What is this arrangement?

The Microsoft Volume Sourcing Arrangement (VSA) makes buying Microsoft products easier for government agencies. It also provides benefits and pricing not previously available for smaller agencies.

It does this by providing standard terms, pricing and licensing conditions for Microsoft products.

Who this arrangement is for

• Non-corporate Commonwealth entities must use this arrangement when they’re buying Microsoft products.
• Corporate Commonwealth entities can choose to use this arrangement when they’re buying Microsoft products.
• Government Business Enterprises can’t use this arrangement.
• Only Commonwealth government entities can use this arrangement. 

Products and services included

Microsoft products and services are grouped into 4 categories called ‘enrolments’. The enrolments may include similar products but each enrolment has different terms and conditions.

These are:

• Common Cloud Commitment Enrolment
• Agency Enterprise Enrolment
• Server Cloud Enrolment
• Select-Plus

The CCC Enrolment includes the most commonly used Microsoft products:

• Microsoft Office
• Windows
• client access licenses

The other 3 enrolments include the following products and services:

• server licensing
• some desktop applications
• online services (Agency Enterprise and Server Cloud enrolment only)
• other Microsoft products, such as Microsoft Azure, CRM Online and Microsoft Intune

Using this arrangement

For CCC products

Agencies using this arrangement must buy CCC products and services from the DTA. We buy and manage these products and services on behalf of the Australian Government.

For non-CCC products

Agencies using this arrangement must buy non-CCC Microsoft products and services from Data#3.

This is because Microsoft does not sell its products directly. Instead it uses certified partners and resellers. We’ve signed an agreement with Data#3 to act as the sole provider (known as the Licensed Solutions Provider) for government agencies using this arrangement.

Data#3 provides the following:

• quotations
• licensing advice
• licence key distribution
• invoicing

Policy information

The Microsoft VSA is an agreement between Microsoft Ireland Operations Ltd and the Commonwealth of Australia, represented by the Digital Transformation Agency.

This is the 4th version of the VSA. It started on 1 July 2019 and ends on 30 June 2022.

It is part of the Australian Government’s ICT Coordinated Procurement Contracting Framework Initiatives.

Government buyers who use this arrangement must still comply with the following policies and processes:

• Commonwealth Procurement Rules
• the PGPA Act 2013
• the PGPA Rule 2014
• their organisation’s accountable authority instructions