Select Plus for Government Licensing Guide
Select Plus for Government overview and benefits
When it comes to licensing software and getting the most value from software investments, customers have asked for a Microsoft volume licensing solution that offers more flexibility, better asset management, and a way to balance growing technology needs with predictable costs. Select Plus for Government is for midsize and large government customers that want to acquire their software licenses and services at any affiliate level—such as an agency or department— while realizing advantages as one organization.
Helping your organization get the most value from your software investment, Select Plus for Government benefits include:
• Accessible, flexible purchasing
Select Plus for Government uses a single, organization-wide agreement that supports both centralized and decentralized purchasing of licensed products on an as-needed basis. The agreement never expires and allows for consistent, predictable pricing that simplifies budgeting for short- and long-term projects.
• Better manageability
With Select Plus for Government, you’ll have far fewer agreements to track and manage. Because all affiliate purchases are tied to their own unique customer IDs, you’ll have a clear view of your entire license and software asset portfolio—either in a comprehensive report containing all affiliates or an individual report with the ability to drill down into a specific affiliate. Self- service tools also make it easier for you to register and access all the information you need about your agreement. In addition, there is no need to renegotiate and renew agreements every three years with Select Plus for Government.
• Better returns with Software Assurance
Software Assurance is a comprehensive maintenance offering that helps you deploy, manage, and migrate software. It
combines the latest software with 24 hour a day phone support, partner services, and the latest IT tools to help your
organization increase business productivity, accelerate performance, and realize a greater return on your software
investment. Select Plus for Government helps you maximize your return on investment by giving you prorated value of your coverage when you acquire Microsoft Software Assurance, regardless of the timing of your purchase. Software Assurance is automatically prorated to your third affiliate account anniversary, eliminating the need to track multiple Software Assurance coverage expiration dates.
Select Plus for Government features
Beyond reducing the price that organizations pay for software licenses over full packaged product prices, Select Plus for Government offers many other opportunities to help maximize the value organizations receive when you purchase through the agreement. Benefits include:
Reduced purchasing complexity through:
• Simplified purchasing agreements. Organizations are provided with a single agreement under the Master Business
and Service Agreement (MBSA). This agreement never expires for transactional purchases, providing more flexibility,
while eliminating the need to renegotiate and renew every three years.
• Affiliate purchasing. Select Plus for Government purchases are associated to a unique customer ID per affiliate. All
purchases are tied to a single agreement and Lead Affiliate customer ID that allows organization-wide reporting or
detailed affiliate level reporting.
Improved asset management with:
• License management. Enhanced self-service, online tools give customers and partners better management
capabilities. Self-service tools also make it easy to register and access all the information you need about your
agreement
• Downgrade rights. Organizations can now standardize on versions. Downgrade rights offer the right to license the
latest software version available, yet still run a previous version.
Added value by offering ways to:
• Realize more value from Software Assurance. Organizations receive a full value for their benefits with proration of
coverage to the third affiliate account anniversary, providing between 25 and 36 months of coverage.
Increased flexibility by:
• Cross-language use rights. These rights can help enhance an organization’s global presence by ensuring that staff
located in different countries can easily communicate. Note that you may not license in one language and deploy
that licensed product in another language with a higher value.
• Training and evaluation software licenses. These licenses help organizations budget for software training and
evaluation, and include:
o 20 copies per software title for use in a dedicated training facility.
o 10 copies per software title for a 60-day evaluation.
• Re-Imaging rights. Providing added convenience during product rollouts, these rights allow the use of certain
licensed product media for copying of software onto multiple devices from one standard image.
• Secondary use rights. These rights can help increase productivity by allowing primary users of a licensed desktop
computer to share the same application license with a portable computer (for work-related purposes only).
Note: For complete details, reference the Select Plus for Government agreement.
Software Assurance with Select Plus for Government
Microsoft Software Assurance for volume licensing helps boost productivity across your organization by enabling you to get the most out of your Microsoft software with 24×7 support, deployment planning services, end-user and technical training, and the latest software releases and unique technologies, all in one cost-effective program.
With Select Plus for Government, you have the option to include Software Assurance with your software licenses. When you add Software Assurance, Microsoft will prorate your coverage to your third affiliate anniversary so you only pay for the coverage you are using, providing greater value for your Software Assurance coverage.
