WA gov expands Microsoft enterprise agreement

The WA government will expand its Microsoft enterprise agreement to give agencies greater access to cyber security tools after securing an in-principle agreement with the software vendor.

Innovation and ICT Minister Stephen Dawson negotiated the variation to the common use arrangement (CUA) at a recent meeting with Microsoft executives in Seattle during a US mission.

Under the proposal, the enterprise agreement will be upgraded from E3+ to E5, providing access to “standardised tools” that help to identify “threats across multiple government environments”.

The tools will also “assist with training at scale and establishing a knowledge base for threat intelligence and data sharing”, the government said.

iTnews has contacted the minister’s office for further information about the types of tools that will be provided.

Dawson said the in-principle agreement to vary the CUA will allow the government to better leverage "data to inform operations and improve cyber security capabilities”.

It will also help it deliver “more online services”, a focus for the government following the creation of its digital capability fund and digital strategy last year.

Microsoft public sector general manger for A/NZ Mark Leigh said the “unique agreement” had helped the WA government “quickly become a cyber security leader not only in Australia, but also globally”.

“We are proud to be supporting the WA government on their journey to become one of the most digitally progressive and leading state governments to drive economic growth for its citizens,” he said.

In 2020, the WA government entered a direct contract with Microsoft, having previously relied solely on a reseller agreement with Data#3.

The state’s Office of Digital Government also signed a memorandum of understanding with Microsoft on cyber security.

At the time of the 2020 agreement, 15 agencies were already using Azure Security Centre, with another 10 using its security information and event management (SIEM) tool, Azure Sentinel.