[News] Simpler Microsoft Licenses for Schools

[jamesb]

Looks like they've finally got something right in negotiations. Should be a lot cheaper and easier to buy Microsoft licenses if this is what it looks like - UK gov squeezes 'best pricing' pledge from MS ? The Register

[FABEnterprises]

Do you think the MS Schools Agreement will be covered in this arrangement? Surely licenses can't be transfered to other public sector orgs as they are temporary maybe only covers perpetual licenses.

Does anyone here use Buying Solutions for procurement?

[Soulfish]

Do you think the MS Schools Agreement will be covered in this arrangement? Surely licenses can't be transfered to other public sector orgs as they are temporary maybe only covers perpetual licenses.

Does anyone here use Buying Solutions for procurement?

Have a look at my post at Microsoft deal sweetens public sector pricing. The PSA09 deal unfortunately didn't cover school/academic licensing (which is even cheaper).

To answer your other question - I've started using what was previously the OGC Buying Solutions Catalist framework (no idea what its called now they've renamed themselves) to purchase IT equipment. Generally find that with the suppliers that are subscribed to the framework we can get some very cheap equipment!

[rayfleming]

Hi All,

Some of you will know me as the Microsoft Education Marketing Manager (there, got that out front!), but for the last 10 weeks I have been working full time instead on the Buying Solutions new agreement (snappily called the new Public Sector Agreement - or in Microsoft-acronym-style PSA09)

Whilst it is open to any public sector customer (except those rare exceptions who operate for profit - think banks ) it doesn't make sense for an education customer to use it, because it doesn't include the Academic agreements.

In a nutshell, it is cheaper (far cheaper) to buy an academic licence than a normal one. So even with the discount we provide through PSA09, you'll still pay less through the normal academic route.

I know that there's continuing discussions with Becta on academic licensing - no, I won't care to comment - but for the moment, the announcement of PSA09 is a "no change" story for schools.

Whilst I have been working on this project, I've learnt quite a lot about the differences between Academic licences and the rest of our schemes, and the one thing that I can definitely say is "If you think education licensing is complex, then try and understand the rest - it's an eye opener!

BUT if you want to read a bit more about the PSA09 agreement, then we have put together some lovely web pages here

[FABEnterprises]

but for the moment, the announcement of PSA09 is a "no change" story for schools.

Thanks Ray that's pretty clear but does that mean Schools without a Schools Agreement can't benefit from the license reuse option. Lets say that the local council has got 50 MS Office licenses they no longer need can our School have them under this agreement?

[rayfleming]

Thanks Ray that's pretty clear but does that mean Schools without a Schools Agreement can't benefit from the license reuse option. Lets say that the local council has got 50 MS Office licenses they no longer need can our School have them under this agreement?

There's two questions, buried into one!

Firstly School Agreement:
School Agreement is a subscription - ie you buy the right to use it this year, and if you don't renew you have to stop using it (bit like a Sky TV subscription). So you wouldn't transfer a subscription - you'd just stop paying it and stop using the service.


Perpetual licences (like Select) give you the perpetual right to run that specific version. So if your local council has spare licences for Office that they've bought, they could transer them to you (as long as you're all part of the same organisation (there's some fancy wording that uses the word "affiliate").

Mind you, persuading your local council to give you their spare licences, rather than them keeping them for a rainy day, may take a while