Main eGovernment infrastructure components

Last updated: October 2011

Portal

Bund.de

‘Bund.de’ is the German eGovernment services portal, providing central access to the online services by the Federal Authorities and the Federal Administration, also serving as an entry point to German States and Municipalities. Among other services, the portal provides access to an Online Form Centre enabling users to find administrative forms, even if they are not aware of the entity responsible for it. Management of the Form Centre is based on a Form Server, which is one of the infrastructure components developed as part of the ‘BundOnline 2005’ initiative.

Networks

Berlin-Bonn Information Network (IVBB)

The infrastructure supporting internal communications between the federal authorities is the Berlin-Bonn Information Network (IVBB), established in the 1990s when the German Parliament and the Federal Government moved from Bonn to Berlin. The IVBB provides the main federal authorities with central Internet access and networking services. Up to July 2006, IVBB has also provided access to the IVBB Intranet, which was replaced by the Federal Intranet (Intranet des Bundes). The new intranet portal features new content, services and workflows, such as person and federal agencies search engine, a travel management system and access to information and document databases.

Federal Administration Information Network (IVBV)

The IVBV is a private IP-based communication network, which serves as intranet between the different Public Administration departments. Its infrastructure facilitates the incorporation of the Berlin-Bonn Information Network (IVBB) as well as of other networks of the Federal Administration into a comprehensive IP-based network, featuring, amongst others, a firewall system, comprehensive encryption of the data communication and permanent observation of the connected users and the established connections.

Federal Networks (NdB)

The Federal Networks (Netze des Bundes) will substitute IVBB and IVBV, and increase the efficiency and security (availability and privacy) of the networks involved. The aim is to create a common infrastructure for the federal government in the long term.

Deutschland-Online Infrastructure (DOI)

In June 2006, the ‘Deutschland-Online’ action plan was approved by the Federal Government and the federal states. A core project within the ‘Deutschland-Online’ action plan was the ‘Deutschland-Online’ Infrastructure project, whichaimed at establishing the network-infrastructure for widespread and integrated electronic processing between administrative units. The DOI network is being implemented as a connective network structure (coupling network) for the public administration networks in Germany with junctions to the sTESTA network of the European Union and to the federal networks IVBB and IVBV/BVN that are to be replaced in the project Federal Networks (Netze des Bundes, NdB).

eIdentification/eAuthentication

The new Electronic Identity Card

Germany's new Identity (eID) Card was launched on 1 November 2010. The new eID card in credit card format replaces the existing national identity card and offers more functions than the current conventional ID. By utilising a microchip, the card provides an online authentication functionality, applicable to both eGovernment and eBusiness transactions. Due to the assignment of authorisation certificates and the mutual authentication, cardholders can be confident that whoever requests their data is also authorised to obtain it. The secure eID card will provide further protection against identity theft and will offer new, user-friendly ways to guarantee valid client-data for service providers and protect young people by age verification. Furthermore, the new eID card includes the optional electronic signature functionality. Cardholders may choose to upload a qualified electronic signature to their ID card, facilitating the card’s owner to perform legally binding actions in eGovernment and eBusiness applications. To ensure that national ID cards continue to serve as secure travel documents, the eID cards have biometric identifiers stored on a chip which satisfyies requirements for official identity checks – and for this purpose only. All eID cards have a digital biometric photo; cardholders may choose to include two fingerprints on the chip as well. Both identifiers are an efficient way to increase security at border controls.

Electronic Passport (ePass)

Germany was among the first countries to introduce the electronic Passport (ePass), in November 2005. It was developed to comply with the Council Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004 and was equipped with a microchip, holding owner’s data, such as name, surname, date of birth and nationality. Beyond traditionally relevant data, a digital facial image of the owner was also stored on the microchip. In June 2007, the revision of the Passport Act, as approved by the Federal Council, laid down the legal foundation for the electronic Passports of the second generation. In addition to the digital facial image, the new passports also feature two fingerprints in digital format. Those fingerprints are to be stored exclusively on the passport’s microchip, and they should in no case be stored locally on issuance authorities systems, or in any other central database.

eProcurement

XVergabe (eTendering platform)

XVergabe is the official website of Germany's eTendering cross-platform communication standards project, which has been operational since July 2011. The project's aim is to develop platform-independent eTendering standards for the cross-platform exchange of documents and data between the bidders and the eTendering platforms. To date,the xvergabe.org website contains basic project information, as well as the most important documents that are released as part of the project’s work.

