Use of core and common information and technology solutions policy
Purpose
This policy ensures the Queensland Government maximises the value and aggregated purchasing power for reusable information and technology solutions across agencies. The use of core and common information and technology solutions also reduces administrative overhead and provides a consistent approach to vendor management across government agencies. Core and common solutions also promote seamless service delivery, customer experience, and business operations across government.
Policy statement
Queensland Government agencies will leverage and adopt core and common information and technology solutions to address business capability needs. The scope of applicability of these solutions is defined as follows:
- Core – information and technology solutions that are required by all agencies to function, such as payroll solutions, human resource solutions, finance solutions.
- Common – information and technology solutions that deliver similar services in a subset of agencies, such as grants management solutions, computer-aided emergency dispatch solutions.
- This policy guides departments on the use of core and common information and technology to support government functions and services. Core and common solutions will be classified using the following status classifications:
- Mandated – the solution has been deemed as ‘must use’ and agencies are required to adopt this solution (no exception will be granted).
- Endorsed – the solution that been endorsed and agencies are required to adopt this solution. An exception may be granted in limited instances.
- Identified – the solution has potential reuse. Agencies may investigate the existing Common Use Supply Arrangements.
- Restricted – the solution has been deemed no longer suitable for Queensland Government use and agencies must plan to migrate to an alternate solution.
Agencies are responsible for their due diligence in ensuring agency business needs are covered by the mandated, endorsed or identified solutions and leveraging any whole-of-government business operating model (e.g., procurement, implementation, licensing, support) associated with the solution.
Policy requirements
1 Agencies must apply the Core and common framework when implementing solutions to support business capabilities
The Use of core and common information and technology solutions framework (Core and common framework) sets out the processes that an agency must follow to consider the reuse of core and common solutions at any point of their ICT and Digital asset implementation lifecycles, if those solutions enable business capability deemed ‘core’ or ‘common’.
2 Agencies must adopt ‘mandated’ and ‘endorsed’ core and common solutions when implementing business capabilities
There are many solution-specific considerations and implementations across a range of dimensions and elements for each core and common solution. These may include, but are not limited to, governance, procurement, implementation, operation, support, business requirements and processes, and funding etc.
When considering solutions for implementing business capabilities, departments must adopt Queensland Government mandated and endorsed core and common solutions from the Core and common catalogue. The list of available solutions and their solution status will provide clarity to departments as to their options and obligations for these assets in future technology investments.
Government employees: If you have issues logging into the Core and common catalogue, go to the Digital console help page for more information.
3 Agencies must consider ‘identified’ core and common solutions when implementing business capabilities
Agencies are required to consider existing Queensland Government core and common solutions classified as ‘identified’ for reuse available by business capability under the Core and common catalogue.
4 Agencies must not implement ‘restricted’ solutions
Agencies are required to ensure that ‘restricted’ solutions are not implemented as a solution and must plan to migrate to an alternate solution. The catalogue will provide the rationale for solution’s restrictions.
5 ‘Mandated’ and ‘endorsed’ core and common solutions must be approved for whole-of-government use with a concept of operations
A concept of operation is required for each ‘mandated’ or ‘endorsed’ solution and needs to detail how the solution must be implemented and the investment decision factors that have been considered, amongst others, to endorse the candidate solution for the whole-of-government use. Business capabilities could be supported by different solutions, Commercial off the shelf (COTS) and bespoke, and enabling technologies.
The applicability of a core and common solution needs to be assessed against a range of factors to support its suitability. This may include how widespread common features are, the current state, the circumstances and capabilities of individual solutions and vendors, the requirements and capabilities of participating agencies, the funding approach, and the business value expected.
Scope
This policy relates to core and common reusable information and technology solutions within the whole-of-government context. These solutions include:
- Services: delivery of reusable and centralised capability to support agency outcomes.
- Platforms: foundation capability that creates, deploys, and hosts agency solution instances.
- Enabling technology: technology that augments, supports, and enables platforms and services.
Applicability
This policy applies to all Queensland Government departments (as defined by the Public Sector Act 2022). This policy also applies to accountable officers (not already in scope of the Public Sector Act 2022) and to statutory bodies under the Financial and Performance Management Standard 2019 in the context of internal controls, financial information management systems and risk management. Please see How to apply the QGEA for further information.
Implementation
This policy comes into effect from the issue date.
Reporting requirements
The ICT profiling standard will include core and common reporting as required.
Policy benefits
The core and common approach to digital systems and investments is important in moving the Queensland Government towards a thriving digital economy.
The Use of core and common information and technology solutions policy is underpinned by a whole-of-government approach in alignment with the Digital Economy Strategy and Action Plan and the Digital Investment Governance Framework principles to ensure that all digital investments are:
- value for money
- leverage existing assets and share where it makes sense
- contributes to growth of the digital economy
- remains future focused
- addresses and manages risk (including cyber)
- all agencies within the scope.
The benefits of adopting the core and common approach across whole-of-government will be realised over time. Benefits include:
- improved time to value for solution acquisition and implementation, particularly in procurement processes
- improved efficiency from reduced duplication of effort and increased ability to use shared arrangements
- better use of resources that allows agencies to share expertise and best practices
- improved value for money during lifecycle management of agency solutions and the opportunity to leverage enterprise pricing
- effective and efficient engagement with vendors.