UK government IT market may be worth STG7 billion by 2006: The public sector software and IT services (S/ITS) market in the UK will grow 30 times faster than the commercial sector until 2005, according to a recently published report. Analyst and consulting company Ovum Holway's "UK Public Sector Market 2003 -- The Market for Software and IT Services" predicts that the public sector S/ITS market will grow by 9 percent annually on average between 2001 and 2005, reaching STG7 billion in 2006. The report forecasts that the commercial S/ITS sector in the UK will grow by an average of just 0.3 percent per annum over the same period. Assessing each of the major public sector markets, Ovum Holway says that the two most lucrative S/ITS markets are criminal justice and the NHS, which it claims will grow by an average of 25 percent and 20 percent respectively from 2001 to 2006. The report's authors noted that the public sector will provide plenty of opportunities for smaller players, pointing out that government agencies are starting to favour consortia over single suppliers, an approach called 'multisourcing.' "This allows government to spread its risk across a number of suppliers," said analyst Georgina O'Toole, and "makes it possible... to change one under-performing supplier within a consortia rather than having to replace the sole supplier on a contract."
Albuquerque sets up bill alert system for citizens: Albuquerque, New Mexico, has deployed an automatic alert system that lets users know when a utility bill has been issued. Developed in conjunction with Cognos, a specialist in business intelligence and corporate performance management, the system is part of a wider solution to provide Web-based analysis and reporting on criminal statistics, tax revenue, campaign reporting, development applications and vendor services. Users who register for the utility bill alert system can have an immediate notification sent to a computer or mobile device when a bill is issued. In addition, using the on-line system, key decision-makers within the relevant government departments can check on the status of citizens' payments. According to Nucleus Research, a Massachusetts firm that evaluates financial return on IT assets, Albuquerque has achieved an almost 2,000 percent return on investment (ROI) through its overall deployment of the Cognos system, through the reduction of administrative overheads and the identification of other cost-savings opportunities.
Jordan re-launches ICT Web site: Jordan's Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (MoICT) has re-launched its Web site, www.moict.gov.jo. The MoICT was set up in April 2002 with the aim of bringing the benefits of ICT to the citizens of Jordan, and the ministry is responsible for overseeing Jordan's e-government initiative. The new version of the site, available in English and Arabic, allows users to download e-government documentation and policy consultation papers. An on-line forum is provided where citizens can submit their opinions of government initiatives. Other features include a calendar of local and regional ICT events, news updates from the Ministry, and opinion polls. The site also hosts an "e-initiatives database," which provides information on all ICT-related initiatives undertaken by the Ministry. "The launch of the new MoICT Web site is in line with the Ministry's efforts to provide greater access to information and policies and to strengthen transparency of knowledge about the Ministry," said Emile Cubeisy, director of ICT promotion at MoICT.
Dubai gives IT training to library staff: Dubai is holding a series of training initiatives for employees of libraries and data centres, as part of the Dubai eGovernment project. The five-day programs, entitled "how to organise and run libraries and data centres," aim to provide a better understanding of how advances in IT can help libraries and data centres to function more efficiently. The program "highlights how new technologies can help to provide cost-effective innovative services that will enable libraries and data centres to satisfy user needs more effectively and better utilise the ready available resources," said Rehab Mohammed Lootah, e-services provisioning officer, Dubai eGovernment. One aspect of the program attempts to teach library workers new rules and procedures for the manual and electronic classification and indexing of documents. Other aspects deal with electronic systems and databases, as well as standards for scheduling and tabling information.
Quelle: electricnews
