 In many countries the technical specifications in public tenders for procuring computers (personal computers hereafter referred to as PCs, notebooks, and servers) often include particular brand or product names to describe microprocessors. These specifications do not comply with most current government procurement policies. Furthermore, such specifications discourage price competition and place government purchases at risk by basing purchasing decisions on brand names instead of accurate measures of computer performance.
- The use of brand or product names in government procurement specifications is illegal in most countries around the world: Many governments, including the European Union and the United States, have laws and regulations in place that generally prohibit the use of brand or product names in government tenders. A similar prohibition is provided in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Government Procurement Agreement (GPA). Additionally, the courts, antitrust authorities and contracting authorities in many countries around the world have ruled that such specifications are prohibited. Click here to learn how many governments worldwide have taken steps to stimulate competition in technology procurement.
- The use of brand or product names or even certain technical specifications is not an accurate measure of computer performance: Discrimination does not benefit the customer because brand or product names do not describe product performance and quality. Further, certain technical specifications such as clock rate as measured in MHz or GHz, or cache size, or front side bus speed, etc. tend to be brand and/or architecture specific and do not accurately describe product performance or quality.
- The use of brand or product names inhibits competition and cost savings: Specifications with a specific brand or product name discourage the cost savings that accompanies competition. Neutral specifications encourage vendors to offer innovative products at competitive prices.
Download an executive summary of AMD’s U.S. government procurement economic study, entitled
Improving Federal Procurement: The Benefits of Vendor-Neutral Contract Specifications*
Download English Benchmark Procurement Guidelines for Government PC Buyers* document
Download French Benchmark Procurement Guidelines for Government PC Buyers* document
Download German Benchmark Procurement Guidelines for Government PC Buyers* document
Download Italian Benchmark Procurement Guidelines for Government PC Buyers* document
Download Polish Benchmark Procurement Guidelines for Government PC Buyers* document
Download Portuguese Benchmark Procurement Guidelines for Government PC Buyers* document
Download Russian Benchmark Procurement Guidelines for Government PC Buyers* document
Download Spanish Benchmark Procurement Guidelines for Government PC Buyers* document
*viewing pdf requires Adobe Acrobat 6.0 or greater. To download the latest version of Adobe Acrobat click here.
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