Systems (EDMS), Association for Information and Image Management International, April 12, 2006.
2. Australian Federal: "Improving Electronic Document Management: Guidelines for Australian Government Agencies", Office of Government Information Technology, Commonwealth of Australia 1995
3. NT: Position Statement on Electronic Recordkeeping in the NT Government, Northern Territory Archives Service, September 2004
4. Queensland: Digitisation Disposal Policy, Queensland State Archives, April 2006
5. NSW: State Records NSW has an extensive set of documents and references one-documents:
   

   • Policy on digital records preservation
   • Policy on electronic recordkeeping
   • Policy on electronic messages as records
   • Standard on Recordkeeping in the Electronic Business Environment
   • NSW Recordkeeping Metadata Standard (NRKMS)
   • Checklist for assessing business systems (RIB 42)
   • Strategies for documenting Government business: The 'DIRKS' manual
   • Introducing recordkeeping metadata (RIB 18)
   • Selecting records management software (RIB 2)
   • Guidelines on keeping web records
   • Managing the message: Guidelines on managing formal and informal communications as records
   • FAQs - Emails and recordkeeping (RIB 49)
   • Desktop Management: Managing electronic documents and directories (RIB 30)
   • Email and other templates for creating digital records
   • Destroying digital records: When pressing delete is not enough (RIB 51)
   • Future Proof: Ensuring the long term accessibility of equipment / technology dependent records
   • Archives Advice: Protecting and handling magnetic media (NAA)
   • Archives Advice: Protecting and handling optical disks (NAA)
   • Information rights management and recordkeeping (RIB 36)
   • Digital records preservation in the NSW public sector: A discussion paper
   • Digital Records Advisory Group
   • Australasian Digital Recordkeeping Initiative (ADRI) website

By the way the new ISO/IEC 38500:2008 Corporate governance of information technology, based on AS8015-2005, includes a requirement for records management for IT systems. There is also a requirement for record keeping in the Australian Standard on Good Governance Principles (AS 8000-2003), as State Records NSW points out.

NZ Laptops for Principals and Teachers scheme

The NZ Ministry of Education has issued a Request for Proposal to assist with the management of the “Laptops for Principals and Teachers scheme”:

The currently facilitate the supply of laptops to principals and teachers, through a schools’ leasing programme.

The provision of laptops to principals and teachers through the Laptop Scheme commenced in 2002. Currently there are over 40,000 principals and teachers, in over 2500 schools, leasing laptops under the scheme. There is the potential for this figure to increase over the next two years.

We are seeking proposals from suitable organisations to assist with the management of this scheme, for the period July 2008 to June 2010.

The successful contractor will be expected to:

• manage the tender and contract process, including all documentation, tender processing, and contract negotiations, with successful tenderers, for the variety of contracts under the Laptop Scheme.
• assist the Ministry to monitor and evaluate the performance of contractors and negotiate contract variations
• provide legal contract advice
• provide financial advice regarding contracts where applicable.
• report regularly to the Ministry

Responses to the RFP will be expected to cover the following:

• previous service to government organisations
• experience with managing large tenders
• experience with managing this type of process
• outline of management approach to provide the service
• legal and financial capability for providing quality advice
• cost structure per phase of the service

From: Principals and Teachers scheme, Request for Proposal , GETS Reference: 22318, NZ Ministry of Education

eDocument system for New Zealand Railways

The New Zealand Railways Corporation (ONTRACK) has issued a Request for Proposal for a Road Map for Document and Records Management. In 2004 the New Zealand Government bought back all railway track and infrastructure in New Zealand, setting up the Railways Corporation to run it. They now need a recordkeeping system meeting government requirements and are sensibly planning to use this to improve their business. They first need someone to tell them what can be done, thus the "roadmap". There is a 16 page "Road Map to Implement RM DM" document available, which provides a good overview of what is needed to be looked at with records management in an organization:

GETS Reference: 21817
Title New Zealand based opportunityRoad Map for Document and Records Management
Request for Proposal
General Information

In July 2004, the New Zealand Government purchased all railway tracks and associated infrastructure in New Zealand.

The government set up New Zealand Railways Corporation, trading as ONTRACK, to manage and maintain the assets and to provide train control functions.

As a publicly-funded company, ONTRACK must meet the requirements of the Public Records Act 2005, and any mandatory recordkeeping standards issued by Archives New Zealand.

ONTRACK is currently contemplating business excellence concepts that will provide opportunities to leverage innovation. We anticipate total workforce engagement in the uptake of electronic mechanisms to achieve effective and efficient utilisation of our information and knowledge assets. These form the know how of our organisation and are the enablers of our workplace capability.

