Digital Investment Plan (DIP): Policy

DIP Policy

Policy Aim

As the need for accessible and easy-to-use digital services increases, the implementation of a consistent, comprehensive and long-term approach to digital investment planning is crucial. The Digital Investment Plan (DIP) Policy aims to address critical gaps in planning by establishing a structured framework with minimum standards for strategic, future-focused digital investment planning.

This policy outlines the requirements for agencies in the development and implementation of their DIPs, ensuring a more consistent approach to digital planning and enabling the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) to aggregate a whole-of-government view of the digital investment landscape.

This policy sets out the requirements agencies must meet to ensure alignment and uplift of whole-of-government priorities, agency’s strategic and corporate priorities and the vision and missions of the Data and Digital Government Strategy (the Strategy).

Authority

In November 2023, government agreed that from 1 July 2025, all non-corporate Commonwealth entities (NCEs) that are subject to the Digital and ICT Investment Oversight Framework (IOF) must have short, medium, and long-term digital plans in place to improve Australian Public Service (APS) digital and ICT planning capability.

Applicability

This policy applies to all agencies that are subject to the IOF.

Policy requirements

To comply with the DIP Policy -

Agencies must have a DIP to ensure improved planning and decision making across government.
Agencies must address the minimum requirements as defined in the DIP Guidebook. Please see an overview of the DIP Minimum Standards.
Agencies must designate a suitable responsible officer to approve the agency’s DIP to ensure coordinated and accountable digital investment planning across the APS. Agencies may choose a responsible officer who suits the agency context and structure. For example, a responsible officer can be the Chief Information Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Data Officer, Chief Digital Officer, the Chief Operating Officer or an Agency Head to suit agency preferences.
Agencies must ensure that proposals, projects and ongoing digital initiatives assessed by the DTA as part of the Digital and ICT Investment Oversight Framework (IOF) are aligned with their DIP.
Agencies must submit approved DIPs to the DTA at least once annually to assist the DTA in establishing a comprehensive view of whole-of-government digital investment planning.
All internally funded digital initiatives that are critical to agency functions must be outlined in the DIP.
The DIP should align with the agency’s strategic direction as per the agency’s corporate or strategic plan, enterprise architecture roadmap, digital and ICT strategy and demonstrate how the agency contributes to the achievement of the Strategy.
Agencies should review and refine their DIP on a bi-annual basis in line with the Budget and Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) cycle to ensure the DIP remains fit for purpose.

Background

As a part of a suite of Digital Planning Reforms (DPRs) set out by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PMC), and agreed by the Secretaries’ Digital and Data Committee (SDDC) in November 2023, the DTA took responsibility for pursuing a mandate for agencies to have short (between 0 to 2 years), medium (between 2 to 4 years) and long (between 4 to 10 years) term DIPs. Agreed by the government at the 2023-24 MYEFO, the mandate will commence 1 July 2025.

Definitions

Short-term strategic view:: Defines digital commitments between 0 to 2 years (0 to 24 months). The short-term strategic view is focused on well-developed proposals informed by high levels of detail.
Medium-term strategic view:: Defines digital commitments or plans between 2 to 4 years (25 to 48 months). The medium-term strategic view is focused on moderately developed proposals that need refinement but have a high degree of certainty.
Long-term strategic view:: Defines digital ambitions between 4 to 10 years (49 to 120 months). The long-term strategic view is focused on the thematic aspects of digital and ICT investment planning.

Policy objectives

The objectives of this policy are to:

create a consistent approach to digital planning across the Australian Government through the short, medium and long-term
enable informed decision making on digital investments while enhancing transparency, accountability and efficiency of digital transformation
address critical gaps in digital planning across the Australian Government
support agencies with aligning digital investment strategies with key government priorities
establish a comprehensive view of whole-of-government digital investment planning including critical gaps, shared challenges and opportunities
provide a long-term view of likely pressures that should be considered as part of digital investment prioritisation activities.

Policy implementation, monitoring and compliance

The policy takes effect on 1 July 2025.

The testing of the policy will commence at the MYEFO 2025-26 process through alignment of projects and ongoing digital initiatives assessed by the DTA to the DIP as part of the IOF, with an initial focus on the Digital Leadership Committee (DLC) members that are a part of the two-phased approach for the implementation of the DIP mandate.

Compliance checks by the DTA against this policy will commence for relevant Australian Government agencies who are seeking digital and ICT funding at 2025-26 MYEFO.

Non-compliance will impact DTA's assessment of proposals and projects in the digital investment pipeline.

Policy exemptions

Exemptions must be formally applied by contacting planning@dta.gov.au. Exemptions will be assessed by the DTA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or a delegate on a case-by-case basis.

Exemptions may be considered by the DTA as a part of the IOF process in specific circumstances such as but not limited to short notice, non-discretionary activities directed by the government.

This policy is not mandatory for the national intelligence community (NIC) as defined by Section 4 of the Office of National Intelligence Act 2018.

Review and amendment

This policy and associated guidance will be updated regularly to address critical gaps in digital planning across whole-of-government and assist agencies understand their policy requirements and how they are assessed against the requirements.

The policy will be reviewed after its initial 12 months of implementation then no less frequently than every 24 months.

Substantial amendments to the policy will require endorsement by the DLC.

Minor amendments to the policy will require approval from the DTA’s CEO or a delegate.

Contact information

For further information regarding this policy, please contact Long-Term Planning, Digital Capability Planning at planning@dta.gov.au.