What's the point of asking for bids for "Microsoft Campus Agreement" ?

[Virus Guy]

Totally off topic (and please feel free to cross-post this to any
relavant and active MS newsgroup)

I happen to get Clemson Buyways bid opportunities via e-mail at my
$Day-Job.

I just got that has me scratching my head. Clemson is looking for
competitive bids for "a one year contract for software for the Microsoft
Campus Agreement". Best I can figure, it's described here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Campus_Agreement

Now I ask you - who else besides Microsoft do they expect would be able
to provide a competitive bid for that item?

I mean, why even put that out for bids in the first place?

 

[David H. Lipman]

Totally off topic (and please feel free to cross-post this to any
relavant and active MS newsgroup)

I happen to get Clemson Buyways bid opportunities via e-mail at my
$Day-Job.

I just got that has me scratching my head. Clemson is looking for
competitive bids for "a one year contract for software for the Microsoft
Campus Agreement". Best I can figure, it's described here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Campus_Agreement

Now I ask you - who else besides Microsoft do they expect would be able
to provide a competitive bid for that item?

I mean, why even put that out for bids in the first place?

Oracle
Lockeed Martin
CSC

To name a few.

 

[Rich Webb]

Totally off topic (and please feel free to cross-post this to any
relavant and active MS newsgroup)

I happen to get Clemson Buyways bid opportunities via e-mail at my
$Day-Job.

I just got that has me scratching my head. Clemson is looking for
competitive bids for "a one year contract for software for the Microsoft
Campus Agreement". Best I can figure, it's described here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Campus_Agreement

Now I ask you - who else besides Microsoft do they expect would be able
to provide a competitive bid for that item?

I mean, why even put that out for bids in the first place?

Less trouble than doing the paperwork involved in a sole-source
justification?