The amounts paid to the company in each year since 2000 are as follows:
Year
|
|
Amount
|
2000
|
Attendance at conferences and events
|
IEP 2,651
|
|
Membership subscription
|
IEP 21,447
|
|
Review of IS Division
|
IEP 243,998
|
|
Review of Application Integration Strategies
|
IEP 8,470
|
2001
|
Attendance at Conferences
|
IEP 307.48
|
|
Membership subscription
|
IEP 48,000
|
2002
|
Attendance at Conferences
|
€5,409
|
|
Membership subscriptions
|
€122,452
|
2003
|
Attendance at Conferences
|
€387
|
|
Membership subscriptions
|
€127,050
|
2004
|
Membership subscriptions
|
€55,054
|
|
IS Strategy Review
|
€80,877
|
2005
|
Membership subscriptions
|
€129,167
|
In addition, payments were made in respect of Reach, financed by the Information Society Fund, as follows: 2000, €7,742; 2001, €29,043; 2002, €43,174; 2003, €39,322; 2004, €18,876; and 2005, €22,152.
The company is internationally recognised as one that provides vendor-independent detailed ICT industry expertise. It provides industry analysis and access to its analysts through a number of membership services. It has clients in every industry sector and is ideally placed to provide examples of international good practice.
General membership services provide my Department's information systems managers with access to independent reports and research papers on various aspects of new technologies and architectures. Executive Program membership further allows senior IT management in my Department to benefit from regular access to a designated highly qualified local consultant, unlimited access to analysts worldwide and specific guidance on enterprise level industry best practice as well as access to a network of senior IT organisations.
Membership is through subscription services for which the normal public procurement tender process is not applicable. My Department has enrolled for membership at various levels over the years and the quality of the non-vendor specific material and data available has met its expectations. Given the scale and complexity of the Department's ICT, the budgets involved, and the long-term implications of decisions taken, it considers that this access to quality independent advice represents good value for money.
My Department has also engaged the company on a small number of projects over the years. Information systems division organisational review: My Department engaged the company to carry out a resource review of its IS division in 2000 and to benchmark against similar organisations. The company was chosen as a result of a public procurement process, for which eight companies submitted tenders. I am satisfied that value for money was achieved because the report delivered on the requirements and expectations. Aspects of it have been implemented and it continues to inform ISD organisational policies.
Information systems strategy: In 2004, the company was engaged to review and validate the information systems strategy, prepared by the Department's management team. The contract was placed in accordance with guidelines for single tender procurement. The review represented value for money because it confirmed the validity of the Department's approach to its future IS strategy, as well as highlighting gaps and informing the resolution of its strategic approach.
Review of application integration architecture strategies: The company was asked to carry out an independent validation of the business case and the approaches to improving the quality of data interfaces between different types of computer applications, current and future. It was the only company requested to tender for this work because of the nature and relatively small size of the contract. It was chosen for its expertise in the research and analysis of emerging trends in the software market, including integration between current and future application platforms. Value for money was achieved because the review confirmed the business case and the range of approaches that needed to be considered for future developments, including integration of existing applications with the emerging service delivery modernisation programme.