STATE OF ARIZONA ANNOUNCEMENT

February 1, 2002

NEW MICROSOFT CONTRACTS

The Government Information Technology Agency ("GITA") and the State Procurement Office ("SPO") are pleased to announce that the State of Arizona has signed the following contracts:

On January 23, 2002, a new statewide Microsoft (MS) Government Select contract - to be used by Arizona State agencies, cities, counties and other governmental entities, and on January 31, 2002, a new statewide Microsoft (MS) Academic Select contract - to be used by Arizona administrative offices or boards of education, K-12 schools, universities, libraries, museums and other eligible education customers. 

MS GOVERNMENT CONTRACT

The new MS government contract will enable customers who have funds to purchase Upgrade Advantage (UA) - the only remaining upgrade path from Microsoft's old licensing programs - to get approximately 2 years (as opposed to about 6 months) of benefit from that purchase.  For more information about Upgrade Advantage (UA), see GITA's web site - Microsoft Licensing Changes.  Purchases of new MS licenses by government customers may continue unaffected by the new contract. 

MS Local and State Government Select Contract can be used by all government entities in Arizona and all eligible entities that have entered into cooperative purchasing agreements with the State (through the State Procurement Office), including agencies, boards, commissions, cities, counties, towns, special purpose districts, nonprofit public health institutions, etc. 

SPECIAL GOV'T PRICE DISCOUNT

Based on the State's biennium budget, the State has negotiated a special price discount for State of Arizona government customers (State agencies, cities, counties, etc.) who have budgeted and planned projects that would be adversely affected by MS's licensing changes (announced May 2001).  

A State government customer who (prior to May 2001) submitted a budget and planned related projects (that contemplated upgrades to the customer's MS software), will be able to purchase Upgrade Advantage at a price discounted to the Version Upgrade (VUP) level.  VUPs, no longer available from Microsoft, were the most popular upgrade purchased by State government customers.  This price discount will be available only through the date UA is available, which is currently July 31, 2002. 

Each customer that qualifies for this special discount will have to submit documentation and get approval from Microsoft.  The State is working with Microsoft on a simple approval procedure.  Related documentation will be finalized soon and made available to State customers through their procurement officers.  Any State government customer in a time crunch that believes they may qualify for this special discount, please contact Lisa Meyerson, Statewide Projects Manager (GITA) at lmeyerson@azgita.gov or (602) 340-9698 (ext 224).

MS ACADEMIC CONTRACT

The State's former Education Select contract expired on October 31, 2001 and was extended to January 31, 2002.  The new Academic Select contract will enable purchases of new MS licenses, as well as MS license upgrades, by academic customers.  The new contract will run for 2 years through January 31, 2004.

Educational organizations that wish to enroll under this contract, the benefits/burdens of doing so and other information regarding this contract will be placed on the GITA web site in February 2002. 

MS Academic Select Contract can be used by all eligible education customers in Arizona such as the Department of Education and all eligible education customers who have cooperative purchasing agreements with the State (through the State Procurement Office) including universities, K through 12 schools, charter schools, technical schools, accredited preschools, public libraries, public museums, etc.

PLACING ORDERS

Customers are free to obtain price quotes and submit orders under the new MS contracts from ASAP Software, the State's software reseller (see contact information below) at any time.  ASAP will process orders under the new contracts beginning the first week of February 2002.  Once an order is placed with ASAP, the customer can legally use MS software for which licenses have been ordered. 

OTHER MS MATTERS

The State has also negotiated and will sign in May another Microsoft government Select contract to give State customers with Fiscal Year end 2002 or Fiscal Year 2003 funds approximately 2 years of benefit from their upgrade purchases.  A statewide Enterprise agreement (EA) with Microsoft for customers who have chosen to standardize on and broadly deploy Microsoft software is also contemplated in June/July 2002 to replace the existing EA which expires on July 31, 2002.  The State continues to work with other states to lobby Microsoft for additional changes to its licensing programs and continues to monitor security and other concerns with Microsoft products.

OTHER SOFTWARE MATTERS

Please note that the State has volume license agreements with 13 software publishers (not just with Microsoft) and new or improved contracts from these and other publishers are planned by the State. 

Please see http://azgita.gov/licensing_contracts/software_contracts/sw_volume_ent_other.htm  for more information about these contracts.  Any requests for new or improved software contracts should be directed to Lisa Meyerson, Statewide Projects Manager (GITA). 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Informational seminars regarding both the government and academic Microsoft contracts are being planned for the first calendar quarter 2002.  Notices will be sent to your procurement officers and posted on the GITA web site.

For additional information, please feel free to contact the following:

Thank you for your attention and consideration.