Approval Requests for Technology
If your desired item is not approved in our Product Catalog, we highly recommend requesting approval at least 90 days prior to your planned acquisition or renewal. For a smoother and faster process, we encourage you to gather all necessary documentation and capturing all relevant details before submitting your request. Delays often stem from insufficient information, requiring us to reach out to product companies who might not respond promptly.
Gather Documentation
Documents from your vendor increase the accuracy and speed of our review. Ask your vendor about the following:
Itemized Quote
An itemized quote, also known as a detailed quote or itemized estimate, outlines the breakdown of costs for a particular product. The quote must include make, model, description, quantity, and unit cost to provide a clear view of what you wish to acquire. Of course – if your product is free, you do not need an itemized quote.
When renewing or making repeat purchases, you can reuse the quote from the most recent purchase order (PO) to make your request 90-days in advance. When the new quote arrives, upload it to your request in Katalyst.
Accessibility Conformance Report
An Accessibility Conformance Report or ACR is a representation of how a product meets accessibility standards. It contains pertinent product information such as the name of the product, product description, applicable standards, evaluation methods used, etc. The most common way to create an ACR is by using the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template or VPAT provided by Information Technology Industry Council (ITI).
You do not need this report to start your technology acquisition, but having it allows us to review your request faster and increases the chance of acceptance. Acquisitions for medical devices and maintenance monitoring equipment only accessible to facilities staff do not require this report.
Contract
A contract is a legally binding document that outlines the terms and conditions governing the use, distribution, and licensing of software. When products require a contract, we review them to ensure compliance with all licensing and legal requirements of the technology.
Capture Details
We recommend having all necessary details before starting our approval request form. Completion time varies based on the request type and availability of information.
Simplify your technology acquisition request by using our Software Research Guide as a preliminary worksheet. This guide aids in gathering essential information from your product company and team members. It features side notes to breakdown complex questions, ensuring a clutter-free request form.
Gather the following:
| Detail | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Type of Device | What is it? | Accessory |
| Device Name | What is the product called? | 2TB My Passport Portable External Hard Drive |
| Device Model | Set of letters and numbers used by manufacturer to identify product | WDBYVG0020BBK-WESN |
| Device Manufacturer | Who makes it? | Western Digital |
| Purpose |
How will it serve the university and/or it's customers? Increase the speed of review by adding as much detail as possible. |
The external hard drive will be used to store files related to research, teaching, and administration. |
| Desired Date of Use | The date you need to start using it. We recommend allowing 90 days for approval in addition to time to purchase and ship. | Sept 1, 20XX |
| Responsible Department or Area | Department or area that will oversee the use of this device. | Psychology & Philosophy Department |
| Number of people who will use device | Estimated number of individuals that will interact with device. | 5 |
| Which customers will use the device(s)? | Identify relationship of your customers to the university. Options include students, employees, and public. | Employees |
| Cost | What is the estimated price per device? | 69.99 |
Approval Process
Below are the steps required to determine feasibility of your desired product.
1. Request Approval
Approval requests are accepted through a Microsoft Form with questions tailored to the type of product you need.
Start Request2. Ticket Creation
Upon request, a ticket is automatically created on your behalf in Katalyst. Like all Katalyst tickets, you will receive a confirmation email with the ticket number and link to check in on the progress.
3. Completeness Check
Service Desk ensures answers are complete and will contact you for additional information if needed.
4. Redundancy Review
Your Business Analyst checks for existing campus products to meet your needs and will contact you if one is found. If you know of another product, we recommend preparing a written business justification outlining advantages of your desired product to streamline this step.
5. Division Liaison Approval
Your Division Liaison gives permission to your Business Analyst to move forward with your request.
6. Technical & Compliance Review
Multiple IT teams verify the product works with existing technology, secures information effectively, and accessible to individuals with disabilities. If deemed not feasible or compliant, your Business Analyst will reach out to you with next steps.
7. Final Review
Your Business Analyst examines technical review notes to assess whether your product aligns with requirements.
8. Approval Certificate
If deemed feasible and compliant, IT Asset Management or Business Services issues a Technology Acquisition Approval Form (TAAF). A TAAF is a signed document allowing you to move forward with your technology acquisition.
Multi-Year Contracts
IT approval is only required prior to signing multi-year contracts for technology, not for making annual payments. For instance, if you have a 3-year contract, you do not need IT approval for payments in year 2 or 3. However, at least 90 days before the contract's renewal in year 3, you must ensure your product is approved in the Product Catalog or receive a Technology Acquisition Approval Form (TAAF) before signing a new contract.