Question
What happens after I submit a NEW or NOT previously approved software or domain purchase/request?
Answer
After submitting a Software Procurement Request or Domain Purchase Request, a very important question must be answered:
"Does the University currently own comparable software or domains that will perform the same function as the newly requested software/domain?".
The University currently owns and tracks over 525 different software applications. This number grows each year as new software requests are made.
There are three specific reviews that each NEW or NOT previously approved software/domain request must pass.
- Accessibility Services reviews the requested product/service using a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) to ensure that it meets the accessibility requirements set forth by the Federal and State of Ohio laws for our students and the general public. This helps assure the Office of Civil Rights that we have protected the rights of our students, faculty, and the general public. This review is conducted using information provided by the vendor. An exception may be made for software or a domain to be used by a single user.
- The ITS Security Team conducts a security review to protect the individual and the University from security breaches and ransomware attacks. The vendor provides a Higher Education Cloud Vendor Assessment Tool (HECVAT) assessment form to BGSU or BGSU will send a HECVAT to the vendor containing questions that must be successfully completed before their approval is granted.
- The Purchasing Department and General Counsel review the End User License Agreement and/or the Terms and Conditions to ensure the agreements are compliant with Ohio state law and university policy (for more information please review the Terms & Conditions KB article). If they find terms and conditions that the University cannot agree to, they will draft up an Addendum/Amendment with modified terms. ITS and the Purchasing Department will work with the vendor to negotiate the Addendum/Amendment. If an agreement is not reached, the request will be denied (requestors may then work with ITS on an alternative solution).
If the vendor agrees to sign the Addendum/Amendment, the document must also be signed by either the CIO or CFO on behalf of BGSU (see: General Counsel 3341-1-7 Delegation of Contract and Signatory Authority).
Once the agreement is signed by all parties and all other reviews have been completed successfully, the requester will be notified by ITS and a time will be set up to complete the purchase/installation/setup process.
Please note that the failure of any one of these reviews can result in the denial of the software or domain purchase request.
Exceptions to these requirements can only be made per the recommendation of the Information Security Office and General Counsel based on extenuating circumstances and a minimum 5-7 weeks must be allotted for this review process.
Please note: Software vendors often use “click-through” contracts which are still subject to BGSU Policy 3341-6-55 – Click-Through Contracts for Software.
*The information above is not limited to just software and domain purchases but also applies to all software requests/installs, including "free" software.
**Please note: Review of software/domain purchase requests typically take a minimum of 45 days to be routed through the approval process.**
Office Device Software Installation Request
Classroom/Lab Software Install Request
Software Procurement Request
Domain Purchase Request
For additional assistance, please contact Information Technology Services at 419-372-0999 or through chat.