DESCRIPTION

The BITS Forum is an online community that enables Berkeley departments to learn about and discuss how their needs for information technology (IT) products and services can be met by agreements with vendors, coordinated purchases, and other procurement methods.

The topics discussed in the BITS Forum are expected to include:

• Types of products and services for which UC agreements are needed.
• Existing volume purchase or site license agreements.
• Proposals for new volume purchase or site license agreements.
• Procedures for taking advantage of UC agreements.
• Transition processes for expiring agreements.
• Ad hoc volume purchases.

The initial method of communication for the BITS Forum is a Majordomo mailing list. Over time it is hoped that a message archive, a repository of helpful documents, and a search function can be added. It is also likely that occasional meetings and presentations will be held.

The BITS Forum mailing list is intended to replace the scattered discussions about IT agreements and processes that now occur on various campus mailing lists. It will provide a channel through which all campus departments can raise issues, make comments, and express preferences. Because membership in the BITS Forum is restricted to campus staff and faculty, it is hoped that the discussions can be more open and immediate than has been possible through unrestricted channels. Ideas and preferences gathered through the BITS Forum list will contribute to the strategic IT procurement efforts made by the Berkeley Campus and UC's Office of the President.

All Berkeley staff and faculty members who have responsibilities for acquiring information technologies for their departments are encouraged to join the BITS Forum.

The acronym for the forum derives from its full name, the Berkeley Information Technology Sourcing Forum. "Sourcing" is a term used by procurement professionals to mean an organization's efforts to find the best sources for products and services.

ELIGIBILITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY

Only staff and faculty employed by UC Berkeley are permitted to join the BITS Forum. Also, only UC Berkeley staff and faculty are authorized to see copies of material shared in this forum. Anyone who signs up for the list is obligated to prevent unauthorized circulation of BITS Forum messages. Recipients of the messages should avoid forwarding them to any open mailing lists, to any lists that have an open archive, or to any outside parties including technology vendors.

MAILING LIST

The mailing list for the BITS Forum is currently supported as a Majordomo list on UCLink. The address of the BITS Forum mailing list is:
bits-forum@listlink.berkeley.edu.

SIGNING UP

Any member of Berkeley's staff or faculty who is listed as an employee in the CalNet Directory, and who has an email address in that directory, may sign up for the list. To initiate an enrollment (or deletion) from the list, click on the "Login" button at the bottom of this page. Note that the email address that will be enrolled (or removed) will be the one listed in the CalNet Directory. That address can be verified or modified by accessing the Employee Profile in the Calnet Directory. Accessing an individual's profile requires a login on the following web page:

https://directory.berkeley.edu/update/

CREDITS

• The BITS Forum is sponsored by Information Systems and Technology (IST)
• The forum was organized by Bob Callaway, IST-AVCO.
• The authentication interface for the BITS Forum, which greatly simplifies the process of enrolling and removing members, was developed by Steven Hansen, Software Distribution, Workstation Support Services.

WEBSITE PROBLEMS?

If you experience any technical difficulty with this site, send email to Steven Hansen, runner@berkeley.edu

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