IBM Wins Outsourcing Contracts Worth More Than S$16 million
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Singapore (July 30, 1998) – IBM today announced that eight Singapore government institutions and ministries have awarded desktop outsourcing contracts worth more than S$16 million to IBM Global Services.
Between April and July 1998, Institute of Health, Monetary Authority of Singapore, Ministry of Communication, Ministry of Education, Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore Broadcasting Authority, Singapore Tourism Board and Subordinate Court separately appointed IBM Global Services to provide proactive information systems support and administration to their users totaling just over 5,200. The contracts were awarded to IBM under a National Computer Board (NCB) initiative known as EASE or Enterprise proActive Support Environment.
Benefits of this outsourcing agreement with IBM are twofold. Users in these institutions have a single contact point for their day-to-day information systems operation through a sophisticated multi-vendor and multi-platform helpdesk operation managed by IBM. In addition, corporate management of these organisations are relieved of the burden of investments in manpower and state-of-the-art technology needed to manage, track and resolve user complaints.
Mr Ang Miah Boon, General Manager of IBM Global Services, ASEAN/South Asia, said: “The compelling advantage of outsourcing is the ability to deliver results to the users and the management within budget. In this respect, IBM’s strong solution offering and solid track record in top-quality information systems services are the key deciding factors for our customers.”
IBM’s solution offering for the full suite of EASE programme comprises a set of proven operational processes with advanced network management tools such as Tivoli, a platform-independent software for proactive network monitoring and management, and a team of more than 300 information technology professionals for round-the-clock service.
These work together to provide:
Helpdesk service – to provide of a single point of contact for all users to make enquiries or report problems
Performance and fault management service – to monitor system performance and detect faults of network, servers and databases using of technology tools
Asset management service – to track all information technology assets electronically
Software distribution service – to electronically deliver software to users
Professional support services – to plan, implement and maintain new and existing systems
Value to customers
The first adopter of NCB’s EASE programme is Institute of Health whose agreement with IBM started on April 1998 for the full range of services under EASE. Ms Nellie Goh, Secretary for Public Health Services, Ministry of Health, said: “With IBM managing our information systems operations and providing us professional guidance on IT services, we can confidently provide a good service to our patients.”
Another customer, Mr Patrick Lau, Director, Planning, Singapore Tourism Board, said: “We were impressed by IBM’s solution offering for EASE. It showed commitment to effectively and productively manage our information systems operations, whilst giving us a clear indication of system usage and costs. Altogether, the IBM solution offered our management the value-added services we required.”
EASE initiative for the civil service
The EASE initiative, conceptualised by NCB in late 1997, will span three years, up to January 31, 2001, at the cost of S$60 million. It has been developed to shift information systems departments within Singapore’s civil service sector towards higher value-added competencies such as technology planning and architecture. NCB believes that this programme will overcome current common information systems support issues such as the shortage of skilled IT manpower, and capital expenditure on new technologies.
In February 1998, NCB announced its short list of three vendors including IBM for EASE initiative. Government institutions interested in deploying EASE for their operations will then evaluate each vendor’s offering and finalise the appointments which could range between one and three years.
Source: IBM