PC vendors vying for slice of 70,000 unit sales

The Federal Government has estimated it will refresh around 70,000 desktop devices a year under an up to $400 million whole-of-government arrangement being formulated.

PC vendors added to the panel would gain access to a legacy environment of approximately 300,000 desktops across 103 agencies, according to revised tender documents.

The split was 85 percent desktops and 15 percent laptops, but "details of the age of devices, model numbers and device types" were unknown.

"Depending on market conditions, hardware lifecycles and agency business requirements, it is estimated that 70,000 devices per annum may be acquired under the new arrangement," the documents said.

Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner announced the procurement shake-up in October last year.

The desktop hardware panel will be put together first. The Government called on vendors to tender for a position in the product catalogue, which will be made available to participating agencies.

Similar arrangements are anticipated for telecommunications products and services.