The WA Government has selected Perth-based company Empired as the dedicated cloud services provider for its GovNext-ICT program.

Among three principal contractors to join the GovNext program – alongside NEC Australia, Datacom, and Atos – Empired will provide the “core collaboration functions within the WA Government’s cloud environment,” according to a statement by the company.

“We are delighted to have been selected as a key player in providing services with NEC to the WA State Government under the GovNext-ICT framework,” said Russell Baskerville, managing director of
Empired. “This award is testament to Empired’s capability and investments in cloud-based services.”

The contact with GovNext-ICT will run for an initial five-year term, with an option to extend the program a further five years.

Valued at an estimated $15 million, Empired said the contract may increase significantly in value depending on government uptake and the successful provision of services throughout its five-year term.

“We are excited about this strategic and unique opportunity to deliver cloud services across WA Government,” Baskerville said. “Given our ICT capabilities, Empired is well-placed to provide broader cloud-based solutions as the GovNext-ICT framework evolves.”

According to the WA Government, the GovNext-ICT will enable agencies to simplify the public sector ICT environment, resulting in less complex projects that are more likely to succeed, as well as lowering costs and reducing duplication and waste.

The GovNext-ICT strategy aims to connect agencies through a common network and access to improved communications, increasing in-house collaboration and data sharing in the process.