Must-know ICT and government terminology

A Request for Tender is an open invitation to suppliers to pitch solutions that meet the buyer's specific needs. A tender submitted in response to an RFT must adhere to the buyer's stated requirements (usually spelled out in RFT documents) and typically undergo a value-for-money assessment alongside any other required assessments.

The gathering and analysis of information to answer specific questions or solve problems. Research services can include market research, scientific research, policy research, or social research and involve various methods, such as surveys, experiments, interviews, focus groups, and data analysis. Research services can be conducted by specialised research firms, consultants, or academic institutions.

Services provided by research firms or organisations that offer access to research reports, data, and other related materials on a regular basis to subscribers. These subscriptions can cover various areas such as industry analysis, market research, economic data, scientific findings, and more.

Agencies responsible for the management and regulation of natural resources, agriculture and energy industries (including mining, petroleum, and gas). These agencies are tasked with the development and implementation of policies, laws, and regulations related to the exploration, extraction, production, and management of natural resources, as well as overseeing environmental impacts and ensuring industry compliance.

A competitive procurement process where an agency invites a select group of potential suppliers to submit a tender. The selection of potential suppliers is based on criteria such as capability, expertise, and experience. Unlike an Open Tender, which is open to all interested suppliers, a Restricted Tender allows the agency to control the number and identity of potential suppliers, usually with the aim of achieving a higher quality of response.

A program or activity that generates income for the government. Revenue programs may include fees, taxes, fines, and other charges that are collected by the government from individuals, businesses, or other entities.

The process of identifying, analysing, evaluating, and mitigating risks that could impact an organisation's operations and systems. This involves identifying potential risks, assessing their likelihood and impact, and developing strategies to minimise or eliminate them. The aim is to protect the organisation from financial loss, data breaches, and other negative consequences. Risk assessment and management involve ongoing monitoring and evaluation to ensure that the organisation's security measures remain effective and up to date.

A technology that uses software robots, also known as bots or digital workers, to automate repetitive, rule-based tasks and processes that are typically performed by humans. These bots can interact with various systems and applications just like humans do, and they can perform tasks such as data entry, data manipulation, and document processing. RPA can be used in a wide range of industries and functions, including finance, HR, customer service, and IT, to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce costs. RPA is often used in conjunction with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies to create more advanced automation solutions.

A type of software used by organisations to manage employee schedules and tasks. The software automates the process of creating and managing employee schedules, including assigning tasks, tracking employee availability and leave, managing time off requests, and ensuring shift coverage.

The use of artificial satellites to provide various communication services such as voice, video, and data transmissions. In a government context satellite technology may be used to provide connectivity to rural and remote communities, enabling emergency services communications during natural disasters, and supporting defence and intelligence operations.