The government seeks to expand the state’s influence and wants to create a national software company to lower costs in public administration. This was clearly raised by the secretary of the Knowledge Economy, Ariel Sujarchuk, days ago at an event organized by CESSI, the main chamber of a sector that is resisting the initiative.

“This is not to take away work, but to give them more work”, tried to reassure the official, very close to the Economy Minister, Sergio Massa. Sujarchuk also promotes the creation of the “tech monotribute”, so that freelancers can dispose of the dollars they receive, up to a maximum of US$30,000 per year.

Sujarchuk explained that the state-owned software company (an agency) it will have two functions. On the one hand, develop and improve the programs and applications used by national, provincial and municipal offices with their employees. And for another, contract directly consultants and companies to outsource these processes.

“In big tenders, no small company has enough back. Better that there is the state to bring together all the small businesses and that they enter to sell services. You don’t have to be scared or ghosted, you have to work hard and put the numbers on the table,” he said in one section of his lengthy presentation.

The video with the participation of Sujarchuk received strong criticism on social networks. “The flag unicorn is born”joked the economist Nicolás Gadano. “I don’t understand the questions on Twitter. This serves to lower the costs of the state and there are several successful examples of state technology, such as Invap (the satellite company) and Arsat (communications),” said the official questioned by clarion.

The proposed scheme for the software, on the other hand, it is more like IEASA, the former Enarsa, the state company created by law in 2004 for the management of energy and which deals with the import and supply of gas. Yet it is not clear whether this new public information agency will be approved by lawbut according to Sujarchuk it could start operations “at the end of the year or early next year,” he said, without giving further details.

In the software industry, which consists of 5,600 companies and around 150,000 employees, they categorically reject the idea. “This initiative would destroy the small investment that the Government is making today, generating an effect contrary to what was expected“, reasoned an industry source. Another executive added that “there are already clear examples of well-intentioned initiatives that have not achieved the desired effects” and have ended up “generating more expenditure for the state”.

A consultancy also noted that the original ideologue of the project to create a national software agency is the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Daniel Filmus. And that he transferred the responsibility for boosting to Sujarchuk, to be responsible for the area covering the export of professional services, including programming lines of code.

in the private sector It is feared that the state will go out and hire engineers and technical profiles, very scarce in the country and in the world. But on the other hand, they emphasize, the role of the future “national software company” is already covered by the ONTI (National Office of Information Technology), which reports to Sujarchuk’s office and the chief of staff. ONTI is charged with setting technology standards for public organizations to modernize their infrastructure.

Sujarchuk tries to eliminate ghosts. “In procurement, the lion always eats the mouse. What we are looking for is to give SMEs opportunities, because the big consultancy companies always win. No small company has enough backs. Better that there is the state to bring together all the small businesses and come in to sell services, “he insists.