RE: IBM Partners 'owning' users? and CHIS contracts?

Walter,

I don't know what a CHIS contract is so I can't comment on it.  On a
specific partner owning your account -- I don't think that can be enforced
unless you have signed an agreement holding you to that partner.  I've
worked for companies where we had to get 3 competing bids for every
hardware/software purchase and we always purchased from the lowest bidder.
The only way around the bid requirement was if the item could only be
purchased directly from the manufacturer.  On the flip side, there can be
benefits to building a long term business relationship with a supplier.  

Regards,
Stan

-----Original Message-----
From: Gerstmann, Walter [mailto:wgerstmann@WWNORTON.com]
Sent: Wednesday, 20 December, 2000 10:05 AM
To: 'CODE400-L@midrange.com'
Subject: IBM Partners 'owning' users? and CHIS contracts?


The firm for which I work has a CHIS contract with an IBM Partner.

To what degree are we tied to this Partner? 
What is a CHIS contract, and when is it renewed, if at all?
Can one be a free-agent, and get quotes from various IBM distributors?

Walter Gerstmann
212-790-9401
wgerstmann@wwnorton.com

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