Board approves laptops, routing software and bus cameras in unanimous votes; purchases total several million dollars
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Summary
The Calvert County Board of Education approved multiple procurement items including CTA laptops, district 6th/9th grade devices, a bus-routing and payment software subscription, and new bus camera systems; all motions passed by recorded voice votes of 4-0.
The Calvert County Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to approve four procurement recommendations from district staff: laptop purchases to support career-and-technical instruction and one-to-one student devices, a new bus-routing and financial software package, and replacement school-bus cameras.
Procurement actions and outcomes
- CTA laptops: The board approved purchase of 26 high-end laptops and accessories to support industry-recognized credentials at the Calvert Career and Technology Academy (CTA). Funding will come from a Perkins reserve grant. Staff recommended awarding the contract to CDW-G; the memo listed approximately $73,204 for the laptops. A motion to approve passed by voice vote (Aye) and was recorded as 4-0 in favor; no mover/second was identified in the public record.
- Sixth- and ninth-grade student laptops: The board approved a districtwide purchase of student devices for sixth and ninth grades, including break-fix and warranty services. Funding was identified from the Future Ready budget. Staff recommended awarding the contract to CDW-G for $2,278,516. Board members discussed warranty arrangements and life-cycle expectations for the devices before approving the purchase by a 4-0 voice vote.
- Bus routing and financial software: The board approved a three-year implementation and subscription for new bus-routing and financial software, recommended from a competitively solicited cooperative contract. Staff identified Bus Planner USA as the recommended vendor and described a $29,000 implementation fee plus a first-year subscription in the neighborhood of $49,000 in discussion; staff said implementation could be completed by June and that Charles and St. Mary's counties were also migrating to the product. The motion passed 4-0.
- School-bus cameras: The district sought approval to replace aging bus cameras with 210 Zeus Titan 6 systems to modernize in-vehicle recording and provide longer retention and limited live-view capability. Staff recommended purchase from 24seven Security Inc. of Alpharetta, Ga., for $1,040,550; funding was identified from the transportation budget. Board members asked about retention periods, spare drives and contractor coordination. The motion passed by a 4-0 voice vote.
Votes were recorded as voice votes during the meeting and entered into the public minutes as approved by a 4-0 tally each. The procurement items were presented under CCPS procurement policy references and the vendors and contract vehicles were cited in staff memos.
Why this matters: the approved purchases cover instructional hardware, student-device refresh cycles, transportation operations and vehicle safety systems. Board members and staff discussed the tradeoffs between life-cycle costs, warranty coverage and the district's FY25/FY26 budget timing; staff committed to follow up on budget coding and timing for fiscal-year treatment of the purchases.
No member offered a recorded roll-call with individual names for each vote in the meeting transcript; minutes show all four voting members present approved each motion.
