Telecommunications Solutions CUATEL2021

Panel 1 – Mobile Network Solutions

Panel 1 provides access to mobile (cellular) networks. This panel is structured into the following three (3) subcategories of Goods and Services:

• 1.1 – Core Connectivity Services: Mobile cellular telecommunications connectivity and associated traffic charges, providing connectivity to support mobility hardware.
• 1.2 – Hardware: End-use or telemetry equipment with the in-built ability to connect to public voice and data cellular networks. The following Hardware Types are available:

Note: Additional Hardware types may be added as more device types commonly feature in-built cellular and/or satellite connectivity.

The following Additional Services are offered by Panel 1 Contractors:

Note: End of Usage Services typically delivered by Panel 1 Contractors’ buyback/trade-in partners. 

• 1.3 – Mobility Solutions: End-to-end solutions offered by the Contractor that utilise a mobile telecommunications network that may include a combination of Hardware, Software and Services. This includes solutions like Mobile Device Management (MDM) and SMS Gateway/Bulk SMS Services.

Panel 2 – Satellite Network Solutions

Panel 2 provides access to satellite network solutions, covering multiple satellite networks and categories of satellite orbits including:

• Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks;
• Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite networks; and
• Geostationary (GEO) satellite networks.

This panel is structured into the following three (3) subcategories of Goods and Services:

• 2.1 – Core Connectivity Services: Satellite telecommunications connectivity and associated traffic charges, providing connectivity and support to mobile satellite hardware.
• 2.2 – Hardware: Mobile end-use or telemetry equipment with the ability to connect to satellite networks. Fixed satellite and related infrastructure is out of scope (please refer to out of scope section). The following Hardware Types are within scope on a non-mandatory basis:

Customers need to purchase satellite devices such as handsets from the chosen network service provider as handsets only work with the respective satellite network. For example, a Thuraya device cannot access the Iridium network.

The following Additional Services are offered by some Panel 2 Contractors (as specified in the Procurement Lifecycle Documents)

• 2.3 – Other Satellite Solutions: End-to-end portable solutions offered by the Contractor that utilise satellite networks that may include a combination of Hardware, Software and Services. This includes solutions like MDM, tracking or security solutions.  

Panel 3 – Billing Management Solutions

Panel 3 provides billing management, reporting and analysis Services for all mobile and satellite telecommunications Goods and Services purchased by CUA Customers. These services are delivered through a whole of government Telecommunications Expense Management System (TEMS) that centralises all carriers’ billing information into a single platform.

This panel is structured into the following two (2) components:

• 3.1 – Base Requirements: Provision of reporting to Finance and access to the Whole of Government Base TEMS solution. Customers may access the TEMS containing their organisation’s billing data and a suite of reports on this to assist in reporting on and managing their mobile and/or satellite fleets.
•  3.2 – Additional Requirements: Customers may source a range of additional functionality and/or services to assist in management and optimisation of their mobile fleets including:
  • Additional TEMS modules or enhancements to the base TEMS functionality;
  • Reporting and analysis to provide greater insights into savings and optimisation opportunities;
  • Expanded help-desk or other support services;
  • Fully or partially managed billing services; and
  • Additional ad-hoc services.

• Fixed line telecommunications services including fixed satellite;
• Infrastructure such as mobile cellular towers; and
• End user computing and mobile hardware products that do not have an in-built ability to connect to mobile or satellite networks, such as desktop personal computers and overseas products (non-Australian variants that may not be compatible with local mobile networks).

Customers have the ability to source some standalone devices without the in-built ability to connect to mobile or satellite networks under the Computing and Mobile Devices CUA (CMD2021).  

For further information regarding CUA scope, please speak to the Contract Manager.

Buying direct

Direct (pick and buy) purchasing is available for All Values of Goods and/or Services from CUATEL2021 Contractors, however this must be based on the Customer’s Value for Money assessment.

Customers must also comply with their organisation’s internal procurement policies and guidelines. This may include the creation of a Business Case, Procurement Plan or other relevant documents addressing value-for-money consideration in accordance with the Customer’s delegation requirements.

Value for Money Guideline

Customers are encouraged to consider all Contractors offerings where a like for like or similar Good or Service is offered. Customers should in the first instance confirm whether one or more Contractors can supply the required Goods and/or Services.

