ESRI Australia is the sole distributor of ESRI ArcGIS software in Australia.
The procurement is an extension or continuation of an existing service. The Agency has made significant investments in data management practices, customised software and services underpinning many day to day operations, products and services based on ESRI ArcGIS desktop and server based software. Key high profile systems including LIST, LISTmap, Common Operating Platform (COP) and Natural Values Atlas utilise ArcGIS software to provide data storage and web services frameworks.
Sourcing an alternate software solution to replace ArcG IS software within the Agency that would inter-operate with existing processes, data storage systems and spatial web services would not be possible given the proprietary nature of the software, technical limitations of alternate solutions and the significant customisations developed within the Agency on top of the ArcGIS platform. Significant re-engineering of systems and work practices would need to be undertaken with any alternate solution and in many cases required functionality would not be possible in those solutions.
Business units within DPIPWE including Land Tasmania do utilise other GIS solutions both commercial (Map Info) and open source solutions in their daily operations so significant knowledge and experience exists within the Agency of available and alternate software and their capabilities and limitations. Land Tasmania staff regularly monitor advancements in GIS software and solutions, both commercial and open source. This knowledge and experience has been used as a basis for justifying the circumstances under which direct sourcing applies.
It is not reasonable to compel the Agency to consider alternative software where it is known alternative software will incur significant additional expenditure without commensurate improvements in efficiency or effectiveness.
