Software Decision Process
In accordance with the campus Policy on Decisions to Acquire or Develop Software Applications and Services, Cal Poly departments or users are required to follow the processes outlined below when deciding to acquire, develop or accept software products or services that meet established standards and guidelines.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): TCO is defined as the complete cost of a product or service including the purchase, implementation, and on-going maintenance costs. These costs should encompass all elements of a system including software, hardware, staffing, consulting, etc.
If the TCO for a software purchase is less than $5,000, completion of the Software Decision Checklist is recommended but not required. However, if the TCO is $5,000 or more, completion of the Software Decision Checklist is required.
Process for Software Acquisitions with a Cost Under $3,500: If the software cost is under the Low Value Purchase level ($3,500) and does not require annual maintenance, a department may purchase the software with their P-Card, Direct Pay or on a purchase order, in that order.
Process for Annual Renewal for Software Support Acquisitions: If a department has a requirement for annual maintenance for existing software, the department will process a requisition and submit any backup to Contracts and Procurement Services (C&PS). The requisition will be processed into a purchase order and payment will be made to the contractor per the terms of the agreement.
Such renewals are not required to use the Software Decision Process at this time. However, in the near future, all existing software will be required to be reviewed for compliance with accessibility requirements.
Process for all Other Software Acquisitions: If the software requirement does not fit into one of the above categories, the department will process a requisition, fill out the Software Decision Checklist and submit the completed checklist and requisition backup to Information Technology Services (ITS) for further processing.
Purchases Through Campus Auxiliaries: Software purchases processed through campus auxiliaries are expected to use the Software Decision Checklist for purchases with a TCO exceeding $5,000 as defined above. For assistance, contact the purchasing department of the appropriate auxiliary, e.g., Cal Poly Corporation, Associated Students, Inc., etc.
Software Donations: The Software Decision Checklist must be completed for any software donation with a TCO exceeding $5,000 as defined above. Departments must follow the existing process for reporting donations to University Advancement, submit a zero-value requisition to C&PS for the donated software, and submit the Software Decision Checklist to ITS. This will ensure that appropriate reviews and approvals are obtained.
Decision Review Process: When the completed checklist is received, ITS and C&PS will review the requirement for:
- Policy and regulatory compliancy issues (ITS)
- Operational and support issues (ITS)
- Security (ITS)
- Total Cost of Ownership (ITS)
- The overall integration of new software with the technical and services architectures, platforms and standards of the University (ITS)
- Software License Agreement (C&PS)
- Purchasing Policy Issues (C&PS)
During the review, ITS and C&PS will contact the department, technical support staff and/or vendor for further clarification as needed of specific items on the checklist.
Once the software requirement has been reviewed and approved by all related departments, the requisition will be processed into a purchase order and sent to the contractor.
In most cases, the depth of the review is minimal and can be performed in a timely manner, i.e., within two weeks. However, there will be times when more information or changes to the requirement may be necessary based on the results of the reviews.
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