IBM Business Partner
Growth Incentive (IBM PGI)
Program Guide for IBM Business
Partners Worldwide
December 2014
Version 1.0
The current version of this document will be available from the News section at the PGI
web site accessed via http://www.ibm.com/partnerworld/pgi.
Changes in this Document

Version 1.0 created December 2014
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Overview of IBM Business Partner Growth Incentive (PGI)
IBM PGI is designed to reward IBM Business Partners who make an investment in IBM skills and
certifications and have the ability to successfully sell and deploy IBM solutions. IBM PGI is a
program offering you a structured path to progress toward becoming part of a select international
community of IBM STG Specialty Business Partners.
Achievement against your IBM PGI quarterly revenue and skills targets will move you closer to
achievement of IBM Specialty while you, your colleagues and your company become eligible to
receive financial and education benefits.
Participation in IBM PGI
Your company must be included in IBM PartnerWorld and hold an IBM Business Partner
Agreement (BPA). If it's not – you must join and obtain your Country Enterprise ID (CEID).
If you do not already have contractual alignment with a Distributor, you will be asked to nominate
your preferred IBM Distributor. Sales completed via this Distributor will contribute to achievement
of your quarterly revenue target. In some regions you may also be issued any earnings via your
nominated IBM Distributor.
We also recommend that you discuss growth plans, promotions, enablement and skills with your
preferred Distributor to ensure that an appropriate development plan can be agreed.
After you complete a login to the IBM Business Partner Growth Incentive (PGI) web site using the
same details you use to access IBM PartnerWorld, you must:
 Agree your target for each participating track – you will see the list of available tracks
(typically a track will correspond with an IBM brand) at the PGI web site.
Remember, achievement against your agreed targets will be based on the sales
completed via your preferred Distributor.
 Finally accept the PGI terms and conditions (the details within this guide).
You must confirm your participation in IBM PGI by the end of month one (1) in each applicable
quarter.
During the quarter you may enter the IBM PGI web site to see your progression toward achieving
your skills and revenue targets. You will also see the potential earnings for achieving each target.
Summary Benefits for IBM PGI
Enablement Support
Sales Rebate
Skills Incentive
Roadmap to Specialty
2 Vouchers giving 80%
discount on course
registration PLUS
2 Vouchers giving 100%
discount on Certification
testing
Uncapped rebate based
on quarterly revenue
achievement
Opportunity to
receive an incentive
for achieving skills
targets.
A series of skills targets
and revenue growth
targets presented each
quarter
The program web
site will include
details of each skills
target and earnings
potential
Achieve your growth
targets and you will
progress toward the skills
and revenue criteria for
your area of
Specialization
Vouchers will be available
for each new Skills Target
The program web site
includes a revenue and
rebate table showing
earnings potential each
quarter
Other benefits which become available as a result of your company participating in PGI include,
 Individual skills development roadmaps leading to Certification and opportunities to earn
rewards for employees of your firms with Know Your IBM
(www.ibm.com/partnerworld/knowyouribm); and
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
Market Growth Funds (MGF) Program which provides a predictable pool of funds to
assist you in creating new market opportunities, building your IBM Server and Solution
sales pipeline, supporting your efforts to win new business and develop your skills. You
may be eligible for MGF if you have sufficient IBM STG revenue. Use of MGF is subject
to the Terms and Conditions for MGF. Full details of the MGF program are available via
the Incentives and Promotions pages in IBM PartnerWorld (https://www304.ibm.com/partnerworld/wps/servlet/mem/ContentHandler/pw_com_iap-incentivesand-promotions)
Note: MGF is 100% paid by IBM, with no match required of the qualifying Business
Partners. Benefits are provided to eligible Business Partners as one allocation across all
STG platforms.
Scope and Purpose of this Operations Guide
The purpose of this document is to provide detailed guidance for Business Partners who have a
longer-term objective to progress toward specialization in one or more IBM STG brands. And
who wish to develop to STG Specialty at their own pace. In addition, this guide provides
information to IBM STG Specialty Business Partners, who wish to achieve a new STG Specialty,
or for those who did not renew their IBM Specialty status.
