e-Government Unit confirmed as authority on 'IT systems across government'
The two key Government bodies responsible for public sector IT have signed a memorandum of understanding which clarifies their respective roles and responsibilities, eGov monitor can report.
The new MoU between the Office of Government Commerce and the Cabinet Office e-Government Unit covers areas including efficiency, eGovernment and mission critical projects.
"Broadly, OGC will lead in commercial, financial and contractual delivery process issues, while eGU will lead on strategic, architectural, technical and operational delivery, together with performance issues", the OGC said.
The move also confirms reports that the Prime Minister Tony Blair is now monitoring the status of the 'Top 20' IT-related projects in government.
A summary of the relationship between the two bodies is as follows:
Efficiency
- OGC has overall lead on the Efficiency Review and will be the Change Agent for commodity procurement, construction & FM (Facilities Management) and support for the Lyons relocation agenda.
- eGU is the Change Agent for transactions and the IT element for corporate services. eGU, as the COE (Centre of Excellence) for IT in Government, is the authority on IT systems across government.
Mission Critical Projects
- OGC will continue to own and manage the Mission Critical reporting process.
- OGC and eGU will work together to ensure appropriate active involvement in all Key Programmes (PM’s top 20) and all relevant Mission Critical Programmes.
Professionalism
- OGC leads on Procurement (through GPS - Government Procurement Service) and Project Management (through the PPM - Project and Programme Management - specialism).
- eGU will lead on IT Professionalism, through the CIO Council and through developing the IT community.
Supplier and Industry Management
- OGC will maintain relationships on commercial and contracts issues with government’s key suppliers and industry bodies, and will monitor financial and contractual delivery performance and best practice.
- eGU will have the lead responsibility for strategic IT supplier relations and the relationship with DTI on the Information Age Partnership.
- eGU and OGC have a mutual interest in the Senior IT Forum which eGU will chair and for which OGC will continue to provide secretariat support. A three-party relationship with Intellect will be maintained.
- OGC will lead on Kelly and BRTF recommendations, the SME agenda and the DTI Innovation agenda.
eGovernment
- OGC will be represented on Programme Boards.
- eGU will lead on e-Government.
- OGCbuying.solutions will play a major role in managing the provision of Common Infrastructure and will work closely with eGU on infrastructure projects.
Send your comments on this article to editor@egovmonitor.com
