Media Statements - Government Electronic Market opens for business

15/11/00

Suppliers of goods and services can register with the revolutionary Government Electronic Market (Gem) from today.

Works and Services Minister Rob Johnson said Gem - a new system that allowed Government agencies to buy goods and services online - would be open for business before the year was out.

The Minister told a forum of business leaders that Toodyay company, TCW Commercial Furniture, had become the first Western Australian business to be registered with Gem.

Mr Johnson said Gem would save WA taxpayers millions of dollars each year through a massive reduction in administrative costs associated with the purchase of goods and services by Government agencies.

“Gem is Australia’s first comprehensive online procurement service and it will revolutionise the way goods and services are purchased by Government,” he said.

“From today, all suppliers to the State Government are able to register their interest in Gem and I urge them to do it sooner rather than later.

“Gem represents the future of purchasing in this State and any business that wants to access the Government’s almost $5 billion annual spend on goods and services needs to get on board now.”

Mr Johnson said an initial group of Government agencies, including the Department of Minerals and Energy, Ministry of the Premier and Cabinet and Wooroloo Prison farm, would be purchasing through Gem by the end of 2000.

A rollout to all other agencies would begin in early 2001.

“Government agencies are keen to participate because the cost of completing a transaction will plummet with Gem,” Mr Johnson said.

“At the moment it costs between $75 and $100 to process a simple transaction - sometimes more than the goods themselves. With Gem, this will drop to under $10.”

Mr Johnson said Gem was also designed to benefit suppliers, including small and medium enterprises and remotely located businesses.

“Gem will bring cost-effective access to thousands of Government buying points all over Western Australia,” Mr Johnson said.

“It will enable businesses to complete their sales transactions online, and ultimately receive payment electronically - that has to be good for turn-over and cash flow.”

CAMS has contracted a consortium led by Sun Microsystems to develop Gem using proven international IT products - iPlanet’s BuyerExpert, TraderExpert, ECXpert, Portal Server and a supplier registry from Adacel.

Gem will comply with Open Buying on the Internet (OBI) standards and supports Government supply policy.

To participate in Gem, suppliers can register and receive requests for quotes, or join a CAMS-endorsed Electronic Trading Association (ETA), or they may already have an OBI-compliant online shopping facility. Simply registering on the GEM Register of Suppliers is free.

Suppliers who are an existing member of a Government common use contract facility are automatically eligible to be included in Gem’s hosted catalogue.

To register interest, suppliers can leave their details electronically at http://www.gem.wa.gov.au or contact the Gem Helpline on (08) 9222 5468 or 1800 225 468 (country callers) between 7am and 7pm weekdays.

Regional suppliers can also visit their local CAMS office.

Media contact:
Fran Hodge (Minister’s office) 9215 4800
Michael Wearne (CAMS) 9222 5555