Microsoft / NZ Government Fail to agree on purchase deal.

[kmount]

What kind of effect is this going to have on NZ Education?

 

The State Services Commission today announced the government has concluded negotiations with Microsoft on a pan-government agreement for the next three years.

 

It became apparent during discussions that a formal agreement with Microsoft is no longer appropriate.

 

Microsoft have agreed to provide recommended retail price certainty for agencies as a basis for their individual negotiations, and the State Services Commission will be supporting agencies to explore how they can maximise their ICT investment and achieve greater value for money.

 

Since 2000 the government has negotiated a series of three-year agreements with Microsoft, enabling public sector agencies to purchase Microsoft products on an opt-in basis.

 

In late 2008 the State Services Commission commenced leading the re-negotiation of the G2006 Microsoft agreement on behalf of government agencies, and established an advisory steering committee comprised of senior executives from the largest IT purchasers in the public sector.

 

From the State Services Commission Website

 

Microsoft loses Kiwi Windows government deal ? The Register

 

Outcome of G2009 Microsoft negotiations

[SYNACK]

typical, the one of the few good things that they do for education and they terminate it. This does not mean that the schools deal will be removed immediatly or that it will be removed at all as the MoE may negotiate individually with Microsoft to keep it going for a bit longer. It looks as if the current aggreement lasts till 31st of december this year. I will be investigating this further with the involved parties.

[kmount]

I wasn't sure because it mentioned the State Services Commission along with Local Government but not the Ministry of Education you spoke of before.

 

Keep us updated!

[SYNACK]

I investigated further and it turns out that the schools deal is negotiated completely seporatly and is about twice the size of the one that has been scrapped. It is still in negotiation and no definitave descision has been made yet.

 

Hi SYNACK,

 

The G2009 negotiations are those carried out between Microsoft and government departments plus associated entities (local bodies, CRIs, NGOs etc).

 

G2009 has nothing to do with the Schools Agreement (which is over twice the size of G2009

 

The schools agreement negotiations are continuing and an announcement will be made in the next month or so.

 

Thanks ,

 

I do hope that they renew it as otherwise I can see schools returning to the dark ages of pirated software and ancient versions of software in addition to several different versions scattered across the schools.

[earlyriser]

Good work SYNACK. I was wondering about this and was going to post something on here. I'd already started thinking about the cost of licensing allof our servers, clients and Office, at full cost and was beginning to get scared!..... Hopefully the deal will come through one way or another

[earlyriser]

Update on this thread. As per the Datacom page shown below, the deal between Microsoft and the Ministry of Education has now been officially renewed. I think most schools should have received the re-enrollment forms already, but if you haven't, get in touch with Datacom at [email protected] or phone on 0800 225 542.

 

Interface Magazine Article

Datacom/

 

From what I can tell, other than a few changes in the actual software that is being licenced (i.e No Encarta any more), the main difference is that for any Non-Core products (which you pay for), you now have to pay for the whole three years at the start of the agreement, rather than the yearly increments with the previous agreement. Any other thoughts./input appreciated

Edited September 21, 2009 by earlyriser
Added link to Datacom