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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: February 5, 2008 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. _ <br />SUBJECT: Purchase of Personal Computers through NC State Contract <br />DEPARTMENT: Information Technologies, PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />Purchasing <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />1) Lenovo Quote <br />2) SHI Quote <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Todd Jones, 245-2285 <br />Pam Jones, 245-2652 <br />PURPOSE: To purchase 150 Personal Desktop Computers, 50 Laptop computers and <br />accompanying Office software to replace obsolete computers used by staff throughout Orange <br />County government. <br />BACKGROUND: Since the late 1990s, Orange County's Information Technology department <br />has performed annual replacements of aging computers within the County departments. The <br />original plan to replace the oldest 25% of County desktop computers every 4 years has been <br />followed, with the exception of two years, which were missed in the replacement cycle. <br />Currently, the oldest 25% of Orange County computers are finishing their sixth year of service. <br />As might be expected given the rapid evolution of technology, these machines are increasingly <br />unable to support contemporary software, as their reasonable lifespan has been extended as far <br />as possible. <br />Orange County Information Technology included sufficient funding in the approved 2007/2008 <br />CIP to replace 150 desktop computers and 50 laptop computers. <br />Orange County Information Technologies is recommending Lenovo Computers, as the supplier <br />for this year's cycle of computer replacements at State Contract pricing or better. IT staff is <br />certified in servicing Lenovo hardware, Lenovo's pricing is competitive in the industry, the North <br />American headquarters are nearby in Research Triangle Park and reliability figures on existing <br />Lenovo equipment already in use with Orange County exceed any other vendor with whom the <br />County has had experience. <br />The proposed replacement computers are Lenovo's most energy efficient models which use <br />technology compatible to Orange County needs. These models consume approximately one <br />third less energy than previous models, which should help Orange County meet its energy <br />consumption goals.