May 20, 2013
TO
LEA Superintendents
Charter School Administrators
Finance Officers
Technology Directors
FRO M
Philip W. Price
C OST-SA V I N GS O PP O R T U N I T Y O N L A PT O P, T A B L E T A N D O T H E R D E V I C E
PU R C H ASES
The NC Department of Public Instruction has accepted an offer from Microsoft Corporation
that will allow all North Carolina K-12 schools to leverage large purchase discounts for
devices that are loaded with Windows 8 Pro (National Academic only) or Windows 7
Professional (National Academic Only). This agreement is part of a Microsoft Shape the
Future program designed to:
1. Lower the cost of computing devices through discounts and investments;
2. Connect more students and teachers to computing devices through 1:1 and bring your
own device strategies;
3. Train more teachers to effectively use technology to improve instruction and student
learning.
You should receive discounts of up to $65 per device purchased. Estimates show that North
Carolina schools could save up to $6.5 million through this program over the next year
depending on the number of devices purchased by public schools during that time. NCDPI
encourages local principals to coordinate purchases with their LEA technology director to
leverage this cost-savings opportunity.
Through this agreement, school districts that purchase devices that include Windows 7
Professional or Windows 8 Professional operating systems will receive a significant discount
on each device that they purchase within the next 12 months.
In order to receive this discount, you need to obtain a Letter of Eligibility from Microsoft and
provide this Letter to the vendor (OEM) you have selected to provide your device (Lenovo,
+3'HOO« Request your official L etter of E ligibility from K elly Spencer
kspencer @ microsoft.com and Sean A dams seanad@microsoft.com.
O F F I C E O F F I N A N C I A L , B USIN ESS, A N D T E C H N O L O G Y SE R V I C ES
Philip W. Price, Chief F inancial/Chief Information Officer | Philip.Price@dpi.nc.gov
6326 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-6326 | (919) 807-3600 | Fax (919) 807-3604
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER
Cost-Savings
May 20, 2013
Page 2
Local education agencies may request letters as needed and should provide a letter to each
vendor of eligible devices that you purchase. Please allow one week to receive your Letter so
that it can be provided to the vendors of your choice. T he L etter of E ligibility must be
provided at the time of purchase and not after-the-fact.
In addition to this discount opportunity, North CarROLQD¶VSDUWLFLSDWLRQLQWKHShape the Future
program may provide other advantages at a future time also.
For more information about our participation in Shape the Future, please contact Kelly or
Sean from Microsoft.
PWP/tm