Buying Microsoft software for Public Sector, Education or charities
Whilst organisations working in the UK Public Sector share many of the same information and communication technologies (ICT) priorities as corporate customers, the environments in which they operate often present unique challenges and opportunities. Microsoft in the UK works closely with Government bodies, Educational establishments and the IT community to ensure these customers are able to procure Microsoft Volume Licensing more cost efficiently, meeting both UK and EU procurement regulations.
Organisations licensing more than five PCs with Microsoft software find it more economical to purchase a Volume Licensing agreement. The table below summarises the volume licensing options for public sector, educational and charitable establishments.
| Type of customer | Pricing Level | High school |
Public sector organisations (excluding Education) | Commercial under OGC Framework | EA, Select and Open |
Educational establishments | Academic | Campus/School Agreements, Select and Open |
Charities and not-for-profit organisations | Academic | Select, Open |
Microsoft has a current Memorandum of Understanding with OGCbuying.solutions, an Executive Agency of the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), an office of HM Treasury, to provide the Commercial Enterprise and Select agreements at a discounted rate under specific conditions to eligible Government entities, including local government, NHS Trusts and Non Departmental Public Bodies. It is also useful to note that while the minimum number of desktops covered by a Commercial Enterprise or Select agreement is 250, under the OGC framework this has been reduced to 100.
Frequently asked questions on Microsoft’s OGC Agreement
Educational establishments or charities can benefit from Academic Licensing
Organisations using Microsoft’s software for pedagogic purposes, including all those recognised by the Department for Schools, Children and Families or Scottish Executive , are eligible to buy software through Select and Open agreements under a different discount scheme known as Academic pricing. Additionally, there are specific Academic agreements for educational establishments covering over 100 PCs called School or Campus Agreements. For more details on Academic agreements and eligibility see the Education licensing site. Charities can also apply for software donations under specific conditions through a registered Charity Technology Exchange (CTX) scheme managed by the Charity Technology Trust.
