Q OUR ICT INFRASTRUCTURE A Having a robust long-term strategy in place is key to


identifying your requirements and setting objectives. Pre-market engagement – contacting potential suppliers to discuss what solutions they have and how this might shape the direction you take – is a very useful exercise as it involves your suppliers at an early stage and could help to inform your specication. You could talk to your local


INVESTING IN ICT


With advancements in digital technologies moving at such a pace, how can schools keep up? Category Manager for ICT,


Kate Davies explains how YPO can help ensure that you’re getting cost-effective solutions that fully meet the needs of your school.


CASE STUDY: ‘OUR NEW FRANKING MACHINE WILL PAY FOR ITSELF’


‘Despite the school’s drive to use email communications more widely, a staggering amount of information is still sent out by post – rewards certificates, joining packs for Year 6 pupils, exam information, etc. Our old franking machine was


nearing the end of its life, and when Royal Mail introduced Mailmark, a new barcode system, we knew it was time for an upgrade. I contacted YPO, having used their


frameworks in the past to purchase iPads and a minibus. Both times the team at YPO were a great help,


60 SUMMER 2016 FundEd


providing impartial support and advice, whilst also saving us time and delivering value for money. We bought the new franking


machine outright for £2,500. This means we can now access the discounted postage rates offered by Royal Mail through the Mailmark service. In fact, we estimate that our cost savings will be such that within 18 months, the new machine will have paid for itself!’ Alistair Stewart, Procurement Officer, Titus Salt School, Shipley, Yorkshire (1,468 pupils)


authority to make sure that your long-term plans are aligned and are suitable for the local area. You could also talk to one of our experts at YPO to see if we can recommend any schools that have been through a similar process to take advice from and discuss lessons learned. Most of YPO’s frameworks include


a ‘Lot’, or option for audit and consultancy, which is designed to allow a thorough and impartial analysis of your current systems to help determine the best strategy moving forward.


Q WOULD YOU RECOMMEND budget, levels of cross-


UPGRADING ALL OF OUR ICT PRODUCTS IN ONE HIT OR DOING IT INCREMENTALLY?


A This would depend on your


departmental support, the state and age of your current assets, and


NEEDS AN OVERHAUL, BUT WE


DON’T HAVE ANY TIME OR EXPERTISE – HOW SHOULD WE GO ABOUT EVALUATING WHAT WE NEED?


solutions


The Postal Goods and Services framework


(Ref: RM1063) covers a range of services and equipment. Go to ypo.co.uk


Office


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