"We have structured computer workstation services in such a way that most public sector employees use leased laptops. After the lease period — four years — we replace the laptops. The procurement has been carried out to support these replacements in the government sector for the next two years," said Ergo Tars, director of the Estonian IT Center (RIT).

The state will lease laptops from a few companies, the largest being Green IT OÜ, whose shareholder is Telia Eesti AS. Green IT also provided leased laptops during the previous leasing period.

The procurement consists of two components: price and technical specifications. "Suppliers submit their bids and we evaluate them based on the procurement criteria," Tars explained.

According to Tars, the cost of the newly leased laptops will not significantly exceed that of the previous period. "While laptop prices have risen, purchasing them in large quantities allows us to secure better wholesale prices compared to retail," he added.

The procurement does not specify any particular IT equipment manufacturer, brand or any restrictive criteria favoring a specific supplier. Bidders can offer products according to their portfolio.

"The total estimated cost of the procurement is €52 million, excluding VAT, for two years," Tars stated.

"This is an estimated cost. We are the central mandatory procurement entity for the state, meaning all institutions must acquire their laptops through our framework agreement. A total of 160 institutions will participate in this procurement. We set the procurement cost relatively high to ensure that the allocated budget does not run out before the end of the procurement period," Tars explained.

Green IT OÜ was successful in four parts of the procurement, with an estimated cost of €42.6 million excluding VAT.

The previous laptop procurement was conducted by the Center for Registers and Information Systems (RIK) and is not directly comparable to the new one. The volume of RIK's procurement was €45 million.

According to Tars, leasing laptops is more cost-effective for the state than purchasing them outright and also has environmental benefits.

"All hardware has a lifecycle, which is four years for laptops. The lease period is optimal and more cost-effective than outright purchase, especially considering that we must dispose of the laptops after use. The leasing provider ensures their reuse, reducing the environmental footprint," Tars explained.

As the state's IT center, RIT also offers computer workstation services.

"We have developed a new, more secure computer workstation service with higher security requirements. Stricter security measures are necessary due to Estonia's information security standards, the current geopolitical situation and the increasing adoption of cloud technologies, which demand greater attention to cybersecurity hygiene," Tars stated.

"As a result, we need to provide more training for users to improve their cybersecurity awareness. So far, there have been no major incidents caused by users, although targeted and sophisticated cyberattacks are becoming more frequent," Tars added.

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