Targeted capital expenditure

The Department receives capital expenditure bids from within the organisation to supply or build technological solutions to resolve or overcome shortcomings in the delivery of its prescribed outcomes. The Department ranks these projects ensuring that priority is given to those with the greatest benefit to the organisation's ability to deliver its stated outcomes.

At present, the Department has two major initiatives underway:

• A programme to rebuild and enhance its information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure.
• The development of a stage 2 business case for an initiative to provide enhanced support to its Workforce group by the implementation of the Immigration Business Transformation (IBT) project.

Routine capital expenditure

The Department operates a replacement programme for three classes of fixed assets. The replacement programmes are there to ensure that:

• maintenance costs are reduced by replacing equipment before major malfunctions occur
• changes in technology are embraced
• staff are adequately resourced to perform their roles.

The Department is in the process of developing longer-term capital planning including asset management. While there are a number of asset replacement programmes in place, this planning is expected to be an ongoing process. The initial plan is expected to be completed in 2008/09.