The Digital Marketplace, a platform that simplifies procurement processes for government buyers and private sector sellers, has awarded contracts in excess of $248 million across 1000 opportunities over the last two years.

“The Marketplace plays a key role in the ICT Procurement Transformation being led by the DTA. Our objectives are to improve access, encourage competition and innovation and streamline procurement processes. Our clear message is that the Australian government is open for business.” said Randall Brugeaud, Chief Executive Officer at the DTA. “We have always had high hopes for the Digital Marketplace. Our latest milestone of 1000 opportunities is a testament to the value of the platform for both government and industry.”

Since launching in 2016, the Marketplace has focused on transforming how government buys digital services. It has built a reputation for effectively and efficiently enabling buyers and sellers to connect and do business. It initially opened with a limited number of product categories and suppliers, but it quickly expanded its horizons. In early 2017 it was opened up to an unlimited number of sellers across a range of categories, including cyber security, data science and emerging technologies.

The Digital Marketplace now has well over 1700 buyers from almost 100 government agencies, enterprises and universities, the platform offers buyers a broad range of opportunities to partner with industry. It hosts an equally diverse range of sellers, with over 1000 businesses of all sizes listed in our seller catalogue. The Marketplace provides buyers with greater access to emerging and innovative sellers across multiple digital service categories.

It has also made it easier for businesses, especially small to medium enterprises (or SMEs), to access opportunities within government. This has been one of the key priorities for the Digital Marketplace. Almost three quarters of the $248 million in contracts have been awarded to SMEs, many of whom are working with the Australian Government for the first time. The Marketplace is now more diverse and open than ever, with growing interest from other government jurisdictions likely to increase this even further.

As an organisation committed to understanding the needs of users, the DTA has significantly improved the platform over time, leveraging the feedback of hundreds of buyers and sellers. “The success of the Digital Marketplace has been driven by the buyers and sellers who have helped us to establish a new way for government and business to work together on digital innovation,” said Dr Anthony Vlasic, Chief Strategy Officer at the DTA.“ It continues to evolve in an agile way, informed by the needs of people and businesses. Ongoing research and feedback is pivotal to how we work to continuously improve the service, ensuring the platform is simple, clear and fast for both buyers and sellers.”

Want to find out more? Explore current opportunities, or contact the team at marketplace@digital.gov.au