For more information about Software Assurance benefits, please visit www.microsoft.com/softwareassurance.
Purchase options for Software Assurance
The Spread Payments benefit for Software Assurance offers a more flexible way to manage technology expenditures by
allowing you to spread payments annually over the term of the Software Assurance coverage. Select Plus for Government offers both Affiliate Anniversary (similar to Agreement Anniversary) that allows you to spread payments annually and Order Anniversary that allows you to spread payments over full-year increments. This can help reduce initial upfront costs and provide annual budget predictability.
Software Assurance may also be purchased on its own when:
• System or server software product licenses are purchased through retail full-packaged product (FPP) or from an
original equipment manufacturer (OEM). There is a 90-day enrollment period during which time Software Assurance
may be added to these purchases.
• Microsoft Office 2013 or newer version licenses are purchased through an OEM. Again, there is a 90-day enrollment
period during which time Software Assurance may be added to these purchases. The versions must be identica
Extending Software Assurance coverage
It is easy to continue the benefits enjoyed through Software Assurance after the initial term ends. Because Select Plus for Government is an ongoing agreement that does not expire, Software Assurance may be extended through the existing agreement. When extending multiple Software Assurance orders that were purchased through Select Plus for Government at different times, the coverage period is adjusted to a common date, and the prices prorated to reflect the coverage period, in order to simplify management and facilitate annual budgeting cycles.
To ensure that upgrade protection remains uninterrupted through Software Assurance, you may extend Software Assurance coverage through your authorized reseller by placing a renewal order by the expiration date of your Software Assurance term.
If Software Assurance purchased under another agreement is about to expire, it may be renewed into your Select Plus for Government agreement by working with your authorized reseller to obtain Software Assurance coverage under your Select Plus for Government agreement.
In cases where Software Assurance coverage lapses, new License and Software Assurance purchases are required before Software Assurance may be acquired again.
Microsoft Financing
Microsoft Financing provides a range of flexible payment solutions that enable you to structure your IT product and service spend to meet your specific business needs. Whether your IT solution is Microsoft only, or combines products from other supplier and Microsoft Partners, Microsoft Financing can help you manage your total cloud, software, hardware, and deployment costs; all while leaving your existing credit lines and cash free to invest as you choose
Select Plus for Government agreement structure
The Microsoft volume licensing agreement structure makes it easier to negotiate the terms and conditions for multiple
affiliates. A Select Plus for agreement has two components: (1) the agreement itself; and (2) the Select Plus for Government affiliate registration form.
Select Plus for Government agreement. This enrolls your organization in the volume licensing agreement so that you can purchase products and services at volume discount prices.
The Select Plus for Government affiliate registration form. This one-page form identifies buying affiliates—such as
departments, agencies, and municipalities— within your organization and registers them in the program. As a result, they acquire software licenses and services under the Select Plus for Government agreement. The Licensing Solution Provider that works directly with the affiliate is also identified on the affiliate registration form. Having a separate Select Plus for Government agreement and Select Plus affiliate registration structure allows greater flexibility for registered affiliates located in different countries and regions, while providing a single, organization-wide purchasing agreement with improved reporting and management. Although purchasing is conducted independently, all licenses are managed under one master agreement.
Affiliate structure for Select Plus for Government agreements
With Select Plus for Government, a single agreement and Lead Affiliate customer ID is established with the public customer number (PCN) of an organization’s lead affiliate. The PCN is associated with the PCNs of any number of affiliates, linking them to the same agreement. This framework helps streamline purchasing, Software Assurance benefit delivery, and licensing reporting.
A Select Plus for Government affiliate registration cannot be initiated without a Select Plus for Government agreement.
Licensing scenarios with Select Plus for Government
The following scenarios can help you determine when Select Plus for Government is right for your organization.
How to get started
Select Plus for Government is offered through the Licensing Solution Provider (LSP) channel that can help you evaluate your organization’s needs to make the right choice for your organization. You can find a local partner at
https://partnerdirectory.microsoft.com/en-us/solution-providers/search.
Select Plus for Government pricing
Single price level for government organizations
Eligible government organizations receive volume pricing for all government entities within a country. This will most often be equivalent to the lowest Select Plus price level (Level D) offered to commercial organizations. Government eligibility definitions vary by region.
