The BWI, the IT infrastructure provider of the German armed forces, has agreed on a framework contract with the Centre for Digital Sovereignty of the Public Administration (ZenDiS). This contract will provide the open source-based office and collaboration suite, openDesk, to the Bundeswehr. 

openDesk

In autumn 2024, OSOR conducted a deep dive on openDesk after version 1.0 of the suite was released by ZenDiS. openDesk was developed to provide the public sector, specifically in Germany, but also further in Europe, with a digitally sovereign option for their office and collaboration needs. Consequently, before being renamed to openDesk the suite was known as the “Sovereign Workplace”. The suite is made up of a number of existing open source components and thus takes advantage of the reuse possibilities of open source software. Thanks to open interfaces based on open standards within these existing pieces of software they can work seamlessly together.

At the time of writing available in version 1.3.1, the ZenDiS developers already have a roadmap out for future versions, until version 2.0. This major new version should be released in September 2025 and add a mobile app for the projects component. Though specifically aimed at the public sector, anyone can download the “Community Edition” of the software. This also provides the opportunity to evaluate the software before committing to a contract regarding the enterprise edition aimed at production use. Apart from ZenDiS itself, openDesk is already being used by the Robert-Koch-Institute, the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency of Germany and the Federal IT-Cooperation, the organisation implementing the political decisions of the IT Planning Council, bringing the federal government and federal states together.

Framework contract with BWI

The BWI is implementing a strategic approach to reinforce the digital sovereignty of Germany's armed forces. This involves securing control and operational independence in the cyber and information realms, allowing the Bundeswehr to execute its constitutional responsibilities without external interference. The strategy focuses on employing reliable IT and security applications and developing or enhancing applications under its own management. Open source is a key enabler to achieve these goals.

Outlook

The framework agreement with ZenDiS marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration focused on digital sovereignty. As the Bundeswehr continues to integrate openDesk into its operations, it is expected to further develop and adapt the suite to meet the evolving needs of the armed forces.