T H E F U T U R E ’ S B R I G H T
YOUR GUIDE TO
FUTUREPROOFED PURCHASING
T H E F U T U R E ’ S B R I G H T
YOUR GUIDE TO
FUTUREPROOFED PURCHASING
COMING UP IN OUR ‘THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT’ SERIES
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ast week I was doing what I love best: chatting to a prep school head over a cup of tea and a slice of cake about her school’s new ICT suite. Having chirpily told me about their brilliant new ICT coordinator, she sighed despondently, looked off into the middle distance and began telling me about how falling numbers and tightening budgets meant they weren’t able to afford all the technology that the pupils so wanted to get their hands on. I didn’t pry into their finances, but the more she elaborated the more I got the impression that she perhaps hadn’t looked into all the different procurement options available. So in this month’s ‘The future’s bright’ section we thought we’d dive into the topic of procurement head first, and find out exactly how options like leasing can be really handy for schools with limited budgets (p24). In the process, we’ve honed up on total cost of ownership, having been warned by network managers in the know about the risks of plumping for the cheapest option out there without doing your research. June’s section also covers ICT frameworks (nope, we weren’t sure how they could help either) and money and time saving technology. Plus, our resident IT whizz Dughall McCormick lifts the lid on some of the cleverest technology around. Enjoy!
THIS MONTH 24 Big picture procurement We get to grips with everything from total cost of ownership to leasing options 26 The right frame of mind How can an ICT framework enhance your approach to procurement? 28 Efficiency through technology Saving cash and time in the long term through clever investment
SEPTEMBER Ringing the changes for future generations with the digital classroom, 3D printing and cloud technology
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JESS PIKE, EDITOR
THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT > PROCUREMENT
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P I C T U R E P R O C U R E M E N T
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THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT > PROCUREMENT
There’s so much to consider when making large investments in ICT. George Carey speaks to the experts for procurement advice about what you need to mull over, covering everything from total cost of ownership to leasing options
We make decisions based on the best value from the point of view of longevity
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here are some elements of the role that cause bursars and network managers headaches and there are others that induce rather more severe episodes of cerebral discomfort, of which making large-scale investments in ICT is undoubtedly one. There’s so much to consider, from the total cost of ownership (TCO) to the kind of aftersales support that companies offer – and parents are always keen to see that their fees are being spent in the best possible way. But with the right advice and a considered approach, it’s possible to make your money go further and ensure your pupils have the best educational aids in the classroom. MORE THAN A PRICE TAG Independent ICT consultant Andrew Margetts says that buying from one or two trusted suppliers is the best approach for independent schools. “The main gamble that a school takes when it invests a large sum of money in a new technology solution is not with the technology but the supplier. Many small companies will offer extremely attractive-looking deals but give them a wide berth if they don’t have a proven track record. They are unlikely to have the expertise necessary to cater for the school’s wider ICT needs. Also, if it’s a young company, they may not even exist in a few years when you want to upgrade or equipment requires servicing.” Recognising the total cost of ownership of electronic equipment rather than simply the purchase price is something that schools are increasingly comfortable doing and it can have a big impact on procurement practices. “We make decisions based on the best value from the point of view of longevity of any equipment we bring into the school,” says Kevin Fisher, network manager at the Park Hall Academy in Birmingham. He continues: “We have the same equipment across all of our desktops and we went for that because it has a standard five-year warranty. I’ve got the peace of mind now that over the next five years that item on the desk is covered and for what I spent on it I’ve got a decent specification that I know will last me five years and potentially even longer.” Kevin has learned to look at the bigger picture through past experience with printers. He explains: “When we bought from one print manufacturer the equipment did okay initially but over time parts started failing. Also, we tried compatible and reusable toner cartridges but it got to the point that they were costing more by killing off our devices than they were saving us.” He adds: “We always want to get the lowest costs possible but it’s about getting the right low cost. We generally do thorough research so that we get what we’re buying at the cheapest price, but it’s not cheap.” NOT A LENDER BUT A BORROWER BE Of course all of this forward planning and focus on total cost of ownership is very well, but schools must have the finances to facilitate the right purchases. “Schools should look at leasing some
