SYDNEY: Boffins at the CSIRO are looking to build an online portal for the procurement of IT services and hardware.

Australia’s science supremos will use the portal to acquire IT hardware and services for the next five years. 

CSIRO is seeking tenders for the portal, and says it anticipates spending between $6 million and $7 million annually as it builds its network infrastructure. 

The organisation wants the portal to give it access to a full array of hardware and datacentre equipment. The agency is also looking for software to handle firewalls, management systems, server virtualisation and cyber-security, among other products.

Submissions for the tender close on June 22, with work expected to begin in September.