Government eligibility requirements are available at
http://www.microsoftvolumelicensing.com/DocumentSearch.aspx?Mode=3&DocumentTypeId=6.
To find your regional Microsoft Volume Licensing website, go to www.microsoft.com/licensing/index/worldwide.mspx.
Product pools and points
Select Plus for Government categorizes software products into three distinct product pools: applications, systems, and
servers. While there is one price level for eligible government organizations, you must still purchase a minimum of 500 points per pool to maintain an active agreement.
• Applications. Examples of Microsoft applications include Microsoft Office Professional Plus, Microsoft Skype for
Business, and Microsoft Outlook.
• Systems. An example of a Microsoft desktop computer operating system software program is Windows operating
system upgrades such as Windows Pro.
• Servers. Examples of Microsoft server software programs include the Windows Server Essentials, Exchange Server,
System Center Endpoint Protection, and associated Client Access Licenses (CALs).
Each software product carries a point value. For example, Office Professional Plus is worth 2 points, a Microsoft Online
Services Subscription is 1 point, and Windows Server Essentials is 5 points. The Software Assurance component of License & Software Assurance is worth half the total point value of its accompanying license annually. For example, if Office Professional Plus is worth 2 points, Software Assurance is worth 1 point for each year it is maintained during the term of the Select Plus for Government agreement for a total of 3 points during the three-year term of the coverage (prorated between 25 and 36 months).
You can acquire points for each product pool with these three options:
• Acquire new Licenses.
• Acquire License & Software Assurance.
• Renew Software Assurance for products already covered with Licenses & Software Assurance from a previous order
or where Software Assurance is purchased based on the eligibility rules.
The points you earn apply to all your affiliates registered under the agreement. For more information and to see a full
product point list, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Licensing/product-licensing/products.aspx.
Annual point minimum
If you purchase below the annual 500-point minimum in a product pool during any given year, your account will be put on hold for that pool until you reach the 500-point level again. An order for the minimum annual points automatically
reactivates the product pool, with no need to sign new forms or renegotiate the agreement terms. Purchases made under your Select Plus for Government agreement by registered affiliates are aggregated and continuously factored into point minimums per pool to maintain purchasing ability. Product pools are reviewed every year on the agreement anniversary date.
If your Select Plus for Government agreement is associated with an active Enterprise Agreement or Campus and School
Agreement, you do not need to comply with annual point minimums. However, if your Select Plus for Government
agreement has been associated with a Select License or other volume licensing agreement to set the initial price level, you must meet the point minimums for each subsequent annual compliance check.
How to qualify for Select Plus for Government
There are three ways an eligible government organization can qualify for a Select Plus for Government agreement:
• Option 1. Qualify with an active Enterprise Agreement.
When you associate your Select Plus for Government agreement with a qualifying Enterprise Agreement contract,
the minimum purchase compliance check for Select Plus for Government is waived as long as the qualifying
Enterprise Agreement is active.
• Option 2. Qualify with a Select License or other volume licensing agreement.
Qualify with any other Volume Licensing agreement under which a minimum of 500 points have been acquired over
the last 12 months. Subsequent annual minimum purchase compliance checks are required. To continue purchasing
under a given product pool after your next agreement anniversary, you are required to reach an annual minimum of
500 points for that product pool.
• Option 3. Qualify as a new customer with a minimum purchase of 500 points in a product pool.
If you do not qualify through an existing volume licensing agreement, you may start a Select Plus for Government
agreement by meeting the minimum purchase requirements during your first year. For each pool, in your first year
of your Select Plus for Government agreement you must meet a minimum of 500 points to continue purchasing in
that pool. You can purchase under a single pool; however, if you purchase under multiple pools, you must reach an
annual minimum of 500 points under each pool. You are subject to annual compliance checks.
Accessing licensed products
Licensed software is accessed via download from the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center. The Microsoft Volume
Licensing Service Center makes it easy to manage your volume licensing agreements, download licensed products, and
access product keys for your software—all in one place. Use the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center to view your Microsoft License Statement, an easy-to-use report that provides a real-time calculation of volume licensing entitlements across agreements. You can also quickly identify and activate Software Assurance benefits.
Download the document:
(© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.)