[Technical] Interestingcomputers-in-education

[Stephen Digby DEET]

Agree that such large purchases should definitely go to tender. Amazed that it didn't.  Just thought that microsoft won !

==================================
Stephen Digby, Learning Technology Manager
digby.stephen.p at edumail.vic.gov.au
Cheltenham Secondary College
www.cheltsec.vic.edu.au
Ph: 613 955 55 955  Fx: 9555 8617
==================================
 

Respect the masterpiece. It is true reverence to man. There is no quality so great, none so much needed now. - Frank Lloyd Wright

-----Original Message-----
From: tech-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:tech-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Con Zymaris
Sent: Saturday, 6 August 2005 1:47 PM
To: Technical Discussion in Schools Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Technical] Interestingcomputers-in-education

On Sat, Aug 06, 2005 at 11:20:07AM +1000, Clark, Ian C wrote:
>  
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: tech-bounces at edulists.com.au
> > I am also aware that by opening up the tender to competition from 
> > other firms, besides Microsoft, the savings can potentially be even 
> > greater. Why not do that? That's all I'm asking.
> 
> Hi Con,
> 
> You still don't accept that it's embarrassing to offer a product 
> different to the one the customer (who might be an individual or a 
> company or a government organisation) actually wants! That's the 
> reverse of modern marketing theory!

Incorrect. 

I would have no problems if the Department kept out of the purchasing and didn't arrange any whole-of-public-school agreements, like
the one it has with Microsoft, at all. It should then give that $22 million to the schools and let them each decide what
technologies are best for them.

I bet, using this approach, that many many more schools will deploy a lot more open source solutions. This is what seems to happen
in the private school sector. That's good for non-Microsoft vendors like Cybersource.

As it stands, the Department does private deals with Microsoft, not allowing any competitors, like us, Novell or Red Hat to bid.
This is wrong.

I'm not in the public education sphere. You guys are. Can you tell me of any other instances where $22 million is given to a single
vendor, without that vendor having to compete on an open market for the business? A market which does have real competitors?

Ian, you can argue backwards and forwards, but as a taxpayer, I'm furious with the fact that $22 million of my tax dollars are spent
on products where there was no competitive tendering. As a vendor, I'm furious that a
$22 million dollar deal was done without an open competitive tender. I have therefore lodged a formal complaint with the ACCC, whose
job it is to ensure, among other things, that governments do run competitve tenders and that actions, like the one that DE&T takes,

I'm sorry that you don't seem to like or appreciate this. But keeping you happy is not in my job description ;-)


___________________________________________________________________________
Con Zymaris <conz at cyber.com.au> Level 4, 10 Queen St, Melbourne, Australia 
Cybersource: Australia's Leading Linux and Open Source Solutions Company 
Web: http://www.cyber.com.au/  Phone: 03 9621 2377   Fax: 03 9621 2477


_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
Technical Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc



Important - 
This email and any attachments may be confidential. If received in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before opening or using attachments check them for viruses and defects. Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or indirectly from the use of any attached files our liability is limited to resupplying any affected attachments. Any representations or opinions expressed are those of the individual sender, and not necessarily those of the Department of Education & Training.