Response to Tender no: RFB 2040/ 2019: Enterprise architecture toolset for SAPS on 6 Dec 2019:
Hi Lesley, I note this tender is advertised but would like to point out that going to tender could possibly miss out on far more cost effect effective and free and open source (no annual license renewals or restrictions) products such as ArchiMate or similar toolsets. Thinking back to the recent events for SA Police when they were held to ransom around their forensics system by the external provider, I would think they would be very interested in rather using an enterprise open source tool which is not only free of cost and procurement, but has no license restrictions in its use.
ArchiMate is a tool provided by the Open Group who also runs the various TOGAF courses that most departments of SA government attend. There was a move, within SITA as well as government, to try to standardise on the use of ArchiMate for SA government for the above reasons.
It would be a great pity if SAPS were again locked into an expensive proprietary product set. This could be the opportunity for SITA to take this requirement up a notch and look at it transversally for SA government.
The approach for SA gov, SAPS, or SITA to procure an open source tool would involve two steps:
1. A methodology to evaluate suitable free toolsets on the market without bidding. If a suitable tool is found then you go to step 2. If not, then an open bid is advertised knowing there was no suitable open source tool available.
2. Use of a contract such as contract 1183 to select a local service provider to install, configure and support the toolset if no internal resources are available.
SA gov’s open source policy approved by National Cabinet is still in force for procurement by SA government – see https://foss.oss.gov.za/?p=2373.
From https://www.archimatetool.com – “The ArchiMate® modelling language is an open and independent Enterprise Architecture standard that supports the description, analysis and visualisation of architecture within and across business domains. ArchiMate is one of the open standards hosted by The Open Group® and is fully aligned with TOGAF®. ArchiMate aids stakeholders in assessing the impact of design choices and changes.”
I’m hoping the above could save time, costs, and prevent any vendor lock in.
Regards,
Danie van der Merwe
