The WSCA contract is evidence of a shift in the way that state governments are evaluating technology. These groups are now evaluating products on value, innovation and total cost of ownership, as well as on price. And as a leading provider of display technology products, NEC was able to demonstrate those attributes in their plasmas and desktop monitors.
“NEC is honored to be working with the WSCA as the exclusive monitor provider for its members,” said Anne Tuisl, Senior Director of Channel Marketing for NEC Display Solutions. “Today, many organizations recognize the importance of having an environmental strategy to meet the challenges of product re-use/recycling and to comply with environmental legislation. WSCA is a leader in that respect.”
WSCA is an alliance of states comprised of the procurement directors of each member state. In 2006, WSCA disseminated a request-for-proposal for displays, which was the contract NEC was just awarded. The organization will benefit from the leadership position that NEC has staked out in the following environmental programs:
Energy Star and EPEAT – NEC markets its monitors under the logo of the Environmental Protection Agency’s EnergyStar program, which denotes energy efficiency and minimal power usage. The company also has been working with state level agencies, the EPA and others to create a new voluntary standard called EPEAT that certifies the amount of hazardous and recycled materials in a product, along with its energy usage, warranty, recycled material content and end-of-life program.
RoHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substances) – Compliant with this European Union directive, the entire NEC product line contains plastics free of hazardous materials, such as lead, hex-chrome, cadmium, mercury, PBDE (polybrominated diphenylether) and PBB (polybrominated biphenyl).
WEEE (Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment) – NEC products comply with this EU directive that controls the disposal of electronic equipment.
Total Trade Program – This NEC program allows owners to swap old monitors and receive credits toward new ones. It also lowers overall total cost of ownership.
Re-usage and Recycling – NEC is a founding sponsor of Computers for Schools, a nonprofit organization that refurbishes PCs and displays, and turns them over to schools across the country. Ninety percent of PCs and displays that are recycled still work for their recipients.
“While other suppliers may be focused solely on cost, we believe it’s important to be a technical and environmental leader in order to be a full-value vendor,” Tuisl said. “Environmental support and technological innovation don’t have to be in conflict.”
NEC Display and its network of resellers will offer a wide selection of NEC’s award-winning LCD and plasma monitors at significant discounts to WSCA. As a result of the latter’s relationships with other regional co-ops, these discounts will be available, in effect, to all participating WSCA entities.
For more information on the WSCA/NEC partnership and NEC’s WSCA Contract No. A97392, please visit www.store.necdisplay.com/wsca.asp
About Western States Contracting Alliance
The Western States Contracting Alliance (WSCA) was formed in 1993 by the state purchasing directors from 15 Western states. The primary purpose was to establish the means by which participating states may join together in cooperative multi-state contracting in order to achieve cost-effective and efficient acquisition of quality products and services. Membership consists of the principal procurement official that heads the state central procurement organization, or designee for that state, from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
About NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc.
Headquartered in Itasca, Ill., NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc., is a leading provider of innovative LCD displays, professional grade plasmas and projectors, and integrated display solutions. NEC Display Solutions develops leading-edge visual technology and customer-focused solutions for the education, enterprise, government, professional, medical and digital signage markets. NEC Display Solutions ranked as the No. 1 large-screen LCD monitor provider for the signage and professional displays market for CY2006, according to iSuppli.
For more information, please call 1-866-NEC-MORE, or visit www.sharpnecdisplays.us.
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