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Singapore Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) last week announced the second open call for cloud computing proposals, details to be given this month.

IDA operates as the chief information officer of the Singapore government. It formulates the master plan of ICT strategies (the iN2015 master plan) and implements ICT systems for the Singapore government. It also oversees the IT standards, policies, guidelines and procedures of the government.

First announced at CloudAsia in May 2010, the Open Call for cloud proposals is aimed to "award compute resources to a number of industry, research and government players who will be working on cloud projects," according to Ronnie Tay, CEO of Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) of Singapore at the Infocomm Industry Forum on 28 October 2010.

Selected cloud proposals from the first open call comprised video hosting and streaming platforms, social media monitoring and analysis solution, document sharing platform, marketplace for cloud services, RFID-enabled asset traceability and management Software-as-a-Service, commodity trading and investment risk assessment solutions, and mobile phone data screening solution.

Tay said, "In Singapore, with the Next Gen NBN [next-generation broadband network] coming online, more companies will be able to leverage cloud-based services over the ultra-high speed fiber connectivity.

"In the area of disruptive and innovative technologies, the development of capabilities like cloud computing and business analytics will change the way that businesses can operate and leverage on infocomm. The inherent benefits of the cloud delivery model to business agility, including its low start up costs, low fixed costs, and faster time to market will become increasingly valuable to companies even as customer needs change even more rapidly," he added.

In Singapore, the infocomm industry continues to drive the city state's economy. In 2009, the infocomm industry contributed 7.7% to Singapore's GDP. Revenue for the infocomm industry continued to grow, reaching US$63 billion in 2009.