of the equipment rather than mixing and matching on capital expenditure purchases and struggling to find the money for the equipment and software they really need,” says Mark Bayliss, key account manager at KYOCERA Document Solutions. Bad press in the recent past has not helped the cause of leasing after a Panorama programme in 2012 revealed the ruinous impact that some extremely unscrupulous companies had on a handful of unlucky schools. But partnering with a reputable company can offer a great solution to schools looking to stay ahead of the curve. “It’s very difficult sometimes to get schools to sign a lease,” says Mark, “because a lot of them have been stung by unethical sales people, and I understand that. I think there’s always a bit of reluctance when it comes to schools signing contracts and agreements.” At the Park Hall Academy Kevin has enjoyed the benefits of a high performing photocopying and printing setup made possible by offsetting his costs. “We’re currently leasing our photocopiers and, in a roundabout way, through a managed print service we lease our printers as well. We used to buy our printers and we got into a horrible circle when an old printer would die. We’d buy a new one and it would work but then another of the old printers would break and we’d have to buy another – there was no real control, so I thought: ‘We’ve got to stop this,’” he says. It’s this uniformity that offers reliability to schools and this is what Mark thinks they should prioritise. He explains: “The first thing is that they actually manage to get a standard platform if they are leasing so that they know what their costs are for each of the coming years. They will all be fixed at a certain rate so they know how to plan for their next refresh and equipment can be refreshed more often, depending on the type of arrangements in the operating leases. It’s about stability and standardisation.” GETTING INTO BED Whether your school has the funds available to purchase outright or you choose to lease, a vital element of ICT procurement is finding the right supplier partner. And a focus on quality after-care is what Mark Steed, principal of the Berkhamsted Schools Group in Hertfordshire, sees as an essential element of any procurement deal. “Training of staff in the use of new technology is vital,” he says. It’s something he saw as crucial when his school adopted tablets. He adds: “Teachers are going to need training in how to incorporate apps into their lessons. This is a fastmoving area of education because new apps are being developed all the time – the required skillset is always changing.” The message that rings loud and clear from all of this testimony is that long-term relationships with manufacturers that have a proven track record is what will see schools though the turbulent system upgrades and ongoing maintenance issues. Good luck.
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THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT > FRAMEWORKS
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When it comes to IT purchasing, even the most experienced bursar or head can feel in need of a helping hand. Here we get to grips with ICT frameworks and explore how they can streamline your approach to procurement
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o you have an ICT framework in place at your school? Some of you may nod in response to this question, but the likelihood is that many readers are confused as to what an ICT framework actually is. Even if you’re an old hand when it comes to ICT purchasing, an ICT framework is that extra bit of support when it comes to procuring technology, and it’s worth having them sussed out. Simply put, a framework is a purchasing arrangement. Open to public sector bodies including schools, it defines the terms and conditions of supply and service – and importantly, is fully compliant with Public Procurement Regulations 2015. Think of it like an umbrella that protects you from breaking your legal obligations and attracting unwanted suppliers. The benefit of having one is that when it comes to essential ICT purchases you’re sure to make a selection that complies with that legislation whilst avoiding publicising your requirements to suppliers that might not be so suitable. One of the greatest benefits of this is confidence; a head or bursar can feel safe in the knowledge that any procurement will satisfy the legal obligations which govern school processes – and that they’ll be avoiding a finance lease disguised as an operating lease. Plus, as commercial terms benefit from aggregated demand, there’s always going to be an element of competition from suppliers to win your business, keeping prices low as a result. However, keep in mind that frameworks – especially large ones – can limit your choice of supplier. Depending on the number of
suppliers, if most of these are manufacturers they can only provide their own products, which naturally limits choice. While this isn’t so important in a transactional purchase, it can be a problem with a managed service – suppliers mightn’t be so flexible if they’ve competed heavily on price to win a place on the framework. And away from the competition zone, many potential suppliers are simply put off by the onerous conditions imposed by frameworks which can also limit a purchaser’s choice to original equipment manufacturers or online catalogue purchases. Importantly, frameworks usually bring lower costs. Just don’t mistake this with good value – you want long-term solutions not disposable purchases. Thankfully, any school has the freedom to use frameworks if they offer value for money, but look elsewhere if they don’t. So if you’re planning to use a framework, which to choose? There’s a number of frameworks available to schools and the selection you make will govern the products, services and suppliers that are available to you. For example, whilst government-sponsored national frameworks from the Crown Commercial Service are aimed at the wider public sector, there are also specialist education-oriented frameworks such as the Crescent Purchasing Consortium. It’s important to do your research, and keep in mind that as an independent school, you have to have charitable status in order to be eligible. Whether frameworks sound like a protection or a restriction, it’s well worth investigating to see if they could be suitable for you and your school. Just like anything designed to ensure your comfort, make sure find the right one for you.
