SITA Technology Certification · PDF fileCONFIDENTIAL SITA Technology Certification Process...
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s t a t e i n f o r m a t i o n t e c h n o l o g y a g e n c y
Technology Certification Process
Document no.: eIRPL-00001
Revision: 3.2
Author: Izak de Villiers, Deon Nel
Date: 2016-08-30
Electronic File: Tech Certification Process 3.2.docx
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Notice
© 2016 SITA. All rights reserved.
No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means Without the express written permission of SITA.
Document enquiries can be directed to: Innovation Technology Advisory Services (iTAS)
SITA SOC. P.O. Box 26100, Monument Park, 0105, South Africa Attention: Izak de Villiers ([email protected]) Telephone: 012 482 2749
Approval
The signatories hereof, being duly authorised thereto, by their signatures hereto authorise the execution of the work detailed herein, or confirm their acceptance of the contents hereof and authorise the implementation/adoption thereof, as the case may be, for and on behalf of the parties represented by them.
Foreword
This document describes the technology management process for SITA’s certified product catalogue. The process is applicable to SITA Certification, SITA Innovation and OEMs who want to have their products certified by SITA. The process was designed and implemented by SITA Innovation (iTAS) as part of its technology management mandate. It replaces version 3.1 of the Technology Certification Process.
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Contents
Contents .................................................................................................................................... 5
Figures ...................................................................................................................................... 5
Tables ........................................................................................................................................ 5
1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 7 1.1 References .......................................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Technology domains ............................................................................................................. 8
2. Definitions and process framework ....................................................................................... 8 2.1 Technology updates ............................................................................................................. 9 2.2 Product certification ............................................................................................................. 9
3. Process to be followed ........................................................................................................... 9 3.1 Technology updates ........................................................................................................... 10 3.2 Product certification ........................................................................................................... 10 3.3 Components/accessory changes........................................................................................... 12
4. General rules and guidelines ................................................................................................ 13
5. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 14
Annex A: OEM process diagram ............................................................................................. 15
Annex B: Certification checklist ............................................................................................. 17
Annex C: Certificate sample .................................................................................................. 19
Annex D: Contact details ...................................................................................................... 21
Annex E: Processes diagrams, roles and responsibilities ...................................................... 23
Annex F: Glossary and Definitions ........................................................................................ 25
Figures
Figure 1: Certified technology domains ............................................................................................ 8 Figure 2: Requirements for supply to Government .......................................................................... 13 Figure 3: OEM product certification process diagram ....................................................................... 15 Figure 4: Tech update process ...................................................................................................... 23 Figure 5: Product certification process ........................................................................................... 23
Tables
Table 1: Components of certified technology domains ....................................................................... 7 Table 1: TU roles and responsibilities ............................................................................................ 10 Table 2: Product certification roles and responsibilities .................................................................... 11 Table 3: iTAS contact details ........................................................................................................ 21
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1. Introduction
According to National Treasury Practice Note 5 of 2009, SITA must conduct a standard
certification in respect of goods and services. In support of this, SITA has established a
Technology Certification Process (TCP) to allow OEMs and brand legal entities to submit their
respective product ranges for certification. The TCP is implemented to support current and new
Government transversal contracts.
As of 2016, certified technology domains include, but are not restricted to, the following:
Domain Components
Audiovisual
Communications (AVC) Technologies
Video and audio conferencing, large-format display devices (projectors, AV monitors
and video walls), interactive whiteboards, collaboration, media recording, AV signal control and management.
Infrastructure UPS, Equipment Racks, Generators, Cable ducting, trenching and routing.
Networking Switches, WLAN, Routers, Backhaul, Cabling (copper and fibre).
Personal Computing Devices
Desktop PCs, Mobile PCs, Desktop displays, and Mobile devices (Tablets, Smartphones, eReaders).
Peripherals Printers, Multifunction devices, Scanners, Digital cameras, Auto-ID (Barcoding, Card
devices), Optical storage (DVD duplicators), Small peripherals and Consumables.
Servers & Storage Servers (Rack-mount, Tower, Blade), Primary storage and Secondary storage (Tape,
D2D, Archiving).
