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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: February 6, 2007 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. <br />SUBJECT: Authorization to Purchase PCs <br />DEPARTMENT: Information Technologies and PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />Purchasing <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Todd Jones, 245-2285 <br />Pam Jones, 245-2652 <br />PURPOSE: To consider authorizing the Purchasing Director to order personal computers from <br />Lenovo Computers to replace obsolete computers used by staff throughout Orange County <br />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 <br />far as possible. <br />Research Triangle-based Lenovo Computers is recommended as the supplier for this year's <br />cycle of PC replacements. Lenovo is a recognized State Contract vendor, so the units will not <br />require a separate bid by the County. Dell computers, which are also available through State <br />Contract, have some final assembly steps performed in Forsyth County. The headquarters of <br />Lenovo computers is in Research Triangle Park, and this positions them as local providers of <br />computing equipment. In addition, the reliability figures on existing Lenovo equipment in use in <br />Orange County far exceed any other vendor with whom the County has had experience. The <br />County's IT staff is also certified in servicing the hardware, which reduces the amount of outside <br />assistance needed when problems do occur. <br />The planned replacements should allow the retirement of no fewer than 160 aging and obsolete <br />computers with new equipment. The computers to be replaced are proportionally distributed <br />throughout the various County departments. In accordance with current County policies, the