More Citizens and Businesses Satisfied with Government Digital Services

28 MAY 2019

Over 80 per cent of contracts in FY2019 are available for SMEs to partner with the government in building a Smart Nation

One year into the implementation of the Digital Government Blueprint (DGB) – first launched in June 2018 – citizens and businesses have expressed greater satisfaction with government digital services. The G2C (Government to Citizens) satisfaction survey score increased from 73 to 78 per cent, and the G2B (Government to Businesses) score rose from 64 to 69 per cent in 2018.

Over the past year, the government has rolled out more digital services that are integrated around citizens' and businesses’ needs and built common platforms to enable more seamless delivery of digital government services. Some of the new products launched include Moments of Life, SingPass Mobile and Parents Gateway (for citizens); Networked Trade Platform and MyInfo Business (for businesses).

Delivering secure, seamless and easy-to-use digital services through five platforms

In FY2019, the government will focus on developing five platforms that are key to meeting the DGB outcomes. These are the Singapore Government Technology Stack (SGTS), National Digital Identity (NDI), Smart Nation Sensor Platform (SNSP), Moments of Life (MOL), and Adaptive Digital Workplace (ADWP) for public officers.

  • The SGTS is a technology stack that enables public agencies to design, develop and deploy digital services more quickly and securely. The stack is a “digital backbone” of reusable, interoperable and scalable micro-services and digital infrastructure. Together with greater use of the commercial cloud and cloud-native services, agencies will spend less time building better digital products for citizens and businesses;

  • NDI is a digital credential that allows users to transact with the government and businesses using a single trusted digital identity. Industry can make use of the NDI to build new services and improve the security and user experience of existing services. By the third quarter of FY19, the government will launch “SG-Verify”, a facility for businesses to perform secure identity verification and data transfer through QR scanning. This will provide businesses with an alternative for visitor registration and access, customer acquisition at roadshows, or any other use cases that require identification;

  • SNSP is a nationwide sensor platform to help public agencies enhance situational awareness and provide more pre-emptive and responsive services to citizens by collecting, sharing and analysing data. The Lamppost-as-a-Platform trial will commence in the third quarter of FY19 in one-north and Geylang. The trial will assess the efficacy of leveraging lampposts to provide connectivity to and power various kinds of sensors by testing out use cases that support municipal, mobility and security domains;

  • MOL is the integration of different government services to be delivered to the citizen around a specific moment in his or her life. MOL was first launched in June 2018 for families of young children below six years old. By the third quarter of FY19, Moments of Life will be expanded to include new services that cater to other key life stages, for example, in helping seniors lead active and engaged lives;

  • The ADWP is an enabling digital platform for public officers to work more productively and collaborate better with other officers. As part of the public sector’s shift to commercial cloud, cloud-based Microsoft 365 suite of products will be progressively rolled out starting from second quarter of FY19.

Partnering with industry to build a Digital Government

Over 60 per cent of FY19’s total info-communications and technology (ICT) contract value is geared towards developing digital services on the five platforms. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) will be able to participate in over 80 per cent of the contracts in FY19.

An example of a local technology SME is Ufinity Pte Ltd, which worked with the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) on the MOL project. Mr Tung Teck Lee, Chief Executive Officer, Ufinity, said: “We are excited that the Government has continually provided ICT business opportunities to smaller companies like ours, so that we can play a part in Singapore’s Smart Nation drive.”

To make it easier for businesses to work with the Government, GovTech has worked with the Ministry of Finance to streamline and introduce new procurement methods for ICT contracts. These include:

  • Putting in place a new co-development partnership model for the industry to co-develop projects with agencies on the SGTS;

  • Enabling dynamic contracting in upcoming bulk tenders to allow new suppliers and requirements to be introduced throughout the contract period, thus providing more opportunities for companies to join the panel of suppliers;

  • Incorporating outcome-based procurement for Call for Solutions that will enable agency to transition from crowdsourcing innovative solutions to project pilot and subsequent deployment, without the need to call for an additional tender.

Mr Kok Ping Soon, Chief Executive of GovTech, said: “Citizens and businesses are more satisfied with our government digital services, but there is still room for improvement as we progress towards meeting the DGB targets by 2023. In FY19, with our focus on the five key technology platforms, there are many opportunities for public agencies to collaborate with the industry, especially the SMEs, in using technology to improve the lives of citizens, serve businesses better, and provide effective and convenient public services. We are heartened that there is a growing pool of SMEs that have stepped up and embraced technology, and we will continue to work with them to uplift their capabilities while helping us build a Smart Nation and Digital Government.”

The government’s progress in implementing DGB and the focus for FY2019 were announced by GovTech at the annual Smart Nation and Digital Government Industry Briefing themed “Engineering Digital Government; Making Lives Better” this morning.

ISSUED BY COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING GROUP

GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY AGENCY OF SINGAPORE

Related Resources

About Government Technology Agency

The Government Technology Agency (GovTech) is the lead agency driving Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative and public sector digital transformation. As the Centre of Excellence for Infocomm Technology and Smart Systems (ICT & SS), GovTech develops the Singapore Government’s capabilities in Data Science & Artificial Intelligence, Application Development, Sensors & IoT, Digital Infrastructure, and Cybersecurity.

GovTech supports public agencies in managing enterprise IT operations and developing new digital products for citizens and businesses. GovTech is the public sector lead for cybersecurity, oversees key government ICT infrastructure, and regulates ICT procurement, data protection, and security in the public sector. GovTech is a Statutory Board under the Smart Nation and Digital Government Group (SNDGG) in the Prime Minister’s Office.

For more information, please visit https://www.tech.gov.sg. Follow GovTech on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram @GovTechSG.

About Smart Nation

Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative is about harnessing the full power of digital and smart technologies to create new jobs and business opportunities in order to make our lives more convenient and our economy more productive through more efficient government and business processes. But beyond that, a Smart Nation is about creating new opportunities in a digital age and transforming the way people live, work and play so that Singapore remains an outstanding global city. For more information, please visit https://www.smartnation.sg.

For media enquiries, please contact:

TAN Boon Leng (Mr)
Communications & Marketing Group
Government Technology Agency
Tel: +65 6211 0375
Email: tan_boon_leng@tech.gov.sg

Elizabeth LEE (Ms)
Communications & Marketing Group
Government Technology Agency
Tel: +65 6211 1267
Email: elizabeth_lee@tech.gov.sg