Table 1: Components of certified technology domains
Specific product categories to be addressed are included in the respective detail technical
specifications for each technology domain, as explained below. These specifications can be
downloaded from the SITA website at the web address provided below.
The certification process will be conducted on a continuous basis and, since it is open to all
participants, will not exclude any OEMs or products, but rather cater for new technologies,
OEMs, products or categories as and when they enter the market.
1.1 References
1. State Information Technology Agency Act (Act 88 of 1998), as amended by Act 38 of
2002
2. SITA Regulations, dated 23 September 2005
3. National Treasury Practice Note no. 5 of 2009
4. SITA Product Certification: OEM Memorandum of Agreement (eIRPL-00002), version 2.0,
July 2016
5. Technical specifications for technology domains (on SITA Product Certification website
www.sita.co.za/prodcert.htm)
6. Technical Specifications – Conditions and Definitions: www.sita.co.za/prodcert.htm
7. Latest versions of all related specifications, processes, documents and forms:
www.sita.co.za/prodcert.htm
8. MoA-related documents and forms:
a. Memorandum of Agreement:
www.sita.co.za/Prod%20Cert/MoA%20OEM%201.3%20(Product%20Certification).d
ocx
b. OEM Meeting Checklist: www.sita.co.za/Prod%20Cert/Checklist%20MoA.xlsx
9. Operational Leval Agreement: iTAS and Certification
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1.2 Technology domains
The diagram below indicates with a © the technology domains currently covered by the
certification process. Additional technology domains will be incorporated into the process as
required by the client or SITA. Envisaged new domains as of 2016 include Surveillance and
Assistive Technologies.
Figure 1: Certified technology domains
2. Definitions and process framework
Technology certification comprises two mechanisms to keep technology current, namely:
a) Technology Updates, and
b) Product Certification.
This document describes the processes to be followed by OEMs and SITA to enable effective
technology management.
All technology domains do not require the same processes or the same level of interaction, and
these processes will be applied to individual domains as appropriate.
This section defines the different types of updates to the technology specification and product
catalogue.
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2.1 Technology updates
As Government’s business requirements change, the technology solutions to address those
needs must be adapted. SITA will continually update and extend the relevant technology
domains (and the supporting technical specifications) in support of changing and expanding
needs in its client base.
Technology updates will address changes such as CPU speed, hard disk sizes, memory
capacities, etc., as well as new iterations of industry standards such as USB or Ethernet. These
are general updates that apply to all affected products irrespective of which product brand or
model is offered. The frequency of tech updates will depend on how often the domain changes
in general. More regular tech updates will be applied to devices that have frequent changes of
component specifications (e.g. PCs and mobile devices), while domains such as networking
and Infrastructure will change less regularly. Other changes to the specifications will be made
as required.
The tech update process will be initiated by SITA, compiled by iTAS in consultation with
Government technical representatives (including the GITOC TTT), industry (suppliers and
OEMs), and communicated to all role players via iTAS’ distribution list which is maintained per
technology domain.
In addition to expanding or updating existing technology domains, SITA will add additional
domains to the certification process as required by the client. Device types may also be moved
between technology domains if required.
2.2 Product certification
In support of SITA’s mandate, all products supplied to Government must be certified. OEMs
must submit products for certification along with all required information and other delivera-
bles, after which iTAS will conduct the certification process. Certified products will be listed in a
catalogue accessible online to all role players.
Model changes are a special case of the product certification process, in that a previous
instance/model of the product is already certified, and confirmation is required from the OEM
that the current product is end-of-life. Apart from this, the standard process is followed. Once
the replacement product has been certified, suppliers of the product will have one month to
replace the old product with a new one. After this, sales of the old product will no longer be
allowed, as the new certificate will replace the previous one.
2.2.1 Components/accessory changes
Any changes to a product, or replacement of a product by a new model often necessitates
changing the associated components or accessories. OEMs may receive requests from clients
to add additional components to their product offering to address specific needs. These
changes need to be vetted and approved by iTAS as part of the certification process. Factors
that may impact the outcome include cost of the component, overlap with other domains or
categories, and technical suitability of the component.
As part of the standard certification process, iTAS reserves the right to vet products,
accessories and components offered by OEMs, and ensure that only products that meet all
requirements are included in the certified offerings available to Government.
