Out of the 23 copiers across the agency, 21 of them have contracts expiring in December. As a result, NIS has requested proposals from all of the current TAMUS vendors who provide multi-function printer (MFP) services. Our intention is to refresh the majority of agency’s MFPs in the fall.
What does that mean for you? Simple. You’re getting updated equipment, centrally managed by NIS, that will also print in color. While the financials have yet to be worked out, my intention is to provide central management and billing of the contracts as well as supplies.
With the added capabilities of these newer MFPs, we’re asking divisions to examine their business needs for personal printers and eliminate them unless there is a documented business need. These devices, while initially inexpensive to purchase ($200-$300), are the most costly IT asset in our environment. Supplies are many times more expensive per copy than MFPs, they are hard to configure, and they break frequently resulting in downtime. While there are some examples of specialty printers (e.g., check printers) that are needed by the business, in most cases, these printers are a convenience for which the agency pays a premium.