ICTs are doing more than just helping firms increase output and lower costs. New software and hardware tools are fueling follow-on innovation both within and outside the ICT industry -- from transportation and manufacturing to agriculture, health care, education, and government. ICT innovations are helping companies transform business processes and are even creating whole new industries. Through improved ICT infrastructure and learning, governments are also giving their citizens the skills and tools to expand their opportunities, and even develop new commercial ventures.

ICT systems have become significantly more diverse in the last 10 years, and ICT customers, including government procurement officers, have taken advantage of this situation by pursuing the best technological solutions available to meet their needs, even if that means acquiring hardware and software products from multiple vendors. Fortunately, the ICT industry has risen to the challenge by improving interoperability in this increasingly heterogeneous environment.

Recently, some governments have taken an interest in promoting ICT interoperability. Governments have two distinct interests in this area:

• As major customers of ICT systems, governments will often wish to consider interoperability along with other key factors (e.g., security, reliability, accessibility, overall value) when procuring products and services.
• As policymakers, governments will want to ensure that policies relating to interoperability promote innovation, consumer welfare, and competition.

This paper examines the many facets of interoperability in more detail in order to provide a foundation for principles to guide government action in this area.

Read full document at: www.intgovforum.org/Rio_Meeting/interventions/bsa_statement_interoperability.pdf