SITA kick-starts SMME partnerships
The State Information Technology Agency (SITA) board has approved a SMME development strategy as the agency looks to promote small business and boost local economic development.
The board also approved an industry partner engagement and implementation partners certification models.
The programmes all form part of the agency’s plans to support the development of an indigenous ICT industry; SMMEs on IT skills development as well as stimulating local economic development to support provinces in job creation.
SITA has also started with the implementation of the models and strategies, and has kicked off engagements with some in-country Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) on their reseller partner accreditation.
The engagement with the various OEMs took place in June 2011 and several service categories - including telecommunications; network communication devices; storage and servers; desktops, notebooks, printers and software development - were all consulted.
“SITA has noticed that some of the requirements by the OEMs for reseller accreditation are very onerous and prohibitive to the participation of SMMEs and the growth of the IT industry. SITA as an agency mandated to drive ICT development for government is utilising its position to ensure that OEMs apply requirements that will foster broader participation of SMMEs within the IT sector and its growth,” said SITA.
The agency hopes that its talks with current and potential resellers will help improve operations only as products and services of OEMs contributing towards SMME and local economic development will be accredited.
“In this regard, SITA is also extending its consultations to in-country OEMs in above-specified categories that were not covered during the first round of engagement. This engagement will take place within the months of August and September 2011. Thereafter the OEMs in the next round of engagement will take place as per SITA service requirements categories,” SITA explained.
The agency is also on the look-out for implementation partners for the deployment of SITA solutions, in particular the implementation of the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS).
A Request for Partners (RFP) was gazetted in the National Tender Bulletin on 5 August 2011 and similar gazetting will happen on Friday, 12 August 2011 in Provincial Tender Bulletins across the country.