Computing and Mobile Devices CUACMD2021

Panel 1 – Devices

The CUA currently offers both Business Grade and Consumer Grade options for 11 Product Types, along with non-mandatory accessories, peripherals, componentry and services. 

Business Grade devices

Business Grade devices are sometimes referred to as ‘enterprise level’ devices, with characteristics such as durable build-quality, longer product lifecycles and remote access and diagnostics. Warranties are a minimum of three (3) years, which differs from the typical one-year period for Consumer Grade devices.

Consumer Grade devices

Consumer Grade devices do not typically have the enterprise level features discussed above and tend to be lower cost alternatives. They are similar in build-quality to the computing and mobile devices that consumers can purchase at retail outlets, and only include one (1) year warranties by default.

Product Types

Product Types available under the CUA may either be Business Grade or Consumer Grade, as defined above.

Device Product Types

Note: Ruggedised versions of these devices may be sourced under this CUA on a non-mandatory basis.

Device Brands

The following sixteen (16) Brands of Devices are currently available from the CUA. The number of Contractors currently offering each Brand is in brackets next to the Brand name:

Note: The number of Contractors offering these Brands may increase where Panel Contractors demonstrate value for money in the provision of additional Brands.

Other Product Types

Peripherals, Accessories and Componentry are available from the CUA on a non-mandatory basis. We recommend that Customers purchase Peripherals and Accessories from CUA suppliers to ensure compatibility with CUA devices.

Panel 1 Contractors may sell any Brands of these non-mandatory Products, and some Brands have specified minimum discounts off list price.

Peripherals include but are not limited to the following items:

• Input control accessories including mouse, keyboards and stylus pens;
• Visual accessories including monitors, web cams and external graphics cards;
• Audio accessories such as PC speakers, headphones, headsets and microphones;
• External storage accessories such as magnetic and flash storage inclusive of external HDD, SSD and SD Cards;
• Connection accessories including docking stations, USB hubs and multimedia adapters;
• Networking accessories such as wireless adaptors or routers that can connect to WLAN or Cellular networks. Networking accessories exclude the provision of any SIM cards and associated mobile service plans;
• Cable accessories to support the end use device such as cables with USB, HDMI, VGA, and Ethernet connections; and
• Computing device batteries.

Accessories include but are not limited to the following items:

• Carry bags;
• Covers and specialised casing such as smartphone casing;
• Mouse-pads; and
• Security locks or anti-theft solutions
• Stands and monitor arms.

Ancillary Services

Out of Scope - Products

• Audio-visual (AV) equipment such as data projectors, data screens, microphone mixers, and AV receivers to display information to an audience beyond the device user.
• Printing, copying, scanning and facsimile equipment.
• Non-end Use ICT equipment such as server, storage and network infrastructure.

Out of Scope - Services

• Telecommunications Services such as bundled mobile data plans with mobile devices.
• ICT Managed Services such as managed desktop services.
• Fully outsourced computing Services such as Desktop-as-a-Services

For further information, please speak to the Contract Manager.

Panel 2 – Device Leasing

This panel is for Customers to use operational leasing services rather than owning computing and mobile devices outright through an upfront payment method.

Panel 2 Contractors supply leasing Services that are Product Brand agnostic, covering all Product Grades, Brands and Types approved on Panel 1.

Lease Agreement Conditions

Lease Agreements under the CUA will be established using the Master Lease Agreement (“MLA”).  The Contractor must provide a copy of the final signed MLA to the Customer via email, facsimile or as a hard copy prior to delivery of the Products.

Lease payments must be expressed as monthly or quarterly payments and are payable only in arrears.

The Lease Agreement Commencement Date (Contract Commencement Date) is considered to be the date of settlement.

The Settlement Date is defined as the date on which the Contractor makes payment to the Panel 1 Contractor for the devices.

The Contractor may not charge lease rental charges prior to the date that payment falls due under the terms of the Lease Agreement.

Ancillary Services

Panel 2 Contractors may also offer non-mandatory ancillary services as a value-add, provided these are available at no additional cost, including:

Out of Scope

Financial leases are outside the scope of this panel.

Keep in mind before you buy

Please confirm the internal buying rules within your organisation. Existing contracts will need to be fulfilled before you transition to this CUA.

Quote form

There are monetary threshold buying rules that apply to this CUA. Thresholds below are GST inclusive.

