Bizarre situation at the authority for the digitalization of Romania: only 12% of the employees are IT-you / how to get here and what help the institution from the Government is now asking for

Only 31 employees have diplomas in the IT&C specialization of the more than 250 employees of the authority for the digitization of Romania, responsible for IT systems such as Ghișeul.ro and the electronic public procurement system (Seap). Soon ADR will manage 30 other IT applications in the government private cloud And, for lack of experts, it asks for the help of the Government: a new structure with cloud specialists employed for a period of 7 years.

The authority that will manage the cloud IT systems lacks expertise and IT-you

A project of GEO recently launched in public consultation is aimed at creating a new structure at the level of the authority for the digitization of Romania (ADR), the centralized unit for cloud and advanced technologies, with specialists outside the organizational chart, in which maximum 30 specialists in cloud technologies, advanced technologies, information technology and communications are employed.

The reason? The authority has no expertise in this area and no specialists or money for competitive salaries at the market level.

“The lack of previous experience in the administration and development of the large -scale cloud infrastructures and services, the need to quickly develop the technical and organizational capacities necessary to effectively manage the government private cloud (CPG), the lack of specific professional expertise, the lack of motivating financial factors are the elements that are the basis of the introduction of these provisions. With December 2024 the dedicated cloud component of CPG is already delivered, installed and operational and which is prepared to host the computer systems/applications of the public institutions that are provided to be migrated, through investment 2, component 9 of the PNR ”, the foundation note shows.

They will be employed over a period of 7 years.

Their performances will be evaluated periodically every six months, their employment contracts being able to cease if they do not meet performance indicators.

The 30 IT experts will manage the other ADR computer systems and

Although the emergency is given by the lack of experience in managing the government private cloud, the duties of the new structure concern all IT systems managed by ADR:

“UCCTA carries out activities for the administration and management of applications, PNR -funded platforms, cohesion policy funds and other financing sources, as follows: Government Private Cloud (CPG), Electronic Public Procurement System (SEAP), centralized software platform for digital identification (ROEID), National Portal Platform (PNI) Unique Digital of Romania (PDURO), the national electronic system of payments (ghiseul.ro) and other systems/platforms/computer applications necessary for the digitalization of public services of Romania ”, it is shown in the GEO project.

Only 12% of ADR employees are IT with documents. How does the ADR president justify this situation

The small number of employees with training in the IT&C field within the Digitalization of Romania (ADR) Authority came to light in February this year, when following voltage falls, all IT systems managed by the authority could not be accessed several days by citizens.

The ADR management was called to hear in Parliament. On this occasion, USR members posted a video in which the ADR president stated that only 25 of the 250 ADR employees have specialized studies, and another official said that only 10-12 people who ensure the technical part have IT specialized studies.

HotNews.ro has now asked the authority to present the exact situation of the number of employees who have specialized studies and to explain this situation.

“Within the authorization for the digitalization of Romania, they are currently operating 253 employees out of a total of 297 approved positions, of which 31 have a diploma in the IT & C specialization, activating in various structures. We emphasize that” technical “means not only programmers, software developers or IT administrators.

Within the ADR are specialists with advanced expertise in the technical aspects of public policy regulators, monitoring and control, whose participation in the institutional activity both in relation to the public administration and with the representatives of the European Commission, is equally significant ”, declared for HotNews.ro Dragoș Vlad.

Low wages, the main reason for the lack of IT in public institutions

Regarding the remuneration of the internal personnel, ADR says that the salaries are established according to Law no. 153/2017 regarding the remuneration of the personnel paid from public funds, with the subsequent modifications and completions between 7935 lei up to 12594 lei.

“As you know, one of the problems that public institutions face is the lack of specialized personnel in the field of IT&C. The main reason why institutions cannot attract IT&C specialists is the low level of pay. In order to be able to hire such specialists, ADs must offer a level of pay for companies in the private environment,” says Dragoș Vlad.

As a result, this aspect was taken into account in the GEO project. For the 30 posts of specialists in the cloud, “ADR will be able to offer salaries between 2 gross average salaries used to substantiate the state social insurance budget and up to 6, depending on the level of specialization and experience.

The selection procedure for vacancies will be able to start after the normative act will be approved and published in the Official Gazette of Romania.

How to divide the posts to the Digitalization Authority

The ADR data transmitted hotnews.ro shows that out of a total of 297 positions, the Oipsi General Directorate, which manages the European funding programs, has the most positions – 125.

For the management of IT systems, 70 positions are provided, as follows: the Digital Transformation Directorate with 23 positions, the Application Support Directorate with 28 positions, together with the PCU service with 11 positions, respectively the interoperability compartment with 8 positions are responsible for technical operational activities, respectively to ensure the good functioning of the national electronic systems, as Saet, PCE, the e-government platform, as well as the new Roeid platforms and the Eidas node of Romania.

Employees within the Administrative Legal and Contentious Service, Economic and Administrative Service, Human Resources Management, Public Procurement, Internal Audit, Classified Information, GDPR and Public Communication Department provide specialized support in the current activity of ADR with a total of 66 positions.

Another 11 positions are at the Information Society Service that elaborates proposals for normative acts, 13 positions are at the International Relations and European Affairs Service, which provide the interface with international bodies and institutions and another 12 positions at the Programs and projects service monitoring IT projects.

Separately, ADR also says that, for the proper functioning of IT platforms, they also benefit from the support of 30 employees within the units organized outside the organizational chart.