The Software Engineering Competence Center (SECC), affiliated to the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), contracted with 28 small and micro companies to develop applications designed to provide technological solutions for 40 government entities in various sectors. Among the most prominent government agencies benefiting from the programme are the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), the State Information Service (SIS), Ministry of Higher Education, the State Council, the governorates of Giza, Cairo, Alexandria, Assiut, in addition to the Suez Canal Authority, and more than 20 ministries on the company's clients list. The contracts concluded by the centre aim to provide integrated, creative solutions to government agencies and support telecommunications and information technology by small and micro Egyptian companies. It also aims to help the companies develop innovative and integrated solutions and technological applications for governmental bodies in Egypt with an estimated budget of EGP 20m. The SECC will support the contracted companies with up to EGP 150,000. This support includes launching the product as an integrated solution in the government agency's headquarters with all the required equipment to run the product and the licences of the programmes used in accordance with the agreement between the company and government entity. The warranty period of the product is three months minimum. The centre has set a number of conditions on the companies benefiting from the programme support, including commercial registry before January 2013 as a company operating in the field of telecommunications and information technology. To qualify, the companies must have Egyptian paid-up capital of not less than 51%, and less than 50 employees in total. The last annual income must be less than EGP 10m, and the company must be registered on the ITIDA database. ITIDA is currently evaluating the companies' viability according to the plan submitted by each company, as well as the quality of both the applications and the technological products according to the criteria adopted in this regard. ITIDA, which is affiliated to the Ministry of Communications, was established to promote the development of the IT sector and increase its competitiveness on the global level.
