Merici College, Canberra

Laptop Program – Procurement and management

Background

Merici College, situated in the heart of Canberra, has been providing Catholic education to girls from Years 7-12 for over 40 years.

In 1994, Merici College initiated a pilot project whereby students use a notebook computer as a tool to complete their studies as an alternative to periodic lab based computer access. The objectives of the program were, and remain, to improve student learning and develop student learning styles, to allow ready access to computer technology, to implement a non-teacher centred instruction model, to make school more relevant and interesting, to encourage collaborative learning and to provide students with skills that encourage their success.

Evaluations by staff, students and parents highlight the continued success of this program, which has been facilitated by OPC IT for 6 years. Between 125 and 150 students commence the program each year.

The Challenge

The selection criteria for Merici’s ‘Laptop Program’ are stringent and submissions are sought from across the market every year to ensure the best possible result.

Criteria of prime consideration each year are:

• Affordability – the College aims to reduce the total cost of ownership to parents and the College each year while still maintaining a high quality laptop computer
• Weight – in the interests of student safety and mobility, laptops are not to exceed 1.8kg, including carry bag and power supply
• Durability – the laptops are required to be of robust construction, given that they are in the possession of young adults in a school environment and in regular transit
• Profile software – must allow easy configuration of Merici and home wireless and/or cable networks; the laptops are required to accept Novell and Merici College software with no conflicts
• Operating System – must have provision for the College to prepare a Merici SOE and have this deployed on all laptops before delivery; security and network settings must facilitate access to the Merici intranet which serves as an online resource for student lesson and reference material
• Specifications – the laptops are required to strict guidelines with regard to speed, overall performance and student security (eg no cameras of finger print readers)
• Battery life - the laptop battery is required to enable 6 – 7 hours use without the need to recharge
• Service Level Agreement – including on site servicing, fast repair turnarounds, provision of hot spare machines, comprehensive insurance coverage with low premiums, training and regular reporting
• Administration - all administration connected with ordering, payments and delivery of laptops is to be undertaken by the provider with clear systems in place to track progress.

Our Solution

OPC IT has successfully submitted IBM/Lenovo products for consideration by the College for the Laptop Program for 5 years. The Lenovo ThinkPads have been chosen for the following reasons:

• Affordability – Merici’s continued selection of IBM/Lenovo ThinkPads ensures consistency in their fleet and assists in the reduction of total cost of ownership by standardising on parts and servicing requirements; in addition, Lenovo’s Launchpad program for Education gave Merici access to highly competitive pricing
• Weight and Durability - the Lenovo ThinkPads weigh only 1.4kg and are only 2cm thick. They have a magnesium composite cover and robust ‘clam shell’ design for ultimate reliability; includes IBM’s ‘Active Protection System’, ie built in motion sensors that detect falls or rough handling and temporarily shut down the Hard drive, thereby reducing the risk of a system crash or data corruption - ultimate portability for the students.
• Software – Lenovo ThinkPads come with several pieces of software which allow users to seamlessly switch between wired and wireless environments, managing home and school profile settings automatically
• Operating System - OPC IT assisted in the development of Merici’s SOE image and, as part of our deployment and configuration process, we imaged each machine individually prior to delivery using ZENworks technology
• Battery Life - the ThinkPads are fitted with a standard with an 8 – cell Lithium Ion battery will last up to 8.0 hours without charge; in addition to this there are battery management tools included with the system that can further extend battery life
• Service Level Agreement - the ThinkPads come standard with the comprehensive 3 Years Parts and Labour warranty backed up by OPC IT’s successful maintenance program provided onsite at the College; in addition OPC IT’s designated laptop room provides an optimal servicing environment, complete with a comprehensive inventory of hot swap spare parts, for return to base servicing when required
• Administration - OPC IT’s experience in the total facilitation of the rollout process, combined with our close working relationship with the College, has provided a smooth, stress-free experience for the College staff and the families involved

The Result

OPC IT is proud of our long association with Merici College. The IT savvy of their network team provides continual challenge to us to provide the highest calibre equipment while presenting the best value for their investment dollars.

Collaboration and communication have formed a professional partnership that is a benchmark within this sector.

‘Congratulations… on a highly professional and most satisfactory Proposal For the Supply and Deployment of Laptop computers for Merici College …

We think the IBM product is an excellent one for our needs and we look forward to continuing our relationship with OPC which has been characterised by an excellent level of service and strong communication.’

Ms Angela McPhillips (Acting Principal)