Learner Devices
Learner owned devices are essential to upholding the Manaiakalani Kaupapa/Programme.
With these goals in mind a procurement committee convened by Manaiakalani undertakes a rigorous process to determine the best chromebook devices for schools. Working together as a collective we are able to put the most powerful and fit for purpose devices in the hands of our learners.
The procurement process involves testing by:
learners
teachers
the Manaiakalani Hackers
independent consultants
our procurement partners
The Devices selected for the 2025 procurement cycle is
Chromebook: Acer C734
Manaiakalani Device Care Programme is not an insurance product, it is an incident repair service offering bundled with Acer Chromebooks devices for the Manaiakalani Education Trust.
Procurement Process
The procurement process is as a collective both to maximise our buying power and to ensure seamless delivery of devices to our learners. The Manaiakalani Procurement Committee (MPC) is able to negotiate the best price, directly with global manufacturers via their in-country managers. MPC negotiates price and conditions irrespective of who the reseller is and takes that price to the resellers for inclusion and value add items to be added. MET has negotiated a service level agreement with PBtech is our current preferred supplier.
Procurement is a rigorous process
The Manaiakalani Procurement Committee (MPC), convened by Russell Burt, engages with vendors to identify candidate devices to meet student requirements
Test devices are provided to the Procurement Committee and these are rigorously evaluated by teachers, students, hackers and consultants to identify the preferred device. Recommendations are based on functionality, robustness, usability, affordability, durability and best-value specifications.
Concurrently MPC requests the Manaiakalani schools provide estimates of numbers of devices for the following year.
To get the best possible price, for the preferred student device, MPC negotiates with manufacturers on schools behalf.
When the device is finalised MPC will communicate back to schools confirming product, price and inclusions.
Schools are asked to inform MET of the number of devices required for the start of the following year. This enables us and our manufacturer to secure stock availability from Global production.
From this point forward PBTech l helps by liaising directly with schools and the established schools’ contact point e.g Trust. PBTech handles the purchase, payment and delivery of devices.
Ordering takes place at the PB Tech Portal or directly through the regional contact.