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Prosecutor's office renews Westlaw subscription after soliciting competitor quotes
Summary
Bonner County prosecutors renewed the Westlaw contract with a lower, short-term rate; staff said the negotiated price keeps the office aligned with court systems and yields substantial savings compared with the previous quote.
Bonner County prosecutors presented a negotiated renewal of their Westlaw legal-research subscription and the Board of Commissioners approved it on June 10.
Prosecutor Bill Wilson told the board he solicited a competing quote and used it to negotiate with Westlaw. The vendor offered a reduced “teaser” rate of $500 per month for the remainder of the calendar year followed by a higher monthly fee beginning January 1; staff described that higher rate as about $2,600 per month. Wilson said accepting the negotiated Westlaw renewal would save roughly $25,000 in the current calendar year and about $19,000 per year thereafter compared with what the office had been paying.
Wilson told commissioners the office opted to stay with Westlaw because it is the product already used by the courts and provides continuity between the prosecutor’s office and court staff; he characterized the decision as value-based rather than strictly price-driven. Members of the public asked for clarification on the $500 teaser rate and the subsequent monthly price; Wilson confirmed the monthly jump after the teaser period and said the new rate is still substantially lower than the office’s current monthly cost.
A motion to approve the Westlaw contract renewal passed by roll call.
Public commenters thanked the board for asking the prosecutor’s office to seek comparisons and for pursuing savings.
