ICT procurement

If you’re planning to procure information and communication technology (ICT) products or services, it’s important to follow the correct processes.

These processes are designed to:

reduce costs
ensure compliance with UQ and Queensland Government policy, and
meet UQ’s contractual obligations.

All ICT procurement must comply with the UQ Procurement Procedures and the ICT Procurement Framework.

ICT includes:

computers and tablets
software
printers
audiovisual products and services
mobile phones
ICT infrastructure
IT contractors and consultants.

New procedures and forms

We've published:

the ICT Procurement Framework (UQ login required) and the ICT Contract Management Local Standard Operating Procedure (UQ login required).
a suite of ICT procurement procedures, forms and guidance.

Ensure that you follow the procedures and use the forms for any new or commenced ICT procurement activities. If you have any feedback, please contact ICT Procurement.

Help and advice

The ICT Procurement team oversees UQ’s ICT procurement activities in support of the ICT category owner, UQ’s Chief Information Officer (CIO).

Contact the ICT Procurement team at ict.procurement@uq.edu.au for more information or help with procurement activities.

We can help you:

acquire goods and services to meet your business needs
comply with the ICT Procurement Framework
obtain best value for money
ensure that you and the University are not exposed to undue personal or commercial risk.

We provide support across all phases of ICT procurement, including:

advising on existing approved supply arrangements
advising on procurement strategies
reviewing procurement plans
reviewing tender documentation
reviewing evaluation plans
reviewing commercial terms of ICT contracts
providing probity briefings
managing communications with suppliers
assisting with contract management
QTenders submissions.

ICT supply arrangements

Approved supply arrangements

UQ has access to approved supply arrangements that make it easier, faster and more cost-effective to purchase certain ICT products and services.

These arrangements can include pre-agreed terms relating to specifications, quality, delivery, warranty, refunds, payment terms and pricing.

Where a supply arrangement exists, you should purchase the items you require through the established supply channel. For information on existing ICT supply arrangements, contact ICT Procurement.

UQeMarket

You must purchase commonly used ICT products through UQeMarket, unless there is a genuine and documented requirement to seek alternative products.

This includes:

How to purchase ICT products through UQeMarket

Software and information security

Before you consider a new software product (even if it's free), you must check UQ’s software catalogue.

When considering new software, you must ensure that UQ’s information and cyber security requirements are met. This applies to all:

licensed software
cloud solutions, and
free software and cloud services.

This may mean that some popular, low-cost cloud solutions are not appropriate for use by UQ.

For information on UQ’s information and cyber security requirements, read the Application Security Standard (UQ login required) or submit an IT request.

If the software is a cloud-based application, read our guide to using cloud applications safely for details on security assessments and key risks to be aware of.

Software licences and subscriptions to cloud services are ICT contracts. Refer to the terms and conditions guidance below for information on who is authorised to accept these terms.

Contracts

Reviewing contract terms and conditions

When procuring ICT products and services, it’s important to consider the contract terms and conditions, as these may put UQ at risk.

ICT contract terms can only be accepted by an appropriate ICT contract delegate or sub-delegate.

The person coordinating the procurement (procurement coordinator) must:

ensure the terms and conditions are accurate and do not contain any unacceptable risks. This includes seeking legal advice where necessary
provide a brief to the appropriate ICT contract delegate or sub-delegate.

The ICT contract delegate or sub-delegate must decided whether to accept the terms.

Refer to the forms, templates and guidelines below for help you reviewing terms and conditions, and creating a brief.

Registering contracts

All ICT contracts that are above the threshold for registration specified in the ICT Contract Management Local Standard Operating Procedure must be recorded in the ICT contracts register.

Contact the ICT Procurement team at ict.procurement@uq.edu.au for more information or help with registering contracts.

Procedures, forms and guidance

Procedures

When procuring ICT products and services, you must follow the:

Forms, templates and guidelines

You must use the ICT-specific forms and templates below when required. If there is no ICT-specific form or template, use the standard procurement forms and templates.

All documents are secure – UQ login required.