Buying Rules

The following Buying Rules apply to purchases under this CUA according to Monetary Threshold for Products and Services (inc. GST):

Panel 1 – Devices

Panel 1 – Devices when establishing a Preferred Supplier Arrangement (PSA)

*It would be prudent from a value-for-money perspective for CUA Customers to test the market and seek quotes from all Panel Contractors that offer the required Products and Services that comprise the scope of their proposed PSA.

Panel 2 – Device Leasing

State agencies should be aware of the following requirements under Western Australian Procurement Rules as they apply to purchases from this CUA, including those that are made through Preferred Supplier Arrangements (PSAs). The below table is a summary of the requirements, and State agencies are encouraged to review the WA Procurement Rules.

Procurement planning

Request development and contract formation

Contract management

Exemption from using the CUA

Finance is responsible for processing and approving all requests from State Agencies seeking exemption from using a mandatory CUA. Requests for an exemption are considered on a case-by-case basis, and a requesting agency must be able to demonstrate that a business need cannot be adequately met by the relevant CUA.

Exemption requests should be directed to the Assistant Director, Business Solutions through an email to the contract manager in the first instance. Requests for exemption must be in writing via email and must provide sufficient explanation and background to enable the request to be considered. The requesting officer should be the Accountable Authority or delegate of the agency.

For guidelines on what to include in an exemption request, please refer to the  Common Use Arrangements Procurement Practice Guideline

This contract was developed in accordance with Western Australian Procurement Rules. As part of the tender process, contractors on this arrangement have provided details of, and have been scored on, their corporate social and environmental responsibility, and the initiatives they have in place to support this.

Contractors under this CUA offer takeback and trade-in options, whereby devices are reused or recycled, limiting landfill.

Although CUAWAS2016 Category E: ICT equipment disposal is mandatory for disposal of ICT equipment, takeback and trade-in options under this CUA or CUATEL2021 should be considered in the first instance, as this provides:

• Commercial value to CUA Customers; and
• Devices, Accessories or components to be re-used or directly recycled.

Further opportunities for Customers to engage with Contractors in sourcing refurbished devices and contributing to a circular economy are currently being explored.

Finance is currently exploring the possibility of creating decision making tools for Customers that account for the energy consumption and carbon footprint of each device class. For further information, please contact the Contract Manager.

Takeback and Trade-in

Customers have the option to engage with Panel 1 Contractors for Trade-in or Takeback services. Trade-in services allows you to Trade-in the device at the end of its use, the credit from the Trade-in will go towards another transaction.

A Takeback option allows you purchase the device and take it back once it has reached the end of its of its use. The Contractor then credits the customer’s account.

Customers are not limited to trading-in Hardware with only the Contractor purchased from. These end of use/ end of life services must also include the following Services:

• Collection (optional);
• Data Sanitisation (optional); and
• Disposal (mandatory).

Takebacks or Trade-ins are an end-to-end service involving the following steps:

1. Customer Engagement to obtain a trade-in quote
2. Preparation of devices for collection by the Customer
3. Collection and shipment of devices
4. Assessment and confirmation of value
5. Processing of devices including data sanitisation and disposal. This includes resale of devices and recycling of devices without economic value, and
6. Commercial approval by Customer and issuing of credit or funds transfer

These services are currently available from several Contractors, with further information outlined in Contractors’ Procurement Lifecycle Documents (to be uploaded shortly).

The table below provides an overview of all Panel 1 Contractors you can purchase from under the CUA and the device brands they are qualified to provide

Notes:

During the CUA Term Contractors may have the ability to increase Available Brands based on demonstrating value-for-money to the Contract Authority.

The following Contractors are qualified to provide leasing services under Panel 2:

Pricing

Pricing for the CUA is based on minimum discount rates.

All purchases are based on obtaining quotes from CUA Contractors in accordance with the Buying Rules and Minimum Discount off list price.

For lower volume purchases pricing will be closely aligned to the CUA Product Catalogue. This Catalogue defines an evolving list of products available from the CUA at a given point in time. As well as the purchase price, the items on the product catalogue also conform to the minimum discount rates offered by the Contractors for each brand and product type.

For a complete list of available products, please consult the CUA Contractors.

Total Cost of Ownership

Consider the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), not just the initial purchase price in your value for money decision.

This includes direct costs, such as:

• Hardware and software acquisition.
• Installation.
• Maintenance.
• Device lifecycle (e.g. 3, 4, or 5 years).
• Training and support.

It also includes indirect costs, such as:

• Overheads such office space and electricity usage.
• Upgrades of existing infrastructure to accommodate new systems.