This guide may also reference other operations guides for Business Partners participating in, or
interested in applying and being approved to participate in those programs.
This guide is structured into the following major sections:
1. Introduction and Overview
2. Scope and Purpose
3. Other IBM Programs
4. Eligible Products
5. Registration and Quarterly Target Acceptance
6. IBM PGI Operations and Process
7. Appendices
Note: Some links listed in this document require PartnerWorld® membership and signing in to
PartnerWorld to access the information.
You can access IBM PartnerWorld® at www.ibm.com/partnerworld.
Relationships with Other Programs
Business Partners are encouraged to take part in other IBM channel initiatives, offerings or
incentives which are not mutually exclusive with IBM PGI. This includes programs such as
Market Growth Funds (MGF) and Know Your IBM (KYI).
Mutually Exclusive Programs
IBM Business Partners in a PGI track, must not have achieved STG Specialty in the related
brand.
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Failure to notify IBM of your participation in a mutually exclusive initiative, offering or incentive is
grounds for your removal from IBM PGI.
Eligible Products
Eligible IBM Power Systems and IBM System Storage hardware and associated software
products listed in the applicable Product Exhibit list, which you are authorized to sell, as related to
each IBM PGI track in which you participate.
This includes:
 Special Bid and Value Seller terms (including Frame Agreement and IVO offerings)
 Transactions conducted under a Transaction Agreement
 Managed outsourced services, when the Business Partner retains title of the system
 Products purchased for outsourcing purposes
 Model Upgrades and ‘after-market’ (MES) orders
 Internal Use products
 Technology Access Program products
 Used Equipment
And excludes:
 Orders for Try and Buy equipment, until such time that the end user purchases the
product
 Products purchased in countries where you do not have a contract with IBM
IBM Product Exhibits may be accessed online at:
http://www.ibm.com/partnerworld/wps/pwselector.jsp?componentfinder/PREXHPW/hideFac
et=false/pageTitle=Exhibits &navcat=PW Ent Exhibits
REGISTRATION AND QUARTERLY TARGET ACCEPTANCE
This section provides further details of the registration process for the IBM PGI offering and the
process to accept targets for each earnings period.
Registration Process
Registrations for IBM PGI must be completed for every country in which you wish to participate.
You must have a physical location in each country in which you register.
The first step in registering to participate in IBM PGI is to become a member of IBM
PartnerWorld® and to hold a current IBM Business Partner Agreement (BPA) for Solution
Providers to remarket the applicable offerings. The IBM PartnerWorld® web site address is
www.ibm.com/partnerworld. If you do not have a BPA, please complete the application form
available via
https://www.ibm.com/partnerworld/wps/servlet/mem/ContentHandler/pw_com_jnw_sell.
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(It may take up to 10 business days for this approval process.)
Your company must be a member of IBM PartnerWorld® and have a BPA in each country in
which you plan to participate in IBM PGI, and you must maintain these in order to remain eligible
for the IBM PGI program.
Your company’s Country Enterprise ID (CEID) which is assigned when your company registration
to IBM PartnerWorld is accepted, will be the unique key which determines your company
achievement against all targets in PGI.
Joining PGI for the first time
The application must be made via the IBM PGI web site at: www.ibm.com/partnerworld/pgi.
Follow these steps to complete your registration:
1. If necessary, decide which will be your preferred IBM Distributor. Sales completed via
this Distributor will contribute to achievement of your quarterly revenue target. In some
regions you may also be issued any earnings via your nominated IBM Distributor.
a. We also recommend that you discuss growth plans, promotions, enablement and
skills with your preferred Distributor
b. And agree an appropriate development plan can to achieve your skills targets
2. Login to the IBM Business Partner Growth Incentive (PGI) web site with the same details
you use to access IBM PartnerWorld.
