Trading Technology

     As technology becomes increasingly integrated into the day-to-day operations of EMS organizations, it correspondingly consumes a larger portion of the budget through the purchase of hardware and software and ongoing maintenance costs.

     For EMS organizations incorporated as nonprofit organizations under the provisions of section 501(c)3 of the United States Tax Code, there are ways to lessen the financial impact of keeping up with current technology through special programs offered by some hardware and software vendors.

     Many vendors now offer specialized pricing plans with significant discounts to nonprofit organizations. These programs vary from vendor to vendor, but may include licensing programs or donated software that can be purchased for a fraction of the list price. Some vendors include specific restrictions on the number of software programs that you can purchase within a given time-frame, while others are virtually unlimited.

Licensing Programs
     Microsoft, one of the leading software vendors, offers its Open License Charity program to eligible nonprofit organizations through selected resellers. This program permits nonprofit organizations that meet eligibility requirements and complete a simple verification process to purchase multiple software licenses--instead of multiple software packages--at a significant discount.

     Through this program, you purchase the license rights for the software rather than the complete packaged program. Each license permits that software program to be installed on one computer. The media required for installation must be purchased separately from the license at a minimum cost (typically around $20). A single media disk can then be used to install the appropriate number of licenses. Additional information on this program can be found at www.microsoft.com/licensing/programs/open/opencharity.mspx.

     The Open License Charity program requires that you purchase a minimum of five licenses per order, which can be for different software programs. You can also purchase Microsoft's Software Assurance upgrade protection, which will count toward the minimum order requirement. With Software Assurance, if a software upgrade is released during the contract period, you will receive the upgrade without having to purchase additional license rights.

     Virtually all of Microsoft's programs are available through this arrangement, including desktop products, such as Microsoft Office, as well as server-based products like Microsoft Exchange Server, SQL server and Windows Server 2003.

     Another benefit to the Open License program is the opportunity for employees to participate in Microsoft's Home Use Program (HUP). Through this benefit, employees of organizations licensed under the Open License program can receive a license for Microsoft desktop offerings, such as Office Professional, Visio or Project, for use on a home computer for only the price of the media, shipping and handling. This allows employees unlimited use of the software on their home computers.

     Other software vendors offer various programs for nonprofit, governmental or academic organizations. These programs are frequently not well-publicized and may only be identified through the vendor's sales representatives. Alternately, the vendor may not have a specific program geared toward non-profit organizations, but may be able to work with the organization to offer governmental or educational pricing programs, or identify available grants to assist with software purchases. The best mechanism to identify these programs is discussion with the vendor's sales representative.

Donated Products
     In addition to the nonprofit pricing programs, many software and hardware vendors donate copies of their software or hardware products for use by non-profit organizations.

     One of the best-known websites for donated products is www.techsoup.org. This site offers nonprofits the opportunity to register their organization to be eligible to receive donated products from software vendors like Microsoft, Symantec, Macromedia and Lotus, among others. They also offer hardware from vendors like Cisco, including networking bundles, routers, firewalls and more. Each software or hardware offering can be purchased for a small administrative handling fee. There are also several hosted applications available through the program, where you purchase the right to use Internet-based software programs.

     Techsoup also offers an online source for information on technology issues related to nonprofit organizations through discussion groups, information sharing and online newsletters listing current events and software offerings. There are occasional special events where the administrative fee is further discounted or specific programs are offered for free to eligible organizations.

     The products offered through Techsoup may be limited by specific restrictions on the number of programs and licenses that can be received in a given time-frame, or by other eligibility requirements. Organizations interested in using Techsoup to request products should review all eligibility requirements and restrictions prior to placing requests.

     Another site that offers various donated products, in addition to software and hardware, is www.giftsinkind.org. Gifts in Kind International, which identifies itself as the third-largest charity in the United States and the leader in product philanthropy, coordinates donations from corporate partners and makes them available to eligible organizations. Gifts in Kind requires pre-registration and an annual registration fee to participate in their programs, in addition to shipping and handling costs or licensing fees for products requested. It offers not only donated products, but specialized pricing plans, and features a much greater range of products than just information technology-related items.

     To ensure that nonprofit organizations receive the best possible value for their hard-earned dollars, managers must review and evaluate their technological capabilities and needs, and research the most cost-effective means to purchase, upgrade and expand their technological infrastructure. While participation in these licensing or donation programs may involve some additional work in providing verification of the organization's status and program eligibility, the cost-savings benefits can be dramatic.

     A little research and time invested in determining the best available pricing plan can ensure that the organization uses the most cost-effective program to purchase or upgrade its hardware and software and provide the best possible service to its community.

Carl Moen is deputy director for a regional EMS council in south-central Pennsylvania and has over 24 years of EMS experience and a Master's degree in Public Management.