Define the institutional boundary
Specify whether the request covers one group, a department or the university. List students, faculty, staff and external collaborators separately. Different affiliations should not be assumed to have identical eligibility. The written scope should be understandable to procurement, IT and the people who will use the software.
Separate courses from ongoing research
A research methods course has its own dates and participants; a doctoral project may continue across several terms. Prepare both calendars and review the relevant options separately. A course arrangement should not be assumed to cover dissertations or unrelated research. Check the current manufacturer conditions before directing students to a particular offer.
Coordinate access and administration
Agree how eligible users will be identified, how they will connect and where support requests go. Include remote researchers and device requirements in IT review. Ask how changes in affiliation or project membership will be handled during the term so the arrangement remains understandable after the original purchase.
Example: two departments and a methods class
A hypothetical university has two research departments and one short course. Describe the research population, simultaneous demand and course participants separately. Compare a broader institutional proposal with the actual departmental requirements without assuming that campus-wide coverage is automatically the most suitable or cheapest option.
Plan your purchase
- Departments and eligible groups
- Course dates and research periods
- Institution-wide versus departmental scope