Customers must confirm the Contractor(s) Prices for any Good or Service offering by either:

1. Checking the Contracted Price published in the Contract Authority’s CUA Catalogue/Price Schedule.
2. Checking the Contracted Price published in the Contractor(s) price catalogues (written or online).
3. Seeking a quote from the Contractor(s) using the Quote Forms (particularly for non-standard requirements not listed in CUA Price Schedules).

Following the confirmation of Prices, Customers may purchase any value of Goods and/or Services from any Contractor based on their Value for Money assessment.

For further information please speak to the Contract Manager.

State agencies should be aware of the following requirements under Western Australian Procurement Rules as they apply to purchases from this CUA.  The below table is a summary of the requirements, and State agencies are encouraged to review the WA Procurement Rules.

Procurement planning

Request development and contract formation

Contract management

Exemption from using this CUA

Finance is responsible for processing and approving all requests from State Agencies seeking exemption from using a mandatory CUA. Requests for an exemption are considered on a case-by-case basis, and a requesting agency must be able to demonstrate that a business need cannot be adequately met by the relevant CUA.

Exemption requests should be directed to the Assistant Director, Business Solutions through an email to the Contract Manager in the first instance. Requests for exemption must be in writing via email, and must provide sufficient explanation and background to enable the request to be considered. The requesting officer should be the Accountable Authority or delegate of the agency.

For guidelines on what to include in an exemption request, please refer to the  Common Use Arrangements Procurement Practice Guideline

This contract was developed in accordance with Western Australian Procurement Rules. As part of the tender process, Contractors under this CUA provided details of environmental policies and practices to promote sustainable environmental practices through operations. 

Contractors under this CUA offer buyback and trade-in options, whereby devices are reused or recycled, limiting landfill. Further opportunities for Customers to engage with Contractors in sourcing refurbished devices and contributing to a circular economy are currently being explored.

Buyback or Trade-in

Customers have the option to engage with Panel 1 and Panel 2 Contractors' specialised partners to buyback or trade-in old hardware at the end of its use for account credits and/or direct bank deposits.

Customers are not limited to trading-in Hardware with only the Contractor purchased from. These end of use/ end of life services must also include the following Services:

• Collection (optional);
• Data Sanitisation (optional); and
• Disposal (mandatory).

Buyback or Trade-ins are an end-to-end service involving the following steps:

1. Customer Engagement to obtain a buyback quote
2. Preparation of devices for collection by the Customer
3. Collection and shipment of devices
4. Assessment and confirmation
5. Processing of devices including data sanitisation and disposal of devices without economic value, and
6. Commercial approval by Customer and issuing of credit or funds transfer

These services are currently offered through specialised partners by the following Contractors:

Further information is outlined in Contractors’ Procurement Lifecycle Documents.

The matrix below lists all contractors on the Telecommunications CUATEL2021 and the Panels they have been contracted to provide. You may only purchase telecommunication solutions from the following Contractors:

Services & Solutions Pricing

Pricing information is ‘commercial in confidence’ and as such unauthorised use of the information is strictly prohibited.

The prices are available for viewing to Approved CUA Users only.

Access to services pricing information requires the user to log in with a password. Requests for access must be sent via your work email address to demonstrate you are employed by an organisation included in the Approved CUA Users list.

When access has been granted, pricing can be viewed on the eDecision Aid – CUATEL2021 Services Rates page.

Hardware Pricing

Hardware pricing is based on minimum discount rates.

For lower volume purchases pricing will be closely aligned to the CUA Hardware Price Schedule. This Schedule defines an evolving list of products available from the CUA at a given point in time. As well as the purchase price, the listed items must conform to the minimum discount rates offered by the Contractors for each Brand and Product type.

For a complete list of available products, please consult the CUA Contractors

Additional volume discounts may apply at the Order level for higher volumes of Hardware. Customers should seek quotes from CUA Contractors where larger volumes of Hardware are required.

Payment by purchasing card

The government Purchasing Card offers a quick and convenient method of payment allowing many goods and services to be efficiently purchased.

Always remember to inform the supplier that you will be paying by government Purchasing Card, at the time of ordering the product or service, and ensure they clearly understand that they must send the tax invoice directly to you, the cardholder.