You must submit specific documentation for review by UQ’s Chief Information Officer (the ICT category owner) if:

an ICT procurement has a total contract value above $200,000, or
you’re seeking an exemption.

The required documentation includes procurement plans, recommendation reports and process exemptions. Email your documentation to the ICT Procurement team.

Planning

Please refer to the Procurement brief/exemption and plan under Procurement procedures and forms.

Sourcing

Resource	Purpose	When required
Software quote request (PDF, 883.4 KB)	Used to document important information relating to software licence requirements and to request a quote from UQ’s preferred software reseller.	All requests for ad hoc software quotes.
ICT Request For Quote (RFQ) Contact ICT Procurement to request template.	Used to document UQ’s requirements and seek quotes for the supply of ICT products and services.	Contracts under $200,000 Simple requirements valued $200,000- $1 million Not compulsory for procurements under $50,000 however it may be useful.
ICT Expression of Interest (EOI) Contact ICT Procurement to request template.	Assist UQ to understand the capability of the market to meet UQ’s objectives and requirements Identify potential suppliers in the market Inform an internal business case.	If EOI stage required.
ICT EOI response schedule Contact ICT Procurement to request template.	Used for suppliers to respond to an EOI.	If EOI stage required.
ICT Invitation to Offer (ITO) (DOCX, 195 KB)	Used to seek offers for the supply of a solution to meet UQ’s defined requirements.	This is not compulsory if the value of the procurement is under $1 million. However, ICT procurement may advise that an ITO is appropriate based on the complexity, risk and impact profile of the procurement.
ICT ITO response schedule (DOCX, 203.4 KB)	Used for suppliers to respond to an ITO.	If an ITO is conducted.
ICT requirements spreadsheet Contact ICT Procurement to request template.	Used to document and categorise UQ’s detailed functional, non-functional, service and commercial requirements for a solution, and to allow suppliers to respond to each requirement.	If an ITO is conducted. You can also use this spreadsheet to define RFQ requirements.
Cloud services cyber security checklist (XLSX, 39.4 KB)	Used to assess the information security features of cloud services to determine whether a proposed solution meets UQ’s requirements.	Required for cloud services where detailed ITO requirements were not provided to the supplier during the sourcing phase.

Recommendations and contracts

Resource	Purpose	When required
ICT procurement evaluation summary Contact ICT Procurement to request template.	Spreadsheet to document the evaluation of offers against UQ’s requirements and stated evaluation criteria, and to calculate weighted scores based on agreed moderated scoring. For complex procurements that are conducted via ITO, this may be used as a second step, to collate the scoring of detailed requirements by evaluation panel members for the purposes of moderation.	If an RFQ is undertaken, and as useful for moderation of EOI and ITO evaluations.
ICT contract and procurement brief (DOCX, 97.6 KB)	Used to document the essential elements of an ICT contract and associated procurement, and provide the ICT Contract Sub-delegate with information required to ensure that appropriate due diligence has been undertaken.	All software and cloud services contracts ICT contracts greater than $200,000.
ICT contract templates Contact ICT Procurement to request templates.	These must be used strictly in accordance with their associated guidelines, even where an approved supply arrangement is used.	Mandatory for: ICT procurements valued at or above $200,000 ICT consultancy engagements valued at or above $10,000. Contact ICT Procurement for advice on contract terms for your procurement.
ICT contract execution checklist (PDF, 199.5 KB)	A checklist used to ensure all steps are followed when preparing an ICT Contract for execution or acceptance. This includes a number of pre-contract activities (e.g. due diligence)	If preparing an ICT Contract for execution or acceptance.

Guidance

Resource	Purpose	When required
Low risk licence review checklist (DOCX, 86.7 KB)	Used to assist in the review of licence/subscription terms for low risk software licence and cloud subscription agreements.	All software or data licences and cloud service subscriptions (unless Legal Services has been engaged).
Guidelines for using supplier terms and conditions	Used to assist in the review of supplier terms and conditions for low risk ICT agreements.	All ICT agreements less than $100,000 where supplier terms are being considered.
Legal fact sheets	Fact sheets to help you understand and review contract terms and conditions.	As needed.