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<div class="moz-text-html" lang="x-western">To the NSW Procurement
Team,<br>
<br>
We, the Australian and New Zealand chapter of the Open Source
Geospatial Foundation, are concerned that NSW Procurement
guidelines about Open Source Software are dated and need to be
changed.<br>
<br>
The guidelines:<br>
* Inaccurately imply Proprietary Software is less risky than Open
Source [1],<br>
* Unfairly discriminate against Open Source Software solutions and
Australian Open Source businesses [1],<br>
* Conflict with Australian government policy which directly
mandate that Open Source and Proprietary Software should be
considered equally. [2]<br>
* Increases the cost and reduce the value of NSW Government IT
purchases by actively discouraging use of Open Source.<br>
<br>
Could the NSW Procurement Team please review the current Open
Source statement, assess the appropriateness of updating to
Australian Government Policy statements related to Open Source,
and reply describing how you plan to address this issue.<br>
<br>
<b>Reference 1:</b><br>
<br>
The NSW IT procurement framework (version 3.1) specifically
discourses use of Open Source software with Major Project System
Integration Services.<br>
<br>
<i>23 Open Source Software </i><i><br>
</i><i>23.1 The Contractor must ensure that: </i><i><br>
</i><i>(a) none of the Deliverables comprise Open Source Software;
and </i><i><br>
</i><i>(b) it does not insert any Open Source Software into the
Customer Environment, except to the extent otherwise approved by
the Customer in writing. </i><i><br>
</i><i>23.2 Where the Customer gives its approval in relation to
the use of any Open Source Software </i><i><br>
</i><i>under clause 23.1: </i><i><br>
</i><i>(a) the Contractor must ensure that the use of that Open
Source Software will not result in an obligation to disclose,
license or otherwise make available any part of the Customer
Environment or any of the Customer’sConfidential Information to
any third party; and </i><i><br>
</i><i>(b) the use of that Open Source Software will not in any
way diminish the Contractor’s obligations under the Contract,
including without limitation in relation to any warranties,
indemnities or any provisions dealing with the licensing or
assignment of Intellectual Property. </i><br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://www.procurepoint.nsw.gov.au/before-you-supply/standard-procurement-contract-templates/procure-it-framework-version-31">https://www.procurepoint.nsw.gov.au/before-you-supply/standard-procurement-contract-templates/procure-it-framework-version-31</a><br>
See: Module 13A Major project systems integration services<br>
<br>
<b>Reference 2:</b><br>
Australian Government Policy on Open Source Software:<br>
<br>
<i>Principle 1: Australian Government ICT procurement processes
must actively and fairly consider all types of available
software.</i><i><br>
</i><i>Australian Government agencies must actively and fairly
consider all types of available software (including but not
limited to open source software and proprietary software)
through their ICT procurement processes. It is recognised there
may be areas where open source software is not yet available for
consideration. Procurement decisions must be made based on value
for money. Procurement decisions should take into account </i><i><br>
</i><i>whole-of-life costs, capability, security, scalability,
transferability, support and manageability requirements.</i><i><br>
</i><i>For a covered procurement (over $80K), agencies are
required to include in their procurement plan that open source
software will be considered equally alongside proprietary
software. Agencies will be required to insert a statement into
any Request for Tender that they will consider open source
software equally alongside proprietary software. Tender
responses will be evaluated under the normal requirements of the
Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines. For a non-covered
procurement (below $80K), agencies are required to document all
key decisions, as required by the Commonwealth Procurement
Guidelines. This includes how they considered open source
software suppliers when selecting suppliers to respond to the
Select Tender or Request for Quotation.</i><i><br>
</i><br>
Australian Government Policy on Open Source Software,
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.finance.gov.au/policy-guides-procurement/open-source-software/">http://www.finance.gov.au/policy-guides-procurement/open-source-software/</a><br>
<br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Cameron Shorter,
President of the Australian Chapter of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation,
Software and Data Solutions Manager, LISAsoft
Suite 112, Jones Bay Wharf,
26 - 32 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009
P +61 2 9009 5000, W <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.lisasoft.com">www.lisasoft.com</a>, F +61 2 9009 5099</pre>
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