3. Process to be followed
The following is an overview of the proposed process for each type of technology update. A
process diagram for OEMs to follow is included in the Annex.
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3.1 Technology updates
Tech updates will be implemented as and when required by each individual technology domain.
1. Research: Before each tech update is drafted, new and current technologies in the
domain are researched by iTAS and those applicable to Government are identified.
2. Consult: In addition to industry research, Government users and industry role players are
polled for input on new or changing business requirements.
3. Draft: A proposed technology update is drawn up by iTAS and communicated with all
involved parties. This includes a TU summary as well as the detail specification.
4. Ratify: In consultation with all role players, the proposal for new technologies is finalised.
The final decision to ratify any Tech Update will be made by the duly delegated GITOC
body, i.e. the Technology Task Team (TTT). The ratification process requires agreement to
the new specifications by industry, and specifically OEMs.
5. Implement: iTAS formally communicates the changes to all role players, after which the
new technology will be in force within one month. All technical content of the Tech Update
(the Tech Update Summary as well as the updated Detail Spec) are posted on the SITA
website for access by all role players.
6. Execute: After a tech update has been implemented, OEMs must ensure that their
products are configured as required by the detail specification.
The table below describes the TU process in terms of the RACI (Responsible / Accountable /
Consult / Inform) model. A process diagram has been included in the Annex.
Action R A C I
1. Research iTAS iTAS
2. Consult (obtain input) iTAS iTAS OEMs,
TTT, clients
3. Draft TU iTAS iTAS
4. Ratify TU TTT iTAS OEMs SCProc
5. Implement TU iTAS iTAS
6. Execute Resellers OEMs iTAS
Table 2: TU roles and responsibilities
Notes:
1. The implementation of a tech update may require model changes for some products. This
must be managed by the OEM in a timely manner via the standard certification process.
2. In cases where system configurations were changed, OEMs must inform their partners if
this will have a price impact, to ensure that quoted pricing complies with minimum specifi-
cations.
3. SITA will create new technology categories or specifications within a technology domain as
and when required by Government. This will be done in consultation with Government and
industry players.
3.2 Product certification
The product certification process must be driven by the OEM, on behalf of all its partners who
supply the product to Government.
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1. OEM downloads latest version of required forms, specifications and other information
from the Product Certification website (www.sita.co.za/prodcert.htm).
2. OEM prepares all documentation and demo equipment (if required), along with a written
application for certification. The format and contents of this application are addressed
below, and iTAS may be consulted if required. OEM must ensure that the product complies
with all mandatory requirements as per the current technical specification. Products that do
not comply with all specifications will not be certified.
3. OEM submits the request and all supporting documentation to iTAS.
4. The iTAS Coordinator schedules an evaluation appointment, at which time hard-copy
deliverables must be submitted as per the Certification checklist. The technical resource
that prepared the documentation must be present at the certification meeting to address
any queries.
5. As per the standard iTAS evaluation process, iTAS verifies and evaluates the new
product against the current technical specification. Most of the verification process is done
in the evaluation meeting with the OEM. Full compliance with all mandatory specifications
and configurations is required, as well as a calculated TTCO figure that is equal to or lower
than that of the previous product (if applicable). If successful, the product is certified to be
supplied to Government.
6. iTAS produces a certificate to formalise the successful outcome of the process.
7. iTAS sends a soft copy of the certificate to the OEM, and updates the product catalogue
with the relevant information. OEMs are required to communicate and enforce the certifica-
tion conditions within its reseller/partner base.
8. Once the OEM informs its partners of the new certification, the partners execute it by
supplying the product according to the certified standard. In case of a model change, the
older product must be phased out within 30 days of the certificate date.
The table below describes the certification process in terms of the RACI (Responsible /
Accountable / Consult / Inform) model. A process diagram has been included in the Annex.
Action R A C I
1. Download OEM OEM SITA website
2. Prepare OEM OEM iTAS
3. Submit OEM OEM iTAS
4. Schedule iTAS iTAS OEM
5. Evaluate iTAS iTAS OEM
6. Certify iTAS iTAS OEM
7. Communicate iTAS,
OEM
iTAS,
OEM
Industry,
clients
8. Execute Partners, resellers
OEM
Table 3: Product certification roles and responsibilities
Note that no sales of uncertified products to Government will be allowed. Contravention of
this condition may result in blacklisting of the OEM, supplier or product.
