DATACOM has won a deal to supply schools with free software and licences in a multi-million dollar agreement reached between the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Microsoft New Zealand.
Under the arrangement, which will run until the end of 2006 and extends a similar arrangement that was negotiated in 2002, Microsoft makes specially priced versions of its software available to the Ministry, which it will distribute to primary and secondary schools at no charge, via Datacom.
The Ministry says Datacom was selected following a competitive tender process, but neither Microsoft managing director Ross Peat nor Datacom Services managing director Greg Magness will reveal who the other companies are that tendered.
Schools must register to receive the free software, which Datacom will supply directly earning a “fractional” margin, according to Magness.
The agreement with Microsoft is part of a wider MOE programme worth $27.45 million over three years that includes similar arrangements to supply schools with Apple and Computer Associates eTrust anti-virus software.
· For the full story read the 30 April issue of Reseller News