Federal eProcurement Platform (e-Vergabe)

The ‘e-Vergabe’ project was considered to be one of the most important projects of the ‘BundOnline 2005’ initiative. The service features the electronic awarding orders based on communications between the awarding agency and potential bidders that are comprehensive, legally binding and free from media discontinuities. The offering ranges from notification via electronic tender submission through to contract award using the contract award platform. The documents containing the contract terms can be downloaded and bids can be submitted with an electronic signature. The e-award project falls within the remit of the procurement agency of the Federal Ministry of the Interior BMI. In technical terms, the service is implemented as a web-based transactional platform using Java clients combined with a Web interface for searching for tenders. In addition to the ‘e-Vergabe’ platform, all public tenders from this platform are automatically published online on www.bund.de.

Federal eGovernment Shop (Kaufhaus des Bundes - KdB)

Beside the federal eProcurement platform, the Procurement Agency of the Federal Ministry of the Interior has also developed the federal eGovernment shop. With this solution the ordering of materials takes place through an electronic catalogue. Supplies of printing paper, for instance, are ordered by few mouse clicks. Even customised PCs and cars can be ordered online directly from the company. Conservative calculations estimate that each electronically executed order via KdB save at least 377 minutes (equates to € 195 of personnel expenses) compared to a simplest form of a single tender action.

Knowledge Management

Library Portal (Bibliotheksportal)

This library and information portal on the intranet of the federal is a quick and easy access to a wide range of information. Through this portal twenty two libraries have enlisted their literature, electronic publications, databases and services across agencies to use. Users are location-independent and can search around the clock in the library catalogues of all participating libraries and the portal for specialised databases, such as 'Beck-Online', 'juris', 'Makrolog' and the 'Munzinger Archive'. In addition, the portal is a comprehensive 'Link List' with relevant Internet sources available.

XRepository

XRepository is an online library for XML based Data Exchange Formats, launched in January 2009. This website constitutes a central location for the publication of a broad spectrum of data relating to eGovernment projects, including Data-Models, XML schemes and relevant documentation. Once published, the data is consequently available for re-use by other administrations and designers of business processes. The website also facilitates online research on standards and interfaces, which can be subsequently downloaded at no cost. In particular, the online library constitutes the cornerstone of the Deutschland online ‘Standardisation’ project, serving the implementation of fully digitised and media-consistent administrative processes across all levels of government. The online library is operated by the Federal Agency of Information Technology within the German Federal Office of Administration (BVA), Germany's central public service agency.

Other Infrastructure

Services Registry - German Administration Services Directory (DVDV)

The German Administration Services Directory (DVDV) is a level - and sector-crossing infrastructure component for eGovernment in Germany. In more detail, it is the professional and administrative cross-border infrastructure component for the safe and reliable addressing of automated services and specialised procedures for secure and legally binding communication between authorities and with the public administration in Germany. The basis of the DVDV is a directory service which lists agencies and other providers with their respective services.

The DVDV is based exclusively on open Internet protocols. Worldwide, it is one of the first and largest standardised Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) implementations in the government area, and was made possible through unique cooperation between various levels of government and sectors in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Standards and Architectures for eGovernment Applications (SAGA)

In 2002, the co-ordinating and advisory agency of the Federal Government for Information Technology published the document 'Standards and Architectures for eGovernment Applications' (SAGA) as a guideline for eGovernment application development projects. A host of completed projects has been orientated towards the state-of-the-art and investment-safe standards and technologies recommended by SAGA.

eCommunication

De-Mail

De-Mail, which takes conventional e-mail one step further, is an easy-to-use technology that allows citizens, businesses and administrations to exchange electronic messages in a secure manner. One important aim of De-Mail is to make basic security functions, regarding confidentiality, reliability and binding are easy to use without the need for additional installations for the end-user. The sender and recipient of a De-Mail can be clearly identified. Send and delivery certificates can be easily generated.

De-Mails are encrypted during transport and can neither be intercepted nor manipulated. SPAM is effectively prevented because the De-Mail sender can be clearly identified by secure initial identification. Phishing and identity theft can be ruled out, for instance, if the user logs on to the De-Mail service using the new German eID card or a mobile phone-based method (mobile TAN).

Furthermore, De-Mail offers huge potential to optimise the electronic communication in the private and public sector. Recently, business and administration processes have been marked by media inconsistencies that produce considerable delays and additional costs. With the additional security functions, that De-Mail provides, a large part of today's paper-based business and administration processes can be handled fully electronically – simply, quickly and from any location. So far inter alia Deutsche Telekom AG, GMX.DE, WEB.DE and Deutsche Post AG have announced to become accredited De-Mail providers.

eSignature

Signature Alliance

Administration and private partners founded the ’Signatures alliance’ in 2003. The cooperation aims at promoting the usage of electronic signatures in Germany, and delivering their benefits to both public and private service providers. All citizens should be able to use a standardised technical infrastructure, to access interoperable applications in the area of eBusiness and eGovernment, using their diverse signature cards. More information and details may be found in the document ’Requirements and convergent objectives of the Signature Alliance’ (‘Vorgaben und Konvergenzziele für das Signaturbündnis’).