In addition, the New Zealand government’s transportation strategy, which articulates the development of a safe and sustainable rail transportation system, has sparked a rapid development and growth phase for ONTRACK. This in turn has triggered ONTRACK’s need to develop a strategic approach to the development of its working systems.

An independent document and records management review was carried out in late 2006. The review identified 79 actions for improvement, including the implementation of a shared ECM solution. ONTRACK is positioning to implement many of the improvement options, and requires a roadmap for this work. ...

Digital Preservation of Government Documents

Archives New Zealand have issued a Request for Tender to digitize government records:

GETS Reference: 21751
Title New Zealand based opportunity
Digital Preservation – Wellington - Archives New Zealand
Request for Tender ...
General Information

Archives New Zealand has statutory responsibility to ensure that full and accurate records of the affairs of central and local government are preserved and are accessible to the public.

Archives New Zealand has in its holdings 23 books of national statistics for the years 1840 to 1855, (known as the Blue Books). The majority of the books are hand written in a variety of inks. Whilst some have retained their clarity, others have faded considerably. The books are bound and average 286 pages per volume.

Archives New Zealand seeks tenders from service providers who can create high quality digital images from the original works. A range of compression options should be offered. Our intention is to make pages available online and to reproduce high quality prints as and when required.

Inspection of the volumes can be arranged with Alan Ferris, contact details below.

Tenders will be accessed against three essential criteria:

• The original archives must be handled to standards acceptable to Archives New Zealand.

• The work must be completed by 30 June 2008.

• Quotes for the work should stipulate the methods to be used and the unit cost per method of digital capture.

NZ XML Governance Framework for Interoperability

Standards New Zealand have issued three Draft Standards on electronic interoperability of information using XML for government systems: Commenrs close 09/05/2008:

1. XML Governance Framework: Principles
2. XML Governance Framework: Operational guide
3. XML Governance Framwork: Communities guide

It is not clear to me why NZ needs its own standards for XML interoperability, as this would make them non-interoperable with the rest of the world.

Computer based Communications Training

The Royal New Zealand Navy have issued a Registration of Interest for a "Computer based Communications Training System" to teach New Zealand Defence personnel in the use of the Australian developed COMPUCAT Message Exchange (CMX) system and similar. This type of training uses something like a flight simulator, duplicating some of the controls and functions of the equipment. In the past such systems have been custom programmed from the ground up. However, it should now be possible to combine an off-the-shelf Course Management System (CMS), with software for simulating equipment control panels and some multimedia software to produce a lower cost more flexible system:

... The Royal New Zealand Navy is seeking to replace its current computer based training system for communications personnel.

The current system is obsolete and unsupportable with respect to technology and does not now provide the level of instruction necessary to place competently trained communications personnel into the fleet.

The existing computer based training tool, known as the Fleetwork Trainer (FWT), is a 13 station (12 students, one supervisor) networked computer based training system. Personnel are trained, up to senior enlisted personnel level, on tactical communications to enable them to undertake duties within the fleet.

The system also provides training to students on New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) applications such as COMPUCAT Message Exchange (CMX), Signal Distribution System (SDS), Joint Remote Control system (JRCS) as well as the Advanced Standalone Area Prediction system (ASAPs).

The current FWT utilises visual and aural training processes for the Communications trade.

The current facility is ten years old incorporating equipment that is in the region of 15 years old.

The RNZN Fleet Personnel and Training Organisation (FPTO) requires an integrated computer based training solution capable of conducting training in the following communications disciplines:

(1) Voice communications from any operator position;
(2) Voice recording facility;
(3) Emulation and simulation of cryptographic voice equipment;
(4) Interference to simulate HF voice conditions;
(5) Simulation of cipher voice circuits;
(6) Control from one central position;
(7) Fleet work scenarios to be conducted collectively and individually by students;
(8) Visual demonstration of resultant formations;
(9) Flashing light and flag hoist training scenarios within the fleet work mode;
(10) Playback and PowerPoint capability for debriefing purposes; and
(11) Morse key training.

A new Fleet Work Trainer will allow the consolidation of training resources while assisting the Communications trade, and the RNZN, to keep currency with modern communications practises. It will also provide for flexibility for future initiatives.

...

Relates to the following TenderWatch Categories
841 Project management relating to IT service and delivery
842 Software implementation services
846 Web development services
848 Computer training services
849 Other computer services ...

