Before a decision is taken to commit to implementation of a new or upgraded technology, consideration must be given to whether the proposed new technology is affordable.
Indicative costing of the proposed technology should be obtained to determine whether the estimated expenditure is realistic given the particular circumstances. Where several new technologies are being considered, it may be necessary to prioritise the available options and if necessary, discard those lower priority options that are not affordable given the restraints on available funding.
The ease with which indicative costings can be obtained will depend on the complexity of the technology being considered. Where the technology is a readily available off-the-shelf product, such as standard software or computer equipment, prices will be easily obtained from local suppliers. Indicative quotes should be obtained from a number of different suppliers if possible - obtaining quotes from three suppliers is a good standard to adopt.
Where the technology being considered is not readily available because it is not an off-the-shelf system, such as a specialised computer program or customised item of hardware, obtaining indicative quotes can be more difficult. A number of different strategies can be used in this case. It may be possible to find other election management bodies (EMBs) or other organisations that use the same or similar kind of technology to that being considered. These other organisations may be willing to provide the cost of the systems they use.
Another method is to approach possible vendors and ask them if they could provide an indicative quote based on a draft of the specifications for the proposed system. Care needs to be taken with this approach to ensure that the proposed system is described in sufficient detail to enable an indicative quote to be relatively accurate.
A more structured approach to seeking indicative quotes may be to follow a formalised approach similar to but not as binding as a tender process. Known in some places as a 'Request for Proposal' (RFP), this process involves issuing a set of specifications similar to but not as detailed as tender specifications and seeking costed proposals from suppliers for solutions that meet the specifications. This process may serve not only to supply indicative quotes for budgeting purposes but also may help refine the specifications for the technology being considered.
When determining whether a proposed technology is affordable, care needs to be taken to ensure that the cost of the technology over its whole life is calculated. In most cases, the cost of technology will include not only the purchase or lease cost but also maintenance costs, peripherals, consumables, software development, communications, upgrade costs and disposal costs.
For further detail on calculating the life cycle costs of new technology, see Budgeting.