All certificates and relevant information can be found on the SITA website under Product
Certification (www.sita.co.za/prodcert.htm), or by navigating to the Product Certification page
under Standards on the SITA home page at www.sita.co.za.
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3.2.1 Format of certification request
All certification requests must be forwarded to the iTAS service desk: [email protected]. The
request must contain the following information as formal deliverables:
1. An electronic request on the supplier’s letterhead specifying the product requiring
certification listing all relevant details (at least the Category/Item and product model
name).
2. In case of a model change, formal confirmation from the product manufacturer/OEM that
the current product has reached the end of its lifespan, and will be replaced by the pro-
posed product. The OEM must also confirm that the new product complies with the current
specification.
3. A completed electronic copy the technical specification with all technical details of the new
products. In case of a model change (product transition), all changes from the previous
products (e.g. product size, weight) must be highlighted on the specification. This will
facilitate the technical evaluation of the new product. Please consult the Annex for more
details on the format of the technical content. This submission must be based on the
latest/current technical specification (latest Tech Update). Draft versions of the
spec will not be accepted. Note that no changes may be made to the spec as provided.
4. A completed electronic copy of the Product Certification Checklist must also be
submitted, along with all required deliverables (certificates, data sheets, etc.) stipulated
therein.
The request should reach SITA at least 30 days in advance of the product’s general market
availability. Failure to submit a timely request for certification may result in the product not
being available for procurement by Government.
3.2.2 Evaluation deliverables
All required deliverables are documented in the Product Certification Checklist, which can be
downloaded from the Certification website. Only once all deliverables have been submitted will
an evaluation meeting be scheduled with the OEM. Products will not be certified until all
technical issues have been resolved.
3.3 Components/accessory changes
As described above, requests from clients or resellers may require an OEM to add new
components or accessories to an existing certified product. The process to handle these
changes will be managed as follows:
1. A request from the OEM contractor is forwarded to iTAS. (This may form part of the
standard certification process.)
2. iTAS examines the request in light of the requirement, technical suitability, cost and
possible overlap with other categories or technology domains. This may include testing or
evaluating the components in the Lab.
3. If no issues are identified, the new components are recommended for inclusion in the
contract.
4. iTAS notifies the supplier of the approval.
5. Partners are allowed to offer these new components as part of solutions proposed to
Government.
As a principle, any component that is not fully supported and warranted by the OEM will not be
accepted by iTAS.
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4. General rules and guidelines
The following rules and guidelines will be applied during technology certification.
1. The technical specification always represents minimum requirements, therefore anything
that exceeds requirements is always acceptable.
2. iTAS must be informed of instances where a product’s technical specification is improved
(i.e. faster CPU, more RAM, larger hard disk) outside of Model Change or Tech Update
processes. This does not represent a model change, and no approval process is necessary
to supply to Government.
3. In general for Servers, PCs and Notebooks, if a new Microsoft HCL (Hardware Compatibility
List) certification is required, or a hard disk image change (i.e. different software/drivers),
this will require re-certification. Components that typically require an HCL update include
the chipset and motherboard. A product name change or update of the chassis would not
necessarily require a model change. Changes of this nature require only a certificate
update, to be requested by the OEM.
4. If a product is still generally available for sale by the certificate expiry date, the OEM may
approach SITA for a new certificate with an extended expiry date.
5. A certification for a model change (i.e. replacement of existing certified product) will
supersede the existing certificate.
6. All role players are provided ample opportunity to contribute to Tech Updates. If a Tech
Update is ratified, it must be implemented by suppliers by the specified date.
7. SITA reserves the right to postpone or cancel the product certification process if the OEM is
not sufficiently prepared for the evaluation.
8. All product certifications will be done solely at the discretion of SITA. In support of its
mandate to enable economies of scale, SITA cannot certify every single product of every
OEM. Therefore, certified products will have to demonstrate that there is a definite re-
quirement within Government, and that it will not dilute the overall volume strategy.
