COMMITTEE ON HOUSE OVERSIGHT

GUIDELINES FOR THE PURCHASE

OF EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARE AND RELATED SERVICES

BY OFFICES

OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Adopted on May 10, 1995

I. The Approved Lists for the Acquisition of Noncomputer Related Equipment and Computer-Related Equipment, Peripherals, and Services by Offices of the U.S. House of Representatives are abolished as of the effective date of these Guidelines. All previous guidelines, regulations and procedures pertaining to the Approved Lists are superseded as of the same date.

II. For purposes of these Guidelines, U.S. House of Representatives' (hereinafter "the House") Offices shall include the offices and any subordinate offices of Members, Committees, the Leadership, elected Officers of the House, and all other support offices of the House.

III. Equipment.

(A) The Chief Administrative Officer of the House (hereinafter "the CAO") shall maintain lists of types of Non-Computer Related Equipment and Computer Related Equipment covered by these Guidelines. Purchases of any variety of such equipment may be made from any source by Offices through Office Systems Management (hereinafter "OSM"), subject to such limitations as are contained herein and those as may be approved from time to time by the Committee on House Oversight (hereinafter "the Committee").

(B) The CAO shall develop minimum technical standards for computer related equipment, and may develop such standards for appropriate types of non-computer related equipment. Where minimum technical standards exist, Offices are prohibited from purchasing equipment not meeting those standards.

(C) Offices must consult with their House Information Systems (hereinafter "HIS") technical support representative before proceeding to purchase computer related equipment.

(D) As guidance for equipment purchases by Offices, the CAO shall develop and keep current a list of price ranges based on General Services Administration and market rates. Offices shall purchase at the prevailing market prices.

(E) The CAO is authorized to identify and pursue opportunities to negotiate lower prices through schedule pricing or other methods of acquisition, and to utilize electronic commerce where applicable.

IV. Software.

(A) HIS shall develop and maintain an updated list of Supported Software, designed to eliminate inadequate, problematic or irrelevant products, and shall provide service and support for software on the Supported list.

(B) Offices may purchase any software from any vendor, with the exception of software for which the CAO has negotiated a site license. In that case, Offices must purchase from the licenser. Software purchased by Offices must be for official business purposes only, and shall be and remain House property. Offices are encouraged to purchase software from the Supported list, but may purchase non-listed software. In the latter case, for Offices having a Systems Integrator, support and service shall be provided, and billed for, by the Systems Integrator. Offices not having a Systems Integrator shall be solely responsible for securing service and support for such software.

(C) For software without a current site license, the CAO may negotiate additional such licenses as needed, in order to reduce costs and improve technical support.

V. Vendor Certification.

(A) A certification program for vendors of equipment and related services shall be developed by the CAO in order to provide Offices with protection from substandard equipment, services and the vendors thereof. Under such program, vendors will be required to adhere to a high level of quality and value in providing goods and services to the House.

(B) The CAO shall, further, develop sanctions and procedures to deal with instances of non-compliance by certified vendors. Such sanctions may include, but not be limited to, reprimands, probation, suspension, and, as a measure of last resort, de-certification.

(C) The vendor certification program shall be fully established and implemented no later than the beginning of the 105th Congress. Until such time, the CAO shall maintain a preferred vendor list, based initially on the former Approved Lists.

(D) Offices are encouraged, but not required, to purchase from preferred or certified vendors. The CAO, however, shall not be responsible for enforcement of Office contracts with non-certified or non-preferred vendors of equipment and related services.

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VI. Technical Support. Technical support for equipment shall include, but not be limited to, systems integration, training, maintenance and repair.

(A) Computer Related Equipment.

(1) Technical support for computer related equipment shall be provided to the House by certified vendors, designated as "Systems Integrators." Those vendors currently providing computer related services to the House shall constitute the initial list of Systems Integrators. Systems Integrators shall be responsible for seeing that the overall system and its components function according to specifications and perform well, including integration of all hardware, software and communication components, training in system use and administration, applying upgrades to hardware and software as requested, maintaining hardware in proper operating condition, and prompt repair or replacement of non-functioning system components. They shall further be responsible for the support of all software not on the Supported Software list.

(2) In order to promote systems integration and increase accountability, while ensuring basic service levels, each Office shall choose no more than one Systems Integrator for its technical support and shall purchase from such integrator, at rates negotiated by the CAO, a minimum number of hours of monthly support for each personal computer purchased by the Office. Those Offices exceeding their support hourly minimums will be billed separately for any additional hours used.

(3) Offices not choosing to have a Systems Integrator shall be solely responsible for purchasing any required technical support. HIS may not provide such support, except to offer suggestions as to probable causes of problems and to assist offices in arranging immediate vendor support.

(B) Non-Computer Related Equipment. Offices shall be responsible for purchasing any required technical support for non-computer related equipment, and may purchase such support from any vendor.

VII. Correspondence Management Systems.

(A) An office may purchase a correspondence management system (CMS) to assist in office operations, mail and list processing, etc., only after consultation with its Systems Integrator, if it has one, or its HIS representative, if it does not. A Systems Integrator need not offer its own CMS package, but shall be responsible for making such a system available to any client Office requesting one, if technically feasible.

(B) CMS software, including an initial two (2) years technical support, may be paid for in any manner of agreement acceptable to the Office and the vendor, such as lump sum payments, monthly fees, or license fees per workstation, so long as such agreement is

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within the parameters of the current one time or three (3) year payment plan requirements of the House. Such software and support shall be offered at uniform prices to all Offices doing business with the same vendor.

VIII. Unbundled Charges. Vendors may bill Offices for any costs not addressed above (e.g. equipment, software and technical support) that are related to equipment purchase and usage, including installation, movement of equipment, and shipping and handling charges. Such costs shall be defined and agreed upon in advance by both parties.

IX. District Offices.

(A) For computer related equipment, Offices with a Systems Integrator may choose to have technical support for such equipment in their District Offices provided by that Systems Integrator. In such cases, computers in the District would be counted for purposes of determining minimum monthly support levels pursuant to Paragraph VI.

(B) Members may contract directly with local vendors for District Office computer related or non-computer related equipment and support. The CAO shall develop a standard provision, for incorporation into any such contracts, requiring coordination on matters such as equipment compatibility between District Office vendors and Washington Office vendors.

X. Any procedures, requirements, lists, standards or implementing instructions developed by the CAO pursuant to these Guidelines shall be subject to Committee review.

XI. Existing contracts for equipment, support and services shall remain in force until their

current end dates or they are otherwise legally terminated.

XII. The effective date for these Guidelines shall be September 1, 1995.

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