Software Central Description

Since its inception in 1993, Software Central has helped UCLA to maximize resources and efficiency by consolidating and coordinating the purchase of software commonly used in support of UCLA’s teaching, research and public service missions.  While the most tangible result of these efforts are the financial savings generated, our efforts also achieve less tangle results such as mitigating future risk by ensuring that agreements include terms and conditions favorable to the campus, and ensuring ongoing vendor compliance in fulfillment of their responsibilities under agreements.

Software licensing is a complex field of endeavor.  While each vendor’s product is the same in that it is software, each product is also different in that it is designed to achieve different results through different processes.  Since what is being purchased is the right to use intellectual property, software agreements will generally include significantly more complex terms and conditions than with the purchase of tangible commodity goods. 

Software Central’s coordination of campus-wide agreements will normally include the following:

  • Negotiation: Based upon the expressed needs of campus departments, Software Central negotiates with vendors to obtain the best available terms and pricing. 
  • Acquisition: Once negotiations have been finalized, we coordinate the acquisition of the products to ensure compliance with UCLA Policy.
  • Implementation: Once the product has been acquired, we establish mechanisms and procedures to ensure that UCLA’s use of the products is in compliance with the terms of the agreement. 
  • Distribution: As part of the implementation process, we establish mechanisms and procedures to ensure effective delivery of the products to the campus departments participating in the agreement. 
  • Management: Once the agreement has been fully implemented, we provide ongoing management of the campus’ relationship with the vendor to ensure the vendor’s compliance with the terms of the agreement, and that the vendor continues to effectively fulfill campus’ needs.
  • Support: Once the agreement has been fully implemented, we provide or coordinate the provision of product technical support, as well as other assistance that a department may need in relation to use of the products available under the agreement.

When the need for a particular product is local to UCLA, then Software Central conducts the work described above solely on behalf of UCLA.  When the need for a particular product is common to multiple UC campuses, then Software Central works in concert with the UC system-wide Technology Acquisition Support (TAS) and System-wide Information Technology Contracts groups to negotiate and acquire agreements.

 

 

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