Australian government re-signs AWS for whole-of-government cloud deal

Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) whole-of-government deal with the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA), allowing all federal, state, territory agencies and departments, as well as public universities and government-controller corporations to access AWS cloud services has been renewed for another three years.

The contract will be effective from May 1, and enable public sector customers to continue accessing AWS Cloud services, which they can purchase via the DTA or directly from AWS. Based on tender documents, the value of the contract is AU$174 million.

For the first time, customers will also be able to purchase AWS Cloud services through the AWS Partner Network with companies such as PwC, Accenture, NextGen, Shine Solutions, and Versent, under the terms of what AWS ANZ public sector country director Iain Rouse described as an “enhanced” agreement.

“By working with AWS Partners, the government will further strengthen the development of Australia’s technology capabilities and help to accelerate the digitisation of citizen services,” he said in a blog post.

As part of the agreement, AWS said it will also work with DTA and the Australian Public Service Commission to provide cloud training programs across government, while also continuing to provide access to AWS enterprise support and professional services.

AWS first scored the contract in 2019, after the DTA moved away from its former provider, IBM. Since then, government agencies such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Geoscience Australia, and Curtin University have taken advantage of the whole-of-government agreement with AWS. 

As of December 2021, 125 AWS Cloud services available in the AWS Sydney Region have been granted protected-level certification, the highest data security certification attainable for public cloud services issued by the Australian government, by the Information Security Registered Assessors Program, AWS said.

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