There’s always to be an element of competition from suppliers to win your business, keeping prices low as a result
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THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT > INTEGRATION CONSIDERATIONS
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THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT > ICT STRATEGISING
T H E S K Y ’ S T H E L I M I T Budget-conscious heads, bursars and network managers are always on the lookout for technology that can save their school cash. Jess Pike gets to grips with the technological wizardry on offer in today’s marketplace, and finds out how clever ICT investment can look after the pounds and the pennies in the long run
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THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT > ICT STRATEGISING
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Take your time and explore different options, and get things on a trial basis to test drive in situ
udgets: I imagine there are few words in the English language that make you roll your eyes more than this one. As well as the suit-clad politicians on Downing Street and your spreadsheet-loving colleagues on the governing body budgets are a preoccupation for all school leaders, whether working in the state or independent sector. Clasping the purse strings in fee-paying schools across the UK are bursars and, in some IT departments, network managers – and the challenge, should they choose to accept it, is to invest in the best technology for the best price, and save their school money in the long run. Not necessarily the easiest of tasks, as Dughall McCormick points out. Dughall, a local authority consultant and chair of the board of management at Naace, knows full well that sorting the good from the bad (and the bad from the downright ugly) can be tricky. “When it comes to the question of what technology can save schools lots of money – well, if there was a simple answer to this we’d have the ultimate panacea,” he says. “In my opinion, we’ll always be looking for the potential for technology to provide efficiencies and associated timesaving financial benefits.” MAXIMUM IMPACT For Dughall, the products that slot into the ‘time and moneysaving silo’ include networked photocopiers, MIS software that manages much of the timeconsuming data crunching that school staff are increasingly required to do and reportwriting software. “Plus, systems that support collaboration and workflow can be useful for staff too,” he says. “But having said that, I know from bitter experience that if you plump for the wrong model, you’ll end up saving time somewhere but spending time/money elsewhere trying to fix faulty technology.” Time saving is a definite priority for Richard Smeeton, director of IT at Loughborough Endowed Schools, who
describes his investment as being about “making better use of the IT resources we already have”. At his schools a 1:1 tablet scheme is in place, which has also had a positive impact on the coffers. “Of course there was an initial investment of money and time to get these resources set up, but as a result of having tablets we’ve reduced the number of textbook purchases – as content can now be accessed online,” he explains. “And with tablets as the default device, we’ve reduced the amount spent on refreshing older technologies. So we now have fewer PCs but with higher specifications in subjects that really benefit from desktop processing power, such as ICT, music and art.” Of course, integral to Loughborough Endowed Schools’ success is a failsafe wifi connection – because, as Richard points out, an interruption-free experience is fundamental to the effectiveness of digital learning. “We’ve seen zero internet downtime since the two systems launched in October 2014, and looking forward we’ll be refreshing the wifi network with the next generation technology and investing in a faster 10Gb/s backbone over the summer.” For Ben Evans, head of Edge Grove School in Hertfordshire, a move Cloud-wards is another recent time- and money-saving focus, and one which allows his staff to centrally manage all networking aspects of the system, as well as the wireless configuration and management of devices. “Although an expensive outlay, it pays for itself as the network evolves to use the system’s capabilities,
comfortably integrating IPphones, staff and pupil wireless devices and network control,” he says. CAREFULLY DOES IT Next on the horizon for Ben and Edge Grove are 3D printers – devices that have also caught Dughall’s eye in recent years. In fact, Dughall’s so tech savvy that he’s also musing over the potential of augmented reality via apps – although urges caution when it comes to the newest technology on the market. “Let’s not be seduced by ‘magical’, wow-factor things; let’s think more about these and other technologies as tools for creation rather than consumption,” he says. When it comes to deciding how to spend your precious pounds and pennies in order to make every investment count, Dughall recommends you think carefully about every purchase. “Make sure you really do think about it!” he says. “Don’t be seduced by the latest shiny thing or what the school down the road is raving about. Take your time and explore different options, and get things on a trial basis to test drive in situ.” There’s no doubt that technology can bring with it some incredible time and cost savings, and propel your efficiency levels skyward. The benefits are ripe for the picking – just make sure you plump for a trusted, market-leading supplier and network with other schools for advice and insight, and you’ll be well on the way to making your budgets stretch that extra mile for the months and years to come.
DUGHALL’S TOP TIPS FOR SAVVY PROCUREMENT Seek advice from other schools and people you trust. Never start with the technology: instead start with what you want to achieve and then consider how technology might help you achieve those outcomes. Carry out an audit of your current technology. Are you getting the best out of what you’ve got? What’s languishing, unused, in stock cupboards? Could a bit of investment in CPD for staff help you make the most of what you’ve already got?
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