Ways to reduce the Total Cost of Ownership of your computing and mobile devices include:

• Purchasing at higher volumes to attract a discount for economies of scale.
• Purchasing products with Energy Star/EPEAT certification.
• Taking advantage of supplier take-back and/or trade-in schemes where available.

Additional charges

Additional charges may apply to CUACMD2021 purchases if additional services are purchased that are outside of the scope of the CUA. These charges may include telecommunications costs such as data plan charges.

Mobile telecommunications services are mandatory (Statewide) under CUATEL2021 Telecommunications Solutions, Panel 1 – Mobile Network Solutions. Optus and Telstra are Contractors under this arrangement.

Payment by purchasing card

The government purchasing card offers a quick and convenient method of payment allowing goods and services to be efficiently purchased.

Always remember to inform the contractor that you will be paying by government purchasing card, at the time of ordering the product or service, and ensure they clearly understand that they must send the tax invoice directly to you, the cardholder.

Note: The Contractor must not impose a surcharge on the Customer for payment by credit in accordance with 21.6 – Method of Payment of the General Conditions of Contract (December 2020).

If you require a Computing or Mobile Device, the easiest way to do this is to fill in the Quote Form with the Product Catalogue item or the specifications that you require, and send it to Contractor(s) qualified under Panel 1 – Devices according to the following Buying Rules:

• Up to $500,000 – Request written quotation(s) from at least one Contractor or their nominated dealers.
• Above $500,001 – Request written quotations from more than one Contractor or their nominated dealers.

If you choose to use Panel 2 – Device Leasing, rather than pay for the devices outright, then you need to send a request for quote to Contractor(s) qualified under Panel 2 according to the following Buying Rule:

• All Values – Request written quotations from all Panel 2 Contractors.

Option 1 – Outright Purchase

Customers may purchase devices outright from Panel 1 Contractors. These are sourced following receipt of written quotes from Panel 1 Contractors in accordance with minimum discounts off list price. The process to purchase devices outright is as follows:

1. The Customer defines its Product and Service requirements and prepares a Request for Quotation (RFQ).
2. The Customer issues the RFQ to Panel 1 Contractors in accordance with CUA Buying Rules.
3. Panel 1 Contractors submit Offers to the RFQ for the required Products and Services.
4. The Customer selects the best value for money Offer.
5. The Customer advises the successful Panel 1 Contractor of acceptance of the Offer.
6. The Panel 1 Contractor delivers the Products to the Customer.
7. The Panel 1 Contractor provides any Ancillary Services ordered by the Customer in the Panel 1 RFQ. 

Note: All quoted prices must:

• Meet or exceed minimum discounts for Products defined under CUA Catalogue; and
• Meet or be less than the Service Prices defined under the CUA Catalogue.

Option 2 – Operational Lease

Customers may establish lease agreements for Devices with Panel 2 Contractors only. The process to lease devices under the CUA is as follows:

1. The Customer defines its Product and Service requirements and prepares a Request for Quotation.
2. The Customer issues the RFQ to Panel 1 Contractors in accordance CUA Buying Rules.
3. Panel 1 Contractors submit Offers to the RFQ for the required Products and Services.
4. The Customer selects the best value for money Offer.
5. The Customer advises the successful Panel 1 Contractor of acceptance of the Offer and its intention to lease the Products.
6. The Customer prepares a RFQ which includes the Device prices from the successful Panel 1 Contractor’s Offer including any additional Service requirements.
7. The Customer issues the RFQ to Panel 2 Contractors in accordance with CUA Buying Rules.
8. Panel 2 Contractors submit Offers in response to the RFQ for the required Services.
9. The Customer selects the best value for money Offer.
10. The Customer advises the successful Panel 2 Contractor of acceptance of the Offer.
11. The Panel 2 Contractor pays the Panel 1 Contractor for the devices and the Lease Term commences (Lease Settlement Date).
12. The Panel 1 Contractor provides any Pre-deployment Ancillary Services ordered by the Customer (if applicable).
13. The Panel 1 Contractor delivers the Products to the Customer and provides any applicable installation Services ordered by the Customer (if applicable).
14. At the Lease term’s end, the Panel 2 Contractor collects the Products and provides any post-lease Ancillary Services ordered by the Customer.

What to do with the Quote Form

Buyers are required to seek quotes according to the buying rules in line with the Western Australian Procurement Rules.

Customers have the option of using the CUACMD2021 Quote and Order Form for Panel 1 and 2, or their own internal forms. The best way of using the Quote Form is to list required Products and Services, specifications, or required functionality, and then send it to the qualified Contractor(s).

