WRITTEN BY ALLAN ALDAYMONDAY, 18 MAY 2015 CCC TechEDge
The Foundation for California Community Colleges, through its CollegeBuys program, continues to support California’s 112 community colleges through technology-focused purchasing agreements, in partnership with community college districts and the Systemwide Architecture Committee.
These agreements ensure that the California Community Colleges (CCC) can continue to access high-quality technology products and services while obtaining competitive pricing and streamlining the procurement experience.
Cisco Network, Server, and Unified Communications Equipment
Last month, in partnership with several colleges, the Foundation issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) focused on Cisco Systems Inc. network, server and unified communications equipment products and services. Through this competitive process, CCC can get Cisco products and services from Cisco-certified resellers. Products under this agreement can be incorporated into existing network infrastructures or used for projects that require a complete infrastructure overhaul.
These agreements ensure that the California Community Colleges (CCC) can continue to access high-quality technology products and services while obtaining competitive pricing and streamlining the procurement experience.
Cisco Network, Server, and Unified Communications Equipment
Last month, in partnership with several colleges, the Foundation issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) focused on Cisco Systems Inc. network, server and unified communications equipment products and services. Through this competitive process, CCC can get Cisco products and services from Cisco-certified resellers. Products under this agreement can be incorporated into existing network infrastructures or used for projects that require a complete infrastructure overhaul.
The scope of the RFP includes nine different product classifications, including routers, switches, network optimization and acceleration, security, storage networking, optical networking, wireless, networking software, and unified communications.
With a focus on total cost of ownership, the RFP defines performance requirements for products and services so that the CCC will have value and long-term cost-savings while reducing future operational expenditures during the life of the products. For example, mandatory performance and service specifications require the vendor to update the participating agency’s current IT infrastructure without being cost or time prohibitive; provide a minimum written product warranty to cover parts and labor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; respond to warranty service requests within the same day; and provide only those products that are modular, have field-replaceable parts, and allow for easy changeability.
Aside from contract compliance with California’s public contract code, additional benefits of the Foundation contract include Cisco training credits for participating agencies, equipment trade-in, discounting for Cisco SMARTnet services and financing for lease options.
Submitted proposals will be evaluated at the end of May, and any executed contracts are expected to become available to the CCC as early as June.
Symantec SymEd
With a focus on total cost of ownership, the RFP defines performance requirements for products and services so that the CCC will have value and long-term cost-savings while reducing future operational expenditures during the life of the products. For example, mandatory performance and service specifications require the vendor to update the participating agency’s current IT infrastructure without being cost or time prohibitive; provide a minimum written product warranty to cover parts and labor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; respond to warranty service requests within the same day; and provide only those products that are modular, have field-replaceable parts, and allow for easy changeability.
Aside from contract compliance with California’s public contract code, additional benefits of the Foundation contract include Cisco training credits for participating agencies, equipment trade-in, discounting for Cisco SMARTnet services and financing for lease options.
Submitted proposals will be evaluated at the end of May, and any executed contracts are expected to become available to the CCC as early as June.
Symantec SymEd
The Foundation recently secured a partnership with Symantec Corp. and ComputerLand of Silicon Valley to offer discounted Symantec SymEd (ETLA) site licenses to the CCC.
The SymEd site license offers centralized standards to allow colleges to automate the deployment, security, and management of devices. SymEd also provides a secure e-learning environment for physical, virtual and cloud platforms; support for multiple operating systems; and critical data projection with advanced local backup and recovery for Windows.
This new program will be based on full time equivalent (FTE) employee count rather than a per device model and will offer a choice of four packets to best meet the college’s needs. Interested colleges can sign up at any time and prorated pricing is available for colleges already utilizing SymED.
Additional Technology Offerings
From Utelogy’s smart classroom platform for education and collaboration to iContracts, a cloud-based software for managing contracts and associated processes, and Comevo, a market leader in orientation software services, the Foundation continues to develop its technology offerings to meet the growing needs of the CCC. For a complete listing of Foundation contracts, visithttp://www.foundationccc.org/CollegeBuys/OurPartners/tabid/489/Default.aspx.
Allan Alday is a Program Specialist at the Foundation for California Community Colleges.
The SymEd site license offers centralized standards to allow colleges to automate the deployment, security, and management of devices. SymEd also provides a secure e-learning environment for physical, virtual and cloud platforms; support for multiple operating systems; and critical data projection with advanced local backup and recovery for Windows.
This new program will be based on full time equivalent (FTE) employee count rather than a per device model and will offer a choice of four packets to best meet the college’s needs. Interested colleges can sign up at any time and prorated pricing is available for colleges already utilizing SymED.
Additional Technology Offerings
From Utelogy’s smart classroom platform for education and collaboration to iContracts, a cloud-based software for managing contracts and associated processes, and Comevo, a market leader in orientation software services, the Foundation continues to develop its technology offerings to meet the growing needs of the CCC. For a complete listing of Foundation contracts, visithttp://www.foundationccc.org/CollegeBuys/OurPartners/tabid/489/Default.aspx.
Allan Alday is a Program Specialist at the Foundation for California Community Colleges.
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