If you are the first employee from your company to access PGI, you will become the individual
who is authorized to agree targets and accept the associated Terms & Conditions for IBM PGI.
At the IBM PGI web site:
1. Agree your target for each participating track – you will see the list at the program web
site. Targets are calculated automatically within the IBM PGI system and are based on
your historic achievement as reported to IBM by Distributors through which you
purchased eligible IBM products. If PGI has no history of your revenue, a system-define
minimum target will be assigned.
2. Only the sales of eligible products sourced via your Preferred Distributor (in some
regions, this is known as ‘Aligned Distributor’) will be counted toward your quarterly
revenue achievement against target.
3. Review the Skills Target where presented for each track. Make sure that you plan the
relevant enablement activities with your Preferred Distributor giving plenty of time for your
achieved skills to be reported to IBM.
4. Finally accept the IBM PGI terms and conditions.
5. You must confirm your participation in IBM PGI by the end of month one (1) in each
applicable quarter.
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Quarterly Target Acceptance
You must confirm your target acceptance by the end of month one (1) in each quarter that you
wish to participate in IBM PGI. If you were active previously in IBM PGI you will be notified via
email at the start of each quarter when your new targets become available.
Revenue targets are based on the average of your achieved revenue for the products
corresponding to each track, during the previous four (4) full quarters. If IBM has no history of
revenue reported for your company’s CEID, a system defined minimum revenue amount will be
assigned.
Skills targets consisting of a number of formal IBM Certifications or Skills may also be presented.
The skills target will be part of the full skills and Certifications required to achieve STG Specialty
in one of the participating tracks. You can decide how rapidly each skills target is achieved. A
new skills target will be offered at the start of the quarter after an existing skills target has been
completed. Benefits associated with your Skills target achievement will also be processed during
the following quarter.
Payments for achieving the Skills Target and Revenue Target are not dependent on each other.
So you can receive a payment for achieving your Skills target without having achieved your
revenue target, and vice versa.
The PGI web site will automatically switch off target acceptance after the deadline for each
quarter.
You are permitted to change your Preferred Distributor once during any 12 month period. In NA
and GCG you have a contractual alignment and must follow the announced process. In all other
countries, you have the option to change your Preferred Distributor as part of the Quarterly target
selection process. This option will be greyed if you have already made a change during the 12month period.
OPERATIONS
This section provides guidance on the operational aspects of the criteria related to the IBM PGI
program.
Requesting Support
Questions concerning IBM Business Partner Growth Incentive can be submitted in a number of
ways:
To your Preferred Distributor,
via IBM PartnerWorld Contact Services – look for a variety of ways to get help from PWCS at the
IBM PartnerWorld web site: http://www.ibm.com/partnerworld;
to your IBM representative; or
to the IBM PGI support team at: support@gotopgi.biz
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IBM PartnerWorld® Membership
You must be a member of IBM PartnerWorld® in every country in which you wish to participate in
IBM PGI, and you must maintain your IBM PartnerWorld® country membership in order to remain
in IBM PGI. Termination from IBM PartnerWorld® will result in immediate removal from IBM PGI
and loss of all associated benefits.
The IBM PartnerWorld® website address is www.ibm.com/partnerworld.
How Measured: You have an IBM PartnerWorld® country enterprise ID for each country.
Time Frame: Before you agree your quarterly target for IBM PGI.
Online Registration
All non-STG Specialty Business Partners can complete their online registration for IBM PGI.
Based on your achievement, you become eligible to associated target-based rewards.
How Measured: Completion of login via the IBM PGI web page at:
http://www.ibm.com/partnerworld/pgi.
Time Frame: At time of becoming active in PGI.
Quarterly Revenue Target
For each quarterly period you choose to participate, IBM will calculate a target based on your
historic revenue as reported to IBM by your Distributor. IBM will calculate a quarterly average
revenue and apply a small growth amount which will place you within a defined revenue target
band. You may view the expanded target and earnings table to determine higher target bands
and associated higher earnings at the PGI web site.