Active contract management pays off

Lost and stolen devices

Each year multiple computing devices are lost or stolen. This risk is only increasing with a more mobile workforce. The risk of losing critical government data can be greater than the time and monetary costs of replacing devices. To mitigate this risk, it is recommended that buyers consider the following:

• Do not save documents or files locally on to the device. Only access files that are stored on secured systems and network drives unless encryption software is enabled to secure the information.
• Make sure that the device has a robust password mechanism, with malware and virus scanning software installed. If additional security is required, your departmental IT help desk will be able to assist.
• Do not allow unauthorised use of your notebook computer by a third party.
• Report the loss of the device immediately to your department IT help desk. The help desk will disable the logon. It may also be possible for a notebook to be wiped and/or disabled remotely.

Below are definitions of key terminology, including Product Types. If you require any further explanations, that please consult the Contract Manager.

Business grade device

Business grade devices are ‘enterprise level’ computing or mobile devices suitable for corporate and office environments due to their durability, build quality, extended warranty options and ability to integrate well with mainstream business and productivity applications. Business grade devices possess the following characteristics:

• Fault tolerant
• Scalable and expandable to large organisations
• Longevity and stability in product availability and supply
• Customisable to the organisation
• High reliability
• Enhanced security features and/or options
• Capable of storing asset number (the BIOS or equivalent)
• Genuine OEM Operating System License (often with ‘version downgrade’ options)
• Battery life of at least three hours if it is a portable device
• Encryption tools
• Remote access and remote configuration capabilities

Due to the qualities described above, business grade devices tend to be more expensive than consumer grade devices.

Chromebook

Chromebooks are notebooks, hybrids, or other portable computing devices that run a Google operating system called ‘Chrome OS’. They are often many times cheaper than Windows or Apple OSX based computers, but they usually have minimal processing power, memory, and local storage. Chromebooks are designed to operate whilst being connected to the Internet, with most of the applications, processing power and associated data residing in Google’s “cloud”.

Computing and mobile device

Computing and mobile devices are defined as fixed or transportable products that can accept and analyse data, run applications, and serve as an endpoint that can be connected to a Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN). For the purposes of the CUA, this definition excludes wearable devices, ruggedised devices, and tablets and phablets that are bundled with data plans.

Consumer grade device

Consumer grade devices are not “robust” enough to meet the “Business Grade Device” definition outlined above. Although these devices do not have the build quality, fault tolerance, longevity, or other enhanced features of business grade devices, they are usually lower cost options.

Desktop

Desktops are the most common type of non-portable computing device that are used in office and home situations. They typically consist of a case (or “chassis”) that houses the motherboard, power supply, memory, storage, and other components; as well as connecting to external peripherals such as a monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

Feature Phone

A feature phone is a mobile handset that performs core telephony functions like calling and texting, with a simple operating system possessing limited functionality. Feature phones typically possess a button-based input and a small display. Feature phones are powered by an internal rechargeable battery and typically possess longer battery life than smartphones.

Hybrid

Hybrids combine the mobility and touch-screen display characteristics of a tablet with the ease of use that a conventional keyboard has in relation to typing. The keyboard input devices that are bundled with hybrid devices are sometimes detachable.

Notebook

Notebooks are sometimes referred to as laptops, and can be described as portable computing devices that combine a display and keyboard that can be closed in a ‘clamshell’ manner for transport. One of the newest and most popular variants are ultrabooks, which are very light and portable Windows-based notebooks that rely on fast solid-state storage instead of slower traditional hard drives. MacBook Air products are very similar to ultrabooks, but they are not regarded as ultrabooks because they run Apple’s OSX operating system.

Peripheral

Peripherals are external devices that communicate with computing devices to provide input and/or output functionality but are not essential components (i.e. memory or microprocessor) of the device. Peripherals are grouped into three device categories - input, output, and storage

Phablet

Phablets are highly portable battery-operated computers that are only slightly larger than smartphones (“phablet” combines “phone” and “tablet” into the same word). Like tablets, phablet products have touch-screen displays that act as an alternative to using a keyboard or mouse. The most common operating system platforms are Apple iOS, Android, and Windows. However other platforms also exist.

Smartphone

A smartphone is a mobile handset with a mobile operating system that possesses much of the functionality of a tablet or notebook in addition to core telephony functions. Smartphones provide voice communications, SMS, MMS, and Internet services such as Web browsing and e-mail. Smartphones use a touch screen display as their primary input, typically possess a narrow build and are powered by an internal rechargeable battery. Smartphones have a mobile based OS.

