Board authorizes solicitations for district technology supplies, equipment and Category 2 E-rate services

The Bossier Parish School Board on July 17 authorized solicitations to procure technology supplies and equipment used across the district and to solicit for Category 2 E-rate supplies and services covering connection components and hardware.

Why it matters: These solicitations cover hardware and connection components that support district instructional technology, network connectivity and E-rate eligible infrastructure; vendor selections will affect classroom resources and broadband connectivity.

Chief Procurement Officer Carrie Douglas told the board the existing technology catalog contract expires in November and that the solicitation would seek proposals for replacement contracts covering a broad catalog of non-student-device items and connection hardware. She described Category 2 funds as related to connection components and hardware and said the district will evaluate proposals and bring recommendations back to the board for formal award.

Board members asked whether software is included in the solicitation; Douglas said software is not normally part of the technology catalog solicitation. The board approved motions to solicit for both technology supplies/equipment and Category 2 E-rate components. Motions were made and seconded; the transcript records “Motion passes” for each item without a roll-call tally.

Next steps: Procurement will publish solicitations, review proposals and present the recommended award(s) to the board for approval before contracts are executed.