New panel to supply Vic government PCs

Acer, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, IPEX, Optima and Toshiba were appointed to the panel, according to a statement issued by the state this morning.

Victorian Minister for Information and Communications Technology, Marsha Thomson, said all Victorian government departments must now use the panel to purchase hardware over the next five years.

Her counterpart in the Environment portfolio, John Thwaites, said the deal would include provisions enabling the reuse or recycling of old PCs and notebooks.

Thomson added the panel conditions would also force the involved suppliers to "ensure regional government agencies received the same standard of service as their metropolitan counterparts."

"We will be carefully monitoring service delivery to regions, especially the on-site warranty services, which will be provided by the end of the next business day and attract equal rates for regional and metropolitan services," she said.

"Many of these services will be delivered by local businesses."