Government`s Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Development Council is calling for success stories from local IT companies that wish to be promoted internationally.
The DTI plans to publish a marketing brochure, named the SA Vanguard of Technology (Savant), within the next two months, and is looking for 14 companies to present as examples of what the local IT industry is capable of.
The DTI says the intention is to encourage investor confidence in SA, specifically in the IT sector.
<B>Two submissions will be selected in each of the following categories:</B>
* IT training and certification
* Wireless development, including application software
* Call centres
* Pilot/test labs
* Niche software development and application enhancement
* Infrastructure establishment in Africa and application hosting for Africa
* General IT development successes
The brochure, with accompanying Web site www.savant.co.za, is to be distributed internationally through the offices of the DTI and at trade fairs and similar events where it is represented. Savant is to be an ongoing project updated regularly.
Although the success stories need not be recent, they should be inspirational and groundbreaking. International recognition, a presence outside of SA and products with a global impact will receive preference.
An independent panel of adjudicators will examine all submissions and two are to be selected in each of the seven categories under consideration.
Submissions must be 100 words or less in length, must reach the DTI before 29 May and should include pictures if possible. They can be addressed to Savant project manager Sar`e Grobler at sgrobler@dti.pwv.gov.za.
The ICT Development Council is a public-private partnership, with representatives from large IT companies and government, and is chaired by trade and industry minister Alec Erwin.
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