SOFTWARE REQUEST FORM

Table of Contents:

• Purpose
• General Information
• Exhibit and Instructions
• Form Requirements
• Number of Copies and Ultimate Distribution
• Where To Send Completed Forms
• Contact Information
• Cross References

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Purpose:

The University frequently enters into purchase agreements or license agreements to acquire software. Many of those agreements contain requirements concerning confidentiality and restrictions on disclosure and copying. In addition, federal copyright laws protect copyrighted software from unauthorized use or disclosure. Faculty and staff using the software should be aware of these restrictions and comply with the contract provisions and copyright requirements. Use of this form will help the University verify that persons using the software know about restrictions applicable to the use of such software.

The Software Request Form is intended to be used solely by University employees or graduate students that are requesting to use software within the scope of their employment with the University. Throughout the form, the word "Software" will be used to mean any type of software or software-as-a-service (SaaS), whether cloud-based or otherwise, wither or not there is any cost to the University associated with obtaining and/or using the software.

The Software Request Form contains logic, and based on answers provided, not all questions will be presented. Some questions have been marked with an asterisk indicating a response is required.

General Information:

The Software Request Form is completed in its entirety by the initiating department. All applicable quotes, terms and conditions, license agreements, vendor's security and privacy policies, attachments and exhibits must be attached to the completed form. Whenever possible, please obtain a Word document of the agreement directly from the vendor. Purchasing requires a clean, unmarked, unsigned copy of the agreement. If you are submitting proposed changes, please do so in a separate copy of the agreement.

All questions should be directed to the Procurement Services Representative handling the software purchases.

Exhibit and Instructions:

To view document exhibits, click on link below:

Instructions for completing the Software Request Form

Form Requirements:

No form may be used that substitutes for an approved official University form without prior review and approval by the steward of the form/central office, as facilitated by the Office of Systems and Procedures (designated representative of the Associate Vice President for Budget and Finance. See Policy FN17 Required Use of Approved University Forms Appearing in the General University Reference Utility (GURU) for full details.

GURU PDF forms are designed for use with Adobe Acrobat Reader or Adobe Acrobat Pro. Each browser (Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc) has a built-in PDF viewer making it the default PDF viewer without asking users. These built-in viewers do not necessarily support all features required for PDF Forms. Similarly, many calculations are not supported by other stand-alone PDF readers (for example, Nuance). If you experience problems downloading or opening documents, right click on the link on the Forms Locator Screen, select 'Save Link As' (or similar language) and save the file. The document can then be opened in either Adobe Acrobat Reader or Adobe Acrobat Pro from the saved location.

The latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader is available for free. Contact your IT support staff person for downloading assistance, if/as needed. An Adobe Creative Cloud (CC) account is also available to all Penn State students, faculty, and staff members, at no cost. Sign up for an Adobe Creative Cloud account at adobe.psu.edu. If Adobe Acrobat Pro better suits your needs, contact your IT support staff person for purchasing and installation assistance.

If you encounter any difficulties, contact the GURU support staff by submitting a Technical Support form request or by calling the tech support line at 814-863-8592.

Number of Copies and Ultimate Distribution:

*Transitory Copies are University Records that have temporary value and, as a result, may be destroyed after they are no longer needed. In no event shall be retained longer than the official copy of the University Record as delineated on the Records Retention Schedule.

Where to Send Completed Forms:

The initiating department emails the Software Request Form, agreement, and all attachments to Procurement Services per the instructions provided on the completed form. If a Purchase Order is requested, please attach documentation to the Shopping Cart. Incomplete forms will be returned without processing.

Contact Information:

For questions, additional detail, or to request changes to this form, contact Procurement Services.

Cross References:

• Policy AD35 University Archives and Records Management
• Policy FN17 Required Use of Approved University Forms Appearing in the General University Reference Utility

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(28Oct2021)