City of Melrose IT Purchasing Policy
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide a framework for the procurement (purchase and lease) of all IT hardware, software, and any externally hosted systems or software for the City of Melrose (City).
The City of Melrose has standards in place for software, apps, operating systems, computer networks and computer hardware and peripherals. This standardization is essential as it allows the City of Melrose IT Department to provide a quality service.
The main benefit areas are:
- IT Support Staff are trained on or familiar with hardware and peripherals, thus speeding up troubleshooting and faster response and repair times for staff
- Legal Compliance with software and hardware licensing
- The IT Department is able to stock standard spares in order to reduce down time
- Network, software and hardware installations are planned and coordinated centrally by experienced network engineers
- IT staff with relevant skills are recruited
- Adherence with IT State Contracts
- Communications between departments using unified software
- Interoperability between departments’ hardware and software
- Predictable interoperability between hardware and software
- Reduced costs for IT and staff training
- Overall lower support and maintenance costs
- Easier budgeting for parts and labor
- Better bargaining with economies of scale
- External support for hardware or software is limited to fewer vendors reducing repair time
- Consistent inventory tracking
This policy outlines the procedures that must be in place to achieve these benefits and to ensure the purchase, delivery and installation of IT equipment is coordinated successfully. This policy has been developed in conjunction with the City of Melrose IT Steering Committee.
Scope
This policy applies to all City of Melrose employees, departments, committees or any other entity operating under the jurisdiction of the City of Melrose and the purchase of all IT (technology hardware; software; cloud or externally hosted systems, software and services) by faculty and staff using institutional, and any grant funds regardless of whether it is a fee based purchase or zero dollar acquisition (provided for free but still requires agreement to terms and conditions).
Any technical equipment acquired or is existing in any City facility is under the jurisdiction and management of the IT Department regardless of its purchasing source.
Definitions
IT Equipment/Hardware: IT equipment or hardware refers to but is not limited to Multi-Functional-Printing Devices (MFPs or MFDs), Personal Computers (PCs), laptops, and peripherals, thin-clients, digital signs, keyboard video mouse (KVMs), fax machines, phones, monitors, cameras, projectors, printers, scanners, multimedia devices, tablets, mobile phones, Mifi devices, wireless access points (APs), switching and other network hardware, keyboards, mice, Chromebooks, Chromeboxes, firewalls, digital storage devices, security systems and software, Storage Area Networks (SANS), and Network Attached Storage (NAS)
External IT Service: External IT Services includes but is not limited to any service where programming is done to an internal or external software, setup of IT equipment or software, conversion of software systems or databases, maintenance on equipment, repair of equipment, web applications or any website function.
Software includes but is not limited to any software application that is loaded on City/School-owned technology hardware (desktops/laptops/tablets) or used in the cloud.
Departmental/Enterprise/Web Application Software is any software that will be housed on a City/School server. Usually this type of software is multi-user, but it can also be dedicated for a specific business practice or purpose.
Cloud-based or externally hosted software and services include, but are not limited to, any software application or service that is hosted outside of the City/School’s data center infrastructure.
Responsibility
It is the responsibility of all City employees, departments, committees or any other entity operating under the jurisdiction of the City of Melrose to comply with this policy. It is the responsibility of the IT Department to carry-out the functions of procurement described in this policy as well as ensure compliance with the best practices of standardization.
Purchasing Guidelines
The City of Melrose IT Department is the sole authority for purchasing or leasing any technology-related items including but not limited to IT equipment/hardware, software, software as a service (SAS), cloud-based hosting or storage, external IT services and web applications.
- To request the purchase of a new technology item for an individual, department or as part of a larger project will be submitted to the IT Department via the online work order system used by the IT Department.
- The IT Department is committed to consulting with the requestor to ensure that the best IT solution is provided. IT will make a decision to approve, decline or amend the requirements for the purchase of the equipment or software. This will be done in conjunction with the department or individual to find the best technical solution to fit the issue to be addressed.
- The IT Department will always provide a description for why the item was approved, amended or declined in a communication. The process will be handled with as much communication as possible.
- Once the equipment has been decided upon and approved, the IT Department will order the equipment/software/service and provide an installation timeline for the item.
The IT Department has a standard for inventorying, labeling, installing and provisioning items ordered. This procedure ensures that the item will be serviced quickly and efficiently once deployed and meets all of the safety and software specifications for trouble-free use.
IT will not install software or hardware that has not gone through the procurement process listed above or has not been approved for purchase by the IT Department.
Software or hardware cannot be installed by non-IT Department staff nor will hardware be allowed to be connected to the network without having gone through the procurement process ensuring safety and security of information stored on the network.