NSW DCS tenders for info-archiving services provider

The NSW Department of Customer Service (DCS) has released a tender for Info-Archiving Services for Managed Application Support, seeking a provider to establish and manage a Business As Usual (BAU) support function for its OpenText Info-Archive system.

The three-year contract, with options for four one-year extensions, is set to commence on 11 November 2025 and aims to provide robust data archival and retrieval capabilities for legacy applications across DCS agencies.

Core objectives of the supplier's activities are to provide a robust and scalable BAU function to support current and future archived applications seamlessly while minimising costs for DCS and its agencies.

Key deliverables outlined in the tender document include comprehensive archiving services for data ingestion into Info-Archive across various complexity levels.

For simple applications, tasks involve basic user requirements gathering and configuration, while complex data models like financial and enterprise resource planning systems demand in-depth business analysis, optimised database models, and API integrations.

High-volume systems such as mainframe applications require solutions focusing on high-throughput processing and artificial intelligence/machine learning integration.

Post-archive support deliverables span four critical areas: system support, user support, system maintenance, and account management.

This includes continuous monitoring of system availability, rectification of outages, unlimited helpdesk support, security management, proactive maintenance, and regular health check reports.

An application support model similar to the arrangement with the incumbent provider, who currently delivers managed application support for DCS with SLA-based BAU support for the InfoArchive system, is also sought.

That model includes a monthly retainer for OpenText InfoArchive with system enhancements available on a time-and-materials basis.

A simplified pricing model that averages costs across all applications regardless of complexity, providing predictable support costs, is preferred.

The scope of services includes comprehensive application support for existing and new systems being ingested into Info-Archive, system monitoring, unlimited helpdesk support via ServiceNow, user management, system maintenance, and account management.

A key requirement in the tender is the provision of incremental storage, with the supplier expected to provide additional capacity in various tiers including 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, and 5TB options.

A selected vendor will also be responsible for maintaining the current version of the OpenText software to ensure continuity of support.

Performance measurements include strict service level agreements for incident response and resolution, with critical incidents requiring a 30-minute response time and resolution within four hours, with expected compliance thresholds of 95%.