9. In support of the certification process, a formal relationship must be established between
SITA and the OEM via a Memorandum of Agreement, which must be completed and
submitted by the OEM. The MoA must be finalised before any products may be certified.
10. Any component or solution that is
not fully supported and warranted
by the OEM will not be accepted
by iTAS.
11. The fact that a product is certified
does not mean it is automatically
available to Government for
procurement. In order for a
product to be purchased by
Government, both the supplier
and product must be explicitly
accredited by SITA on a Transver-
sal or Period Contract. The Venn
diagram indicates all require-
ments for a product to be legally
supplied to Govermment: only the
white area meets all require-
ments.
Figure 2: Requirements for supply to Govern-ment
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5. Conclusion
Committed cooperation is needed from all role players to ensure that current, cost-effective
technology is available to Government in a timely fashion. SITA would like to express its
thanks to all role players (including clients, OEMs and suppliers) for their valuable contribution
to the technology certification process, enabling SITA to manage its technology catalogue to
meet the requirements of Government.
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Annex A: OEM process diagram
Figure 3: OEM product certification process diagram
OEM gathers & prepares all deliverables
OEM submits request + info
to iTAS
Product certification
Product certified
Lab technical verification/testing
iTAS produces certificate
Product rejected
OEM rectifies shortcomings
Require-ments met?
Yes
No
Comply?
Yes
No
OEM downloads forms & spec from website
OEM MOA in place?
Yes
No
Establish MOA
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Annex B: Certification checklist
The Certification checklist details all required deliverables, as well as actions to take prior to
the evaluation meeting at the Tech Lab. Products will be certified once all deliverables have
been received, and any technical issues identified during evaluation are resolved.
The checklist is available for download from the Certification website. It must be completed
and submitted before commencement of the certification process. The checklist will be used
during evaluation to indicate resolved and outstanding issues.
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Annex C: Certificate sample
Certificates will be issued to all products that are approved via the product certification
process. A sample is included here for clarity. The certificate will include all relevant
information about the product, technology domain, certification date and validity period.
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Annex D: Contact details
Contact details of SITA personnel involved in the technology management process:
Role Name Division Contact details
iTAS service desk (all requests to be sent to this address)
iTAS e-mail address iTAS [email protected] 012 482 2872
iTAS Coordinator Paulina Mapane iTAS [email protected]
012 482 2872
Technology management and
consultation
Deon Nel iTAS [email protected]
012 482 2136
Technology management and consultation
Izak de Villiers iTAS [email protected] 012 482 2749
Senior Manager: iTAS/Tech Lab Sonette Meerman iTAS [email protected]
012 482 2870
Table 4: iTAS contact details
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Annex E: Processes diagrams, roles and responsibilities
Figure 4: Tech update process
Figure 5: Product certification process
Technology Update Process
Clie
nt
Clie
nt
OE
MO
EM
iTA
SiT
AS
TT
TT
TT
Ratify TU
Technology
Research
Start: New biz
requirements
End:
Technology
updated
Consult Draft TU
Implement
Execute
Inputs Feedback
Inputs Feedback
Product Certification Process
Clie
nt
Clie
nt
Su
pp
liers
Su
pp
liers
iTA
SiT
AS
OE
MO
EM
Evaluate
Product
Prepare tech
documents
Start:
Requirement
for product
Comply? Yes
Certify
Product /
Solution
No
Update
Catalogue
Download
documents
& specs
Submit
request
Schedule
meeting
Rectify Inform
Execute
End:
Product available
for purchase
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Annex F: Glossary and Definitions
Term Definition
GITOC Government IT Officers Council
HCL Hardware Compatibility List
ICT Information and Communications Technology
IEC International Electrotechnical Commission
ISO International Standards Organisation
iTAS Innovation Technology Advisory Services, a division of SITA Innovation, incorporating the
Tech Lab
IT Information Technology
MoA Memorandum of Agreement
OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer: primarily responsible for technology management; legal
entity representing brand in South Africa; could be made up of a group of vendors (OEM, distributor, reseller) to facilitate technology management.
OS Operating System
PC Personal Computer
SITA State IT Agency
TCP Technology Certification Process
TTCO Tech Total Cost of Ownership
TTT Technical Task Team, a sub-committee of the GITOC Standing Committee on Procurement
TU Tech Update