BOT Program

Full sovereignty through operational and technological independence

For some governments, digital sovereignty requires more than control over data and day-to-day operations. It requires ownership of the technology itself, including the ability to maintain, evolve, and develop national cloud infrastructure without dependency on foreign vendors, foreign institutions, or external companies.

The whitesky BOT program (Build–Operate–Transfer) is designed to deliver this level of sovereignty by combining operational transfer, technology transfer, and long-term capability building into a single structured program.

Sovereignty through ownership of technology and capability

In the BOT model, sovereignty is achieved when a government:

  • operates its cloud infrastructure independently
  • controls the underlying cloud technology
  • possesses internal development capability
  • can evolve the platform without reliance on external vendors
  • retains authority over future direction and innovation

The BOT program is designed so that these conditions remain true after the program ends and without dependency on the whitesky company.

Program structure (five-year model)

The BOT program is structured as a five-year engagement with three phases:

1) Build — joint architecture and platform deployment

During the Build phase:

  • the government cloud platform is deployed in public-sector-controlled environments
  • architectural decisions are made jointly with government stakeholders
  • governance, security, and operating models are defined under public authority
  • government technical staff are introduced to the platform architecture and codebase

The platform is designed from the outset for long-term independent operation and development.

2) Operate — co-operation and co-development

During the Operate phase:

  • whitesky operates the platform to ensure stability and continuity
  • government personnel are embedded into operational teams
  • government engineers are trained in platform internals
  • government personnel actively participate in development and evolution of the whitesky platform

This phase is not limited to knowledge transfer — it establishes hands-on development capability within government institutions.

3) Transfer — full operational and technological independence

In the Transfer phase:

  • operational responsibility is fully transferred to government institutions
  • governance, procedures, and controls are handed over
  • government teams take ownership of platform development and maintenance
  • external operation by whitesky concludes

At the end of this phase, the government operates and evolves its cloud platform independently.

BOT program: build, operate, transferThe five-year BOT program has three phases. Build: whitesky and the government build the platform jointly, and government staff are introduced to the architecture and codebase. Operate: whitesky operates the platform while government personnel are embedded in operations and co-develop the platform. Transfer: external operation by whitesky concludes and government teams take ownership of development and maintenance. After the program, the government operates and evolves the platform independently and whitesky involvement is optional.Five-year programwhiteskyGovernment teams1 Buildbuilds jointlyintroduced toarchitectureand codebase2 Operateoperatesthe platformembedded inoperations;co-developthe platform3 Transferexternal operationconcludestake ownershipof developmentand maintenanceAfteroptional,not requiredoperate andevolve the platformindependently
BOT program: build, operate, transferThe five-year BOT program has three phases. Build: whitesky and the government build the platform jointly, and government staff are introduced to the architecture and codebase. Operate: whitesky operates the platform while government personnel are embedded in operations and co-develop the platform. Transfer: external operation by whitesky concludes and government teams take ownership of development and maintenance. After the program, the government operates and evolves the platform independently and whitesky involvement is optional.Five-year program in three phases, then:1 Buildwhiteskybuilds jointlyGovernmentintroduced to architectureand codebase2 Operatewhiteskyoperates the platformGovernmentembedded in operations,co-develop the platform3 Transferwhiteskyexternal operation concludesGovernmenttake over developmentand maintenanceAfter the programwhiteskyoptional, not requiredGovernmentoperate and evolve theplatform independently
Over the five-year program, operation and development shift from whitesky to government teams, who end up running and evolving the platform themselves.

Source code transfer and development rights

As a core element of the BOT program, participating governments receive a copy of the whitesky cloud platform source code.

This enables:

  • independent operation of the cloud platform
  • internal development and customization
  • long-term maintenance without vendor dependency
  • national control over future platform evolution

Government personnel are trained on the codebase and participate in development during the program, ensuring that the source code is not merely delivered but fully understood and usable.

The source code is provided for internal government use only and is not intended for redistribution or commercial use outside the participating public institutions.

Independence after program completion

After completion of the BOT program:

  • the government operates the cloud platform independently
  • continued involvement of whitesky is optional, not required
  • the platform can be maintained and evolved internally
  • external vendors are no longer structurally required

whitesky’s role ends as an enabler, not a permanent dependency.

What transfers to the governmentDuring the program whitesky builds and operates the platform. At transfer, government institutions take over full operational responsibility, governance procedures and controls, a copy of the source code for internal government use only, and the development capability of trained teams who maintain and evolve the platform. After the program, whitesky involvement is optional, not required.whiteskyduring theprogramtransferGovernment institutionsOperationsfull operationalresponsibilityGovernanceprocedures andcontrolsSource codefor internalgovernment use onlyDevelopmenttrained teams maintainand evolve the platformAfter the program: whitesky involvement is optional, not required
What transfers to the governmentDuring the program whitesky builds and operates the platform. At transfer, government institutions take over full operational responsibility, governance procedures and controls, a copy of the source code for internal government use only, and the development capability of trained teams who maintain and evolve the platform. After the program, whitesky involvement is optional, not required.whiteskyduring the programtransferGovernment institutionsOperationsfull operationalresponsibilityGovernanceprocedures andcontrolsSource codefor internalgovernment useonlyDevelopmenttrained teamsmaintain andevolve itAfter the program: whiteskyis optional, not required
What the government holds at the end of the program: operations, governance, the source code and the capability to develop it.

Why governments choose the BOT program

Governments choose the BOT program when they require:

  • full sovereignty over cloud operations and technology
  • independence from foreign vendors and institutions
  • internal control over critical digital infrastructure
  • long-term sustainability beyond contractual relationships
  • alignment with national digital sovereignty objectives

Next steps

  • define sovereign requirements and end-state governance goals
  • identify stakeholders and locations for deployment
  • establish a phased BOT plan and operational transition roadmap