PwC delivers 2021 Census services on AWS

PwC Australia has been selected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to deliver key 2021 Census services.

The ABS appointed IT consultancy PwC to build and operate the 2021 Census digital service which constitutes of an online form, website and online assistance to help people complete the Census.

The solution will be built and operated on Amazon Web Services' (AWS) certified Protected cloud services.

The appointment follows a request for tender published by the ABS in August 2018 seeking submissions for the development, hosting and support of the 2021 Census digital service.

Specifically, the ABS said at the time it was looking for a responsive web application designed for mobile and desktop PC use, an online form designed to be accessible, secure and scalable and may include up to four different form types.

Now, the ABS and PwC will work with the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) and the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) to build a secure solution that manages the high demand anticipated for 2021 Census.

PwC's appointment was called a "major milestone" in delivering a safe, secure and high-quality Census by acting ABS deputy statistician Chris Libreri.

“PwC Australia brings to the 2021 Census a wealth of experience in managing and protecting sensitive personal information across the government, banking, superannuation and health sectors," Liberi said.

“Keeping people’s information secure and confidential is the highest priority for the ABS. It was a key factor in the digital services selection process and a critical consideration in the design of Census activities,” he added.

During the 2016 Census night, the system faced a period of outage of its online form causing delays. However, the ABS said those who used the online version found it quick and easy, reducing the time taken by households to complete the Census by 70 per cent compared to paper, and at all times data remained secure.