How Measured: If you have no historic revenue reported against your CEID, a system defined
minimum target will be assigned to you.
Time Frame: When you become active in PGI for the applicable quarter.
Skills Target
In addition to a revenue target, you may also be presented with a skills target consisting of
multiple Certifications or on-line exams. Achievement of your presented skills target is designed
to help you to progress toward the STG Power Systems or STG System Storage Specialty.
Only one Skills target will be in effect per PGI track. Achievement of the Skills Target will result in
a new target during the following quarter, until you have achieved all required skills for the defined
track.
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How Measured: Each skills target is part of the full Certification and skills criteria for the defined
track. Typically, though not always, related to STG Specialty.
Time Frame: When you become active in PGI for the applicable quarter.
Quarterly target acceptance
Quarterly target acceptance is necessary before the end of month one (1) of each quarter.
Otherwise no rewards are earned or are payable for that period. The program web site will block
target acceptance after the deadline.
How Measured: Your company’s PGI Administrator must submit a Target Acceptance form via
the PGI web site. As part of this quarterly submission, your PGI Administrator also confirms
acceptance of associated Terms & Conditions.
When targets have been accepted, the status in PGI will be changed to confirm “Targets set”.
Time Frame: Before the quarterly deadline - by end of month one (1) in each quarter of
participation.
Earnings for Quarterly Revenue achievement
During each quarter, your achievement under this program will be based on the value of the
eligible products IBM invoiced to your Preferred Distributor(s), and which the Distributor(s)
subsequently reported to have resold to you against your CEID.
The PGI web site will display this calculated achievement against your quarterly target. And,
based on the Target and Rebate grid available at the PGI web site, you will be presented with an
estimate of your earned rebate. If you overachieve against your target, your earnings will also
increase based on the revenue and target band at which you finish the quarter. The actual
amount you have earned will be subject to final verification by IBM after the end of each quarter.
How Measured: The method of converting reported sales-out data into actual sales out revenue
may vary by product and by when the reported sales are received by IBM from your Preferred
Distributor. Only sales-out revenue based on these reports will be used to calculate your
attainment. No other source of sales out revenue will be considered.
IBM has no knowledge of the actual amount you paid in any transaction. All purchases of eligible
products during the period of the program and reported to IBM will be aggregated towards your
achievement.
Time Frame: Revenue updates are processed on a regular basis during each quarter. The
assessment of actual earnings is subject to final verification by IBM after the end of each quarter.
Payments are expected to be issued by IBM by the end of the following quarter.
Bonus based on achieved skills
In addition to a regular revenue growth target, you may also be eligible for a skills target. Each
such target will consist of a number of required Certifications or exams. Achievement of all
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Certifications and exams included in the target will entitle you to receive a rebate of up to 1500
USD per target. The exact value will be displayed at the Program web site.
After you have achieved an assigned Skills target, you become eligible for a new target in the
quarter following.
Just one Skills target may be in effect per PGI track during any given quarter.
Your progress against the assigned Skill target will be shown at the Program web site.
How Measured: Achievement of Certifications against your skills target is determined by the date
on which the applicable Certifications are visible in your IBM PartnerWorld company profile.
Achievement of other online exams, such as those for Cloud & Analytics Sales Enablement
(CASE) are determined by the date of completion as available via the CASE web site:
http://www.ibm.com/services/weblectures/systems/stgcase/
Time Frame: Bonus payments are processed during the quarter after all items in the skills target
are marked as completed. Payments are expected to be issued by IBM by the end of the
following quarter.
