19 November 1999
On-line news and information services targeted at government have been granted their first framework agreements by the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency.
The five-year deals with the commercial companies allow government agencies to subscribe to the on-line services without undergoing the normal cumbersome procurement procedures.
They also open up the prospect of new commercially owned channels disseminating government press releases and other information around the 4 million civil and public servants via the Internet.
A recent report commissioned by Cap Gemini claimed that government intranets were under-used and should be better exploited to share information.
Some services require subscribers to pay, while others are free, relying on advertising for income.
Most of the on-line providers trade on what they see as a contribution to joined-up government.
Among the fledgling on-line publishers is PublicNet Briefing, which distributes a daily e-mail newsletter supported by a website.
A director of the company, Don Morley, said: 'We believe external sources can help in creating a culture change. Our research shows there
is a big gulf between the rhetoric of politicians and chief executives and the reality.'
l On the weekly updated Public Finance website, a new feature allows articles from the archive to be sent directly to readers' friends and colleagues anywhere in the world.
PFnov1999
