NORWEGIAN GOVERNMENT TO REVOLUTIONIZE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION VIA THE INTERNET

Norway’s Public Sector Set To Go On-Line With An Internet ‘Dialtone’ Framework As Easy To Use As That Of The Global Telephone Dialtone

2 February 1998 - With over 35 per cent of its population already regularly using the Internet, and realizing the potential it offers to deliver more effective, cost-efficient public administration services, the Norwegian Government has implemented the Public Sector Network initiative. This will create a national Internet-based infrastructure that will enable transform the Government Public administration (both local and central government) to transform from a traditional paper-based, bureaucratic organization into an easily approached, responsive on-line body. By 2001, the aim is to make the Government use of on-line information and service delivery a prerequisite in some key areas mandatory.

The Public Sector Network is a joint venture between The Ministry of National Planning and Co-ordination and The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities.

The Norwegian Government’s objective is to utilize the Internet to empower its population to manage their relationship with the Public Administration in the fields of own tax, welfare and other public administration functions. This will enable the Government to streamline departments, readjust itself, improve service levels and significantly reduce costs on currently labor-intensive paper-based tasks.

Initially over 100 paper-based reporting mechanisms between public bodies are being targeted for conversion to on-line systems with the aim to convert every applicable service by 2001.

Along with Singapore, Norway leads the world in the creation of a national, Internet-based infrastructure to administer public services and improve Government operational efficiency. Unlike other nations, such as the UK and the USA, which appear committed to relying on market forces and major suppliers, Norway has taken the decision to positively intervene to guarantee the construction of an effective, supplier-independent and flexible national on-line resource.

Explaining the challenges and problems posed by the creation of a national infrastructure, Gard Titlestad, head of the Secretariat for IT Standardization, said: "The more common approach to this project would have been to build one big Government network that is planned, constructed and managed centrally. However, this approach is not very flexible and would almost certainly have required the costly duplication or replacement of existing infrastructure - in fact it would probably have failed.

"The alternative is to adopt a more ‘open’ approach that protects the vast investment of public money in existing infrastructure and enables the ongoing integration of new technology from a broad range of suppliers. To do this we identified the need for a common framework - an industry-agreed reference point by which to identify standards, products and technologies that provide consistent features and attributes, such as security and reliability - now and in the future. A solution is to work closely with The Open Group to assist in the delivery of its IT DialTone architecture."

To ensure that the Public Sector Network remains flexible and maximizes the use of the latest market developments in technology and service, the project is based on a framework agreement. This guides the procurement policies of each municipality and Government department, and guarantees and consistent approach to the network implementation. This agreement will be re-negotiated yearly to reflect the dynamics of market development.

"It's really a challenge to match the formal, juridical framework with the needs of the marketplace, especially under the EU rules for public procurement," said Titlestad.

The Open Group - a vendor-neutral, international consortium of more than 200 members, including leaders in government, academia, worldwide finance, health care, commerce and telecommunications - is committed to identifying and delivering a defined collection of standards, technologies and products that provide a specified, industry-agreed level of security and reliability to all intranet and Internet users. This initiative is called the IT DialTone.

There are currently many point-solutions, technologies and products from a growing number of suppliers. But how do companies wishing to utilize the Internet understand the benefits and risks associated with each one? Which ones work with each other, conform to agreed standards or will remain relevant in five years time? How do you avoid making proprietary decisions that could erode the required benefits of the Internet?

The objective of the IT DialTone framework is to provide this information, this confidence, by providing a reference point and an agreed approach to the development and implementation of Internet standard specifications, technologies and products.

Joseph De Feo, president and CIO of The Open Group, said: "The Norwegian Government is leading Europe in the charge to realize the true social potential of the Internet. As part of this process they have identified the benefits of basing their future infrastructure development on robust, industry-agreed standards not on proprietary solutions, which they realize could eventually erode the country’s ability to communicate freely with the world if alternative, non-compatible decisions are made by other governments, companies or organizations."

The relationship between the Norwegian Ministry of National Planning and Co-ordination and The Open Group is set to continue. As the Group evolves into a central resource which will test, brand and guarantee compatibility with IT DialTone specifications, products and technologies it will contribute substantially to projects like the Norwegian Public Sector Network.

Case Sudy: The Government of Norway Provides Its Citizens with Internet-based Public Administration Services