From: "Computer based Communications Training System" , GETS Reference: 21522, Registration of Interest, Royal New Zealand Navy, 2008

Notifiable Avian Influenza Surveillance

The New Zealand government has issued a request for tender for "Notifiable Avian Influenza Surveillance". The results will be entered in the IRS database (Sahana is also expanding its open source software to record such diseases in humans):

i. Defining New Zealand’s status for notifiable avian influenza viruses of concern (manage biosecurity risks);

ii. Defining baseline information about potentially zoonotic avian influenza viruses (protect human health);

iii. Fulfilling international certification requirements for trade in birds and avian products (protect trade).

From: Notifiable Avian Influenza Surveillance, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, GETS Reference: 21468, 2008

Innovation in New Zealand

The NZ Ministry of Economic Development has issued two request for tenders for an Auckland Innovation Centre. One is for the Design, Business Case and Plan, the other is for Market Testing. Perhaps Canberra can join in and prepare a joint plan for their ACT Innovation System.

The Ministry of Economic Development (MED) is seeking project management and consultancy support to:

• Develop the current draft value proposition for the Auckland Innovation Centre into a detailed concept, including further testing and refinement with industry and researchers in New Zealand;
• Develop a business case for the Centre
• Develop a business plan for the Centre
• Secure initial cornerstone partners and investors into the Centre.

Scope:

This document is a Request for Proposal (RFP) by MED. MED seeks proposals for project management and consultancy support to:

1) Develop the current draft AIC value proposition into a detailed design.
2) Use the concept document as a basis for discussion and negotiation with stakeholders, in order to secure initial cornerstone partners, tenants and investors.
3) Develop a full business case for the Centre.
4) Develop a full business plan for the Centre.


From: Auckland Innovation Centre – Detailed Design, Business Case and Plan, Request for Proposal , NZ Ministry of Economic Development

The Ministry of Economic Development (MED) is seeking consultancy support to test the draft Auckland Innovation Centre value proposition, in order to:

• Understand the state of advanced materials capability in other markets and whether the Auckland innovation centre proposition represents a differentiated and competitive proposition;
• Understand where potential competition lies and what are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the current proposition relative to competitive offerings;
• What are the best market, industry and research opportunities to pursue, including possible international partners and alliances;
• What capabilities, technologies and services need to be offered to ensure success;
• What actions need to be taken in implementing the proposition to take up the best opportunities.

Scope:

This document is a Request for Proposal (RFP) by MED. MED seeks proposals for consultancy support to test the draft Auckland Innovation Centre value proposition. This will include analysing and articulating:

• The state of advanced materials capability in other markets and whether the Auckland innovation centre proposition represents a differentiated and competitive proposition;
• Where potential competition lies and what are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the current proposition relative to competitive offerings;
• What are the best market, industry and research opportunities to pursue, including possible partners and alliances;
• What capabilities, technologies and services need to be offered to ensure success;
• What actions need to be taken in implementing the proposition to take up the best opportunities.

The Ministry envisages that this will entail a combination of desk research, consultation workshops/fora with domestic experts and industry, and testing with panels of experts overseas in key markets (particularly the US and/or Europe).

From: Auckland Innovation Centre – Market Testing, NZ Ministry of Economic Development

Australia Korea New Zealand Broadband Summit

There is a series of three in Australian in early December 2006:

Australian IPv6 Summit 2006, Canberra, 4-6 December 2006:

Internet Protocol Version 6 is already being deployed by Australian trading and defence partners in Asia, America and Europe. Ipv6 has the potential for enhanced mobility, easier management, built-in security and an almost unlimited range of new Internet addresses for next-generation devices... The IPv6 Summit offers two days of International and Australian experts addressing these questions and more, plus a new technology showcase and an optional one-day IPv6 Deployment Workshop, a hands-on guide to easy implementation.

Australian Telecommunication Networks and Applications Conference 2006, Melbourne, 4-6 December 2006:

... bringing together telecommunication researchers and students with equipment providers, user groups, regulators and infrastructure planners.

Key themes are:

* Broadband delivery and evolution
* Wireless sensor networks research and applications ...

Australia-Korea-New Zealand Broadband Summit, Adelaide, 7-8 December 2006:

... gathers the information technology and communications ministers and leaders within the broadband industry from Korea, New Zealand and Australia to encourage international collaboration in broadband. ... forum for telecommunications carriers, electronics companies, research organisations, telecommunications equipment providers, broadband applications and services developers to discuss and negotiate business and research interests across the three countries.

Unfortunately, unless you already had broadband you may never hear of these events. The Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts decided to send out the details of them in a 1.9Mbyte mail message with PDF attachments. This is one thousand times larger than it need be and makes the message much harder to read. There are much more efficient and effective ways to communicate on-line.