Note: The contractor must not impose a surcharge on the customer for payment by credit in accordance with 21.6 – Method of Payment of the General Conditions of Contract (June 2021).

Total Cost of Ownership

Consider the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of your services and Hardware in your value for money decision. This includes direct costs, such as:

• Services plan charges including any bolt-ons such as MDM.
• Hardware and software acquisition charges.
• Ancillary services such as installation, maintenance, asset tagging etc.
• Device lifecycle / replacement period of devices (e.g. 3, 4, or 5 years).
• Support or other ongoing management charges.

It also includes indirect costs, such as:

• Overheads such office space and electricity usage.
• Upgrades of existing infrastructure to accommodate new systems.

Ways to reduce the Total Cost of Ownership include:

• Optimisation of your mobile fleet to ensure fit-for purpose service plans that neither over-subscribe or under-subscribe your Organisation’s voice or data requirements.

For further information on this please contact the Contract Manager or the Panel 3 Contractor (SmartBill). The Panel 3 Contractor (SmartBill) provides a range of services that can assist Customers in optimising their mobile and/or satellite fleets to significantly reduce total cost of ownership. Some considerations include:

•  
  • Leveraging data sharing/pooling opportunities to consolidate fleets;
  • Ensuring overall data allowances are not too high (paying for significantly more data than required);
  • Ensuring data allowance is not too low (presenting the risk of excess data charges or loss of user functionality);
  • Appropriate allocation of PAYG services; and
  • Reviewing potentially idle services.
  • Regular reviews of your telecommunications requirements, including recontracting services following reviewing updated plan pricing and optimisation recommendations.
• Purchasing Hardware at higher volumes to attract higher discounts at the order level.
• Purchasing products with a longer lifecycle or replacement period. For example a device that costs 20% more that can be used for 3 or more years is more cost effective per annum than the cheaper device with a useable lifecycle of 2 years.
• Consider Energy Star/EPEAT certification to manage energy costs.
• Taking advantage of supplier buy-back and/or trade-in schemes where available.

• Services offered longer than twelve months should be evaluated closely as they can be refreshed regularly to ensure value for money. Additionally, purchasers should factor in technology/innovation funds, as these benefits are available with many longer term service plan options.
• State agencies planning to contract for longer than twelve months should seek quotes from all contractors under the relevant category.
• Refer to the eDecision Aid to obtain the latest pricing for Telecommunications Services. These prices can only be accessed by approved CUA users.
• State agencies should consolidate their bills under one account and consider online or ‘On- Net’ payment methods to further reduce their transaction costs.
• State agencies may wish to consider separate contractors for metropolitan and regional areas when deciding on value for money.
• State agencies seeking large volumes of hardware (>50 devices) should seek quotes from Contractors, as larger volume hardware purchases typically include higher discount rates.
• When evaluating recontracting options please consider your data requirements. It is important not to pay for large volumes of unused data (oversubscribe) or large excess data charges (undersubscribe). For further information on optimising your service plans please contact the contract manager.

To obtain prices for the CUA, Buyers should review:

• the eDecision Aid (for services); and
• the contractor Hardware price schedules (for hardware).

CUA Customers are encouraged to use published order forms or follow ordering processes defined in the Procurement Lifecycle Documents.

Pick and Buy Purchasing is available for services with published pricing within the price schedules. Value for money must be considered when selecting Goods and Services from the CUA for both metropolitan and regional buyers.

Customers requiring a variation to the standard specifications in the CUA should negotiate the prices/rates with the selected contractor. If this does not result in agreed prices/rates, then State agencies should seek quotes from all contractors.

When purchasing goods and/or services, State agencies, and any private sector organisations purchasing on their behalf, must understand and comply with the policy requirements outlined in the Western Australian Procurement Rules.

Active contract management pays off

• Check your invoices to ensure the correct price has been charged, before authorising payment
• Manage your contract term – keep an eye on your contract expiry date.
• Test the market on a regular basis to see what the other contractors on the CUA are offering.
• Monitor service level compliance.
• Document any issues as they arise even if they are resolved. This will assist in ongoing contractor performance management.
• If you are unable to resolve issues please contact the contract manager.