Tablet

Tablets are highly portable battery-operated computers, with touch-screen displays that act as an alternative using a keyboard or mouse. However they sometimes come with accessories that allow the user to connect a keyboard or other peripherals. The most common operating system platforms are Apple iOS, Android, and Windows. However other platforms also exist.

Thin client

Thin clients are computers that have very minimal processing power, memory, or storage, and have a reduced operating system (such as Windows Embedded). Instead, thin clients rely on the servers of a given organisation to provide the required processing power and computation. This means that they are much cheaper than more traditional computers, and may enable some organisations to save on cost by combining a fleet of thin clients a ‘virtual desktop infrastructure’ (VDI).

Workstation

There are two types of workstations associated with the current CUA. The first type of “fixed workstations” are desktop computing devices that are not servers, but nonetheless have very powerful CPU’s and/or graphics cards, and a large amount of storage and memory. They are typically used for tasks that are very demanding in terms of computation, such as video and multimedia. This first type of workstation often uses high-end Intel Xeon or AMD Opteron microprocessors (but not always).

Portable versions of fixed workstations called “mobile workstations” are also covered by the CUA. Although they are typically less powerful and resemble very heavy laptops, the advantage of mobile workstations is that they can be transported from location to location. Like fixed workstations, these devices can be used for tasks that are very demanding in terms of computation.

Zero client

Zero clients are a type of thin client that do not have an operating system, but instead use efficient ‘dedicated hardware’. They also have no CPU, no memory, and no local storage. However, the value proposition of zero clients is similar to that of thin clients. Since they are much cheaper than traditional computers, they may enable some organisations to save on cost by combining a fleet of zero clients a “virtual desktop infrastructure” (VDI).

Delivery will be free to any nominated delivery point located within the Perth Metro Area (Western Australian Buy Local Policy Zone 1 Area) and the City of Mandurah.

Contractors may fulfil deliveries through their own freight arrangements, or you can arrange your own freight of the products. In this case, your Contractor must cooperate fully with your nominated hauler. Delivery charges will be specified in the Product Catalogue.

The Contractor may use its network of agents/resellers/supply chain partners to fulfil delivery. Any delivery fees must be charged by the Contractor must be in accordance with the prices displayed on the Product Catalogue.

The standard delivery timeframe for all Products from receipt of order is as follows:

Note: Recent supply chain disruptions may impact these timeframes for certain Brands and/or Product Types. Contractor specific timeframes are outlined the Procurement Lifecycle documents, however Customers should discuss timeframe requirements with Contractors to understand and manage these issues.

If purchased items cannot be delivered in accordance with the Order, the Contractor must notify the Customer 24 hours of the receipt of the Order.

Business Grade devices include a minimum three (3) year standard manufacturer’s warranty that includes onsite support. Consumer Grade devices include a minimum one (1) year standard manufacturer’s warranty (without onsite support). Warranty Services include the provision of all parts and labour at no additional cost to the Customer. The Contractor will also meet all costs incidental to the discharge of its warranty obligations, including any packing, freighting, reconfiguration and loading of software, disassembly and reassembly costs.

In addition, the following items apply to all purchases made under Panel 1 – Devices:

• The Contractor must warrant that all Products supplied in the Order / Customer Contract are free from deficiencies in design, performance, materials, or workmanship under conditions of normal use for the duration of the warranty period.
• All Products must be free from damage at acceptance of delivery.
• Warranty Services shall commence from the date of the Customer’s acceptance of delivery.
• During the warranty period the Contractor shall, without delay, correct all defects and omissions in the Products covered by the warranty by way of repair, replacement or modification of other means acceptable to the Customer.
• In the case of the faulty Product not being able to be repaired, the following requirements apply:
  • If the device has been purchased outright, the device including all data on the hard drive must be returned to the Customer.
  • If the device has been leased, the data on the hard drive must be retained and returned to the Customer and the device must be sanitised.
• Replacement parts shall be identical to, or supersede the components used in the original configuration.
• The Contractor must maintain a database of all devices supplied to the Customer including a configuration list and a comprehensive repair and maintenance history.
• The Contractor is responsible for facilitating third party Software warranty claims is excluded. Customer warranty claims shall be made under the licence agreement and claimed directly from the OEM of the Software.

NOTE: Many contractors can provide extended warranties longer than three years.