Computing Equipment Procurement Standard

This standard applies to all computing equipment purchased for the University and UniServices and all University and UniServices staff involved in the selection, authorisation, procurement, use and disposal of University and UniServices computing equipment.

The provision of appropriate computing equipment is vital if the University is to achieve its mission to be “a research-led, international university, recognised for excellence in teaching, learning, research, creative work and administration”. This document provides the principles and processes to be used in the selection, authorisation and procurement of computing equipment for the University and UniServices.

Adherence to these principles and processes will:

Ensure IT users receive appropriate computing equipment that allows them to be fully productive and deliver excellence in teaching, learning, research, creative work and administration.

Minimise costs through:

• purchase of computing equipment from University preferred supply agreements
• minimising the number of devices per person
• reducing the variety of computing equipment requiring support and reducing support costs

Prior to the process of selection, approval and purchase of any computing equipment, IT users must first consult their manager, faculty/ service division IT staff or finance teams or IT procurement about their computing equipment requirements, regardless of the funding source for equipment. This consultation will ensure:

• a holistic view of user’s requirements must be considered when identifying the most appropriate computing equipment to ensure IT users are provided with the minimum number of computing devices that will allow them to be fully productive. Consideration of appropriate computing equipment should include review of IT users’ mobile telephony requirements and equipment
• all IT users are provided with products from the University’s standard computing equipment range unless an exception for non-standard computing equipment has been justified and approved by the applicable financial delegated authority
• internal support costs will be minimised through standardisation of equipment
• asset management policies and guidelines are complied with and computing equipment assets are managed through their lifecycle to optimise value

All IT users are responsible for:

• discussing and agreeing their computing equipment requirements with their manager, faculty/service division IT staff, faculty finance managers or IT procurement prior to computing equipment being purchased, to ensure appropriate equipment is purchased for their needs
• following process and responsibilities within this standard and the computing equipment procurement guidelines when identifying appropriate computing equipment
• providing justification and receiving approval prior to purchasing non-standard computing equipment, regardless of the funding source, including grants and academic heads' accounts
• taking all reasonable steps to keep safe any computing equipment allocated to them and notifying appropriate persons in the event of damage or loss
• installing only legally licenced software on their computer

Faculty/service division IT and finance staff are responsible for:

• ensuring all computing equipment purchased is appropriate for IT users’ requirements and the number of computing devices per user is minimised.
• ensuring the purchase of non-standard computing equipment is approved by the applicable financial delegated authority and local IT Support prior to purchase.
• ensuring IT users accept that support for non-standard models is likely to be less than that provided for standard models.
• defining and managing computing equipment budgets for their area
• purchasing, managing and replacing computing equipment through its life cycle in line with this and other applicable University policies and standards.
• participating in a cross faculty consultation process with IT procurement, to agree the standard computing equipment and warranty/support terms that will meet the range of user’s requirements.
• where appropriate, establishing and managing a loan pool of mobile computing devices for their faculty’s UIT users who have occasional requirements for mobile computing
• advising IT procurement of product or supplier performance issues relating to standard computing equipment

IT procurement is responsible for:

• facilitating, the process of cross-faculty consultation with faculty IT staff, to agree standard computing equipment and associated supply and warranty terms
• publishing information on standard computing equipment on the staff intranet
• ensuring supply agreements are in place with preferred suppliers or available through All of Government (AOG) to support procurement of standard computing equipment
• managing preferred suppliers’ performance and delivery of agreed equipment through agreed purchasing processes

Non-standard equipment purchased without pre-approval may not be supported by faculty/service division IT support.

Non-standard equipment purchased without pre-approval may not be imaged with University software.

Parties deliberately deviating from this Standard will not be reimbursed for any equipment costs they have incurred with the expectation of being reimbursed for their purchase.

The following definitions apply to this document:

Asset is defined in the Financial Services Asset Management Policy. 

AOG means the All of Government supply agreements put in place by the Ministry of Business Innovation and Enterprise.

Computing equipment means desktop& laptop PCs and MACs, workstation, monitors, tablets, slates, mobile phones or other devices used for personal computing.

Delegated authority is defined by Financial Services Financial Delegations Policy. 

Faculty/service division IT staff means staff members whose role it is to provide IT support to IT users within their faculty, service division or institute.

IT user refers to any individual member of the University community using IT resources.

Non-standard computing equipment means computing equipment outside the standard brand, models and configurations agreed and available from the University’s preferred supplier at the time of purchase.

Standard computing equipment means the standard brands, models and configurations agreed and available from the University’s preferred supplier or suppliers at the time of purchase.

University means the University of Auckland and includes all subsidiaries.

University community includes all staff (whether permanent, temporary or part time), honorary staff, students (whether full time or part time), contractors, subcontractors, consultants, alumni, associates, business partners or official visitors or guests of members of the University or UniServices.

Include the following:

• IT Acceptable Use Policy
• Telecommunications Policy
• Asset Management Policy
• Financial Delegations Policy
• Computing Equipment Procurement Guidelines
• Public Finance Act 1989

Owner: Chief Digital Officer (CDO)
Content manager: IT Procurement Manager
Approved by: Vice-Chancellor
Date approved: November 2013
Review date: November 2018