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Software purchasing at the ANU is often undertaken by each budget area in the Schools, Faculties, Centres and Divisions. Each area has its own internal procedures. Purchasing is usually by local IT support staff or the local business office. Each area is also responsible for maintaining records of software licences purchased for users in that area.

In some cases it is beneficial for software purchases to be amalgamated into either a Site Licence or a Bulk Purchase. IT Services provides a coordination service for the purchase of software in certain circumstances, see guidelines below. List of Software licences currently purchased or coordinated by IT Services.

The University does have an Agreement with Microsoft for the purchase of their software under what is called a Select Agreement. For information about purchasing under that Agreement see: Microsoft Select Purchasing.

For IT Services to become involved in organizing a bulk purchase or site licence, the software to be purchased must have:

a) Broad campus use*; and/or

b) Bring substantial cost savings to the University - 5% or greater - by arranging the purchase
Centrally.

The cost will be divided equally among participating areas.

*Broad campus use cannot be defined precisely but as a guide, we would expect that the software would be used by 3 or more areas. At the lower end of the use scale, the cost savings factor will be very important.

a) Person requesting purchase has to put up a case to:

The type of information that is needed:

• Other areas that you believe, or know, would be interested.
• The benefits of the software.
• Who might use it and what for.
• Cost - or approximate cost.
• Type of licence.
• Supplier
• Anything else relevant

b) DOI Software Admin then sends out an email to LITSS to assess the need

DOI Software Admin may set up a sub-group of LITSS to advise on details. Membership appropriate to the type of software and user base.

c) DOI Software Admin Services evaluates responses.

d) If there is a clear administrative or cost advantage to warrant DOI becoming involved, then the Software Admin area will proceed with organizing a bulk purchase or a site licence. This may involve:

1. Organizing a meeting of interested parties. DOI Software Admin will expect that the persons participating in the meeting will have the authority of their budget area to commit the area to a purchase. At this meeting, details of components of the purchase will be discussed.
2. A price for the software will be negotiated with the supplier, based on the numbers who agree to participate following the above meeting.
3. Participating areas will be advised of the cost, requested to confirm participation and to provide budget code to DOI Software Admin for recovery of cost. If areas drop out at this point then the cost per participating area will have to be increased.
4. DOI Software Admin will collect and distribute the software media to participating areas.

There are 2 broad types of software licenses operating on campus, and the method used to process late participation is determined by the license type. These types are:

1. Site Licenses - ANU pays a standard amount for up to a maximum number of users (eg. S-Plus, SAS, SPSS)
2. Individual Licenses - while a bulk purchase for many areas may be arranged by DOI Software Admin, the license is still based on individual copies purchased (eg. NAI Total Virus Defense)

Areas wishing to join a bulk purchase or site licence (type 1) after the purchase has been made and costs apportioned will, if this is possible under the licence, be charged the same amount as participating areas pro-rated for the days remaining in the license period at the date they joined. At the end of the licence period, the income and expenditure will be calculated, and any surplus funds from the previous year will be returned to the "pool" to achieve a refund (or reduction in the cost for renewal) effected for all users in the following period.

In the case of type 2 licenses, like some bulk purchases eg. NAI Total Virus Defence, latecomers are likely to have to pay a higher cost per licence as they will be part of a smaller buying pool, as the cost is dependent on the numbers participating at the time of purchase. The higher the licence numbers, the lower the cost. New licenses cannot be added to the original purchase.

DOI Software Admin will ensure that those who commit themselves initially to a software purchase will not be disadvantaged financially by others who decide at a later date they wish to participate.

Chris Textor, Software Coordinator
Division of Information
software@anu.edu.au

26 October 2004