Fujitsu and Fed IT score top marks in notebook sale to Methodist Ladies' College

Melbourne's Methodist Ladies' College has purchased 800 Fujitsu LifeBook notebook computers for students and staff in 2003, choosing the Fujitsu notebooks for their lightweight, integrated architecture, advanced technology and competitive pricing.

The sale, worth several million dollars, was awarded after a six-month tender and evaluation process in which Fujitsu edged out competition from several other leading vendors, partnering with national government and education reseller, Fed IT, to supply and support the LifeBook S6110s.

One of Australia's premier independent schools - named The Australian School of the Year in 2002, MLC is a long-term user of notebook technology, having first introduced personal notebooks for students back in 1991. The school currently operates a fleet of almost 2,200 notebooks for its 1,900 students and 250+ staff, with students from Year 5 up required to use a computer in all their classes.

MLC's Director of Computing and Multimedia, Leon Guss, said Fujitsu offered a quality product in an integrated, sub-2kg form factor that eliminated the need for students to carry external drives. "As part of the deal, Fed IT will maintain a full-time support person at the school to offer warranty and insurance repairs as required, with an extensive inventory of parts and loan machines to meet our Service Level Agreement requirement of 24-hour turnaround on repairs."

The notebooks being supplied to MLC are Fujitsu LifeBook S6110 computers with a 40GB hard disk, internal CD-ROM drive and built-in wireless card. MLC is progressively moving towards full wireless networking and large sections of the school are wireless-ready, even though it will take until 2005 before all notebooks have been refreshed to include wireless capability.

The school takes delivery of around 650 computers in December, with 70 going to staff and the remainder being handed over to students during a two-day period. The final 150 will be delivered early next year.

"Although Fujitsu is relatively new to the education market, the quality of their notebooks and the confidence we have in Fed IT as their channel partner encouraged us to award them this significant contract," said Mr Guss. "I'm confident their support will assist us in further enhancing the standard of excellence in education we are able to offer our students in 2003."

Fed IT Director, Mr Jeff Bowtell, said the win was confirmation of Fed IT's innovative approach to MLC's service requirements and the on-going, close support-partnering framework it was able to establish. "Credibility in the marketplace and the demonstrable ability to deliver to the client's requirements were critical factors in our selection," said Bowtell.