Education and Certification Test Vouchers
As a participant in the PGI program your company will be eligible to receive the
following:
 Class Vouchers which can be used for eligible STG technical training and
technical events
 Certification Test Vouchers, which can be used to take eligible STG IBM
Professional Certification exams administered by Pearson VUE
 PGI Class and Certification Vouchers can only be redeemed for STG
technical events, classes and certification exams associated with STG
 PGI Class Vouchers offer an 80% discount to a maximum amount of 2100
USD on the published tuition on eligible STG technical courses and events
 Certification Test Vouchers offer a 100% discount on the published price of
eligible STG Certification exams
 PGI vouchers are automatically sent upon achievement of necessary
criteria as published at the PGI web site
Details of qualifying IBM events will be communicated via IBM PartnerWorld and
may include the annual IBM PartnerWorld Leadership Conference as well as IBM
technical conferences. IBM STG Training is delivered by a network of IBM Global
Training Providers (GTPs). Visit the IBM Training web site
(http://www.ibm.com/training) for further details.
You will be eligible for two (2) Education Vouchers and two (2) Certification test
vouchers to support achievement of each new Skills Target that you accept when
presented to you in PGI.
You will be notified of how to access your available Vouchers directly by the IBM
Vouchers team via email from: voucher@us.ibm.com
 To see the schedule of available STG classes and events, Business
Partners can go to: http://www.ibm.com/training
 To register for an IBM Certification Test at Pearson VUE, eligible Business
Partners can go to: http://www.pearsonvue.com/
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The PGI web site will also contain the status of any such Vouchers issued to your
company.
Terms and Conditions apply to Voucher usage. Here is a summary of the key
points:
 Class Vouchers expire at the end of the calendar year, midnight GMT on
31st December. Certification test Vouchers expire 12 months after the date
they are issued..
 Vouchers used for a class must be turned into the class instructor the first
day of class
 Vouchers used for an IBM event must be turned in at the Registration desk
on the first day you attend
 Vouchers are not transferable to your clients
 One voucher may only be used against the costs of one student’s
enrolment and only one voucher may be used per student
 Vouchers cannot be used to cover travel and living (T&L)
 Voucher discounts cannot be applied to late cancellation or no show fees
 Vouchers cannot be combined with any other IBM discounts
 Vouchers cannot be redeemed for non IBM STG
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APPENDICES
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Appendix A – Currency conversion rate table
COUNTRY
Local Currency (LC)
LC / 1 US$
Abu Dhabi
Dirham
3.6726899
Australia
Dollar
1.6129032
Austria
EURO
1.0000000
Belgium
EURO
1.0000000
Brazil
Real
2.3000000
Canada
Dollar
1.5000000
China
Renminbi
8.4000000
Cyprus
EURO
1.0000000
Czech Republic
Koruna
20.0000000
Denmark
Krone
7.6000000
Dubai (UAE)
Dirham
3.6724000
Estonia
EURO
1.0000000
Eurozone
EURO
1.0000000
Finland
EURO
1.0000000
France
EURO
1.0000000
Germany
EURO
1.0000000
Greece
EURO
1.0000000
Hong Kong
Dollar
7.8000000
Iceland
Krona
87.5000000
India
Rupee
45.0000000
Ireland
EURO
1.0000000
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Israel
Shekel
4.1000000
Italy
EURO
1.0000000
Japan
Yen
105.0000000
Latvia
EURO
1.0000000
Liechtenstein
Franc
1.6300000
Lithuania
EURO
1.0000000
Luxembourg
EURO
1.0000000
Macao
Pataca
7.9904115
Malaysia
Ringgit
3.5000000
Namibia
Rand
7.0000000
Netherlands
EURO
1.0000000
New Zealand
Dollar
2.0000000
Norway
Krone
8.3000000
Poland
Zloty
3.0000000
Portugal
EURO
1.0000000
Slovakia
EURO
1.0000000
Slovenia
EURO
1.0000000
Spain
EURO
1.0000000
Sweden
Krona
8.6000000
Switzerland
Franc
1.6300000
S. Africa
Rand
7.0000000
S. Korea
Won
1000.0000000
Taiwan
Dollar
30.8000000
IBM BP Guide for Business Partner Growth Incentive (PGI) v1.0
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Thailand
Baht
34.0000000
U.K.
Pound
0.6451613
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