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The Department of Defence is seeking partners to provide cloud services for IT environments at the ‘secret’ security classification level.
According to a notice to industry listed on the federal government’s AusTender website, Defence is looking to improve its security stance, with it already utilising public cloud services at the official and protected classifications.
However, it is looking to improve on this further through a number of tranches to establish multi-vendor secret cloud capabilities hosted in Australia.
The first such tranche, the notice said, will see Defence partner with at least one cloud service provider to offer secure and scalable cloud services at the secret security classification level.
Specifically, Defence is looking for a cloud service provider with either necessary security clearances to establish and maintain the services or a plan to acquire such clearances.
While it is not looking for systems integrators or cloud implementation companies, cloud service providers are allowed to work with other partners in the creation and operation of the secret cloud capabilities.
Within Defence, the usage of such services will allow it to respond to changing tactical and strategic requirements, adopt modern technology suites and deploy new capabilities into the field faster.
In addition, secret cloud services would also be applicable to other departments.
“As national security and emergency management risks continue to escalate, security, policy and intelligence agencies, as well as emergency services need the ability to collaborate effectively and efficiently at the secret security classification,” the notice said.
“This includes an increasing need for all levels of government and their partners to collect, receive, analyse and communicate information and intelligence at the secret security classification.”
“The Australian government currently operates across multiple secret networks. While there has been much improvement in collaboration and coordination across Australian government agencies, this effectiveness is hampered by siloed information systems and the use of disparate networks.
“The establishment of an Australian government pathway to secret cloud capabilities will enhance interagency collaboration, support critical decision making and uplift national infrastructure to a common operating structure that is better equipped to face increasing cyber threats, natural disasters and events with a national impact.”
Partners have until 30 June to respond to the notice.
Earlier this month, CyberCX won a $3.9 million contract to help the Department of Defence with the development of its 10-year Cyber Security Strategy.
