WorkingMouse and the Department of Defence MPS Project: A Case Study in Innovation and Trust
Introduction
The Department of Defence’s My Procurement System (MPS) project stands as a testament to innovation within the public sector and as an exemplar for how a government- focussed ICT solution should be developed. With WorkingMouse (WM), a local SME, as the System Integrator (SI), this project has not just modernised the way the department handles its procurement, but also the mechanisms for the successful delivery of ICT projects in a blended environment of APS, SI and contractors.
Circumstance
In 2017, Defence had over 13 disparate systems (excel, access, email accounts etc.) managing their Non-Materiel Procurement (NMP) workflow and tasking. WorkingMouse was engaged to consolidate this into a single application – the Commercial Tracker (CT). The success of CT led to continuation of WorkingMouse’s engagement and the initiation of the My Procurement System (MPS). Driven by NMP Branch’s willingness to innovate in the Procurement digitisation space and a lack of fit for purpose CoTS options, WM worked with DoD to realise their vision to build a user-led procurement platform aligned to Defence procurement process and tied to federal government procurement policy. MPS went live in 2021. WM continues to work with DoD to enhance MPS, it is to be mandated for use across Defence before July 2024 and has managed more than $8B of procurement this financial year alone.
Action
WorkingMouse introduced their Way of Working (WoW) to Defence on commencement of the CT project. Based on the agile methodology and constantly being refined through a scientific framework of experimentation, the methodology was readily adopted across the blended team and has underpinned much of the success of CT and MPS. The continuous delivery of value and the structured but flexible agile framework-built trust quickly and created an environment for everyone to share in success. WM delivered on time, on budget applications that have received internal DoD awards for innovation and have been broadly recognised for their positive impact at senior levels within Defence.
Result
CT gave Defence NMP branch transparency of their procurement activity across their commercial support team. The digitisation of the Endorsement to Proceed (ETP) form as part of this modernisation meant that the quantum of procurement from a dollar value could be consolidated, aggregated, and understood for the first time.
MPS has transformed the way Defence does procurement. Described by the previous First Assistant Secretary (FAS) as ‘The smartest thing I have ever seen in government procurement’ it has enabled a level of oversight and transparency that has improved strategic and operational management, reduced duplication of effort and freed up the commercial support team’s time to focus on more value- added contracting activities. It also provides the mechanism to drive process and policy reforms like ensuring users engage with the appropriate number of vendors during the procurement process in real time.
MPS has been designed to integrate seamlessly with the One ERP Defence SAP project through secure APIs.
*MPS application pages
Ethical Behaviour
Throughout the project, WorkingMouse maintained a strong ethical stance, ensuring that all actions were guided by principles of fairness, honesty, and integrity. Some key aspects of this were ensuring security clearance and sovereignty of team members working on the project for compliance. More recently, with the departure of key Department team members, the department has leant on WorkingMouse to fulfil Business Analysis, project management and deployments. The trust placed in WorkingMouse by the Department of Defence was met with a commitment to transparency and ethical practices, reinforcing the importance of these values in public sector projects.
Sustainability
The MPS project’s sustainability is evident in its long-term benefits to the department and the broader community. By optimising resource
allocation and budget control, the system has had a positive economic impact, ensuring taxpayer money is managed responsibly. Additionally,
the environmental benefits of digitising the procurement process have contributed to a reduction in paper use and a smaller carbon
footprint. Socially, the project has strengthened the public’s trust in the department’s ability to manage funds and
sensitive information effectively.
Conclusion
The Department of Defence MPS project, led by WorkingMouse, is a shining example of how ethical, sustainable, and innovative software solutions can transform public sector operations. The project’s success demonstrates the potential for local SMEs to deliver high-quality, impactful systems that meet the complex needs of government departments, ultimately benefiting the entire nation.
