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Board approves E‑Rate funded network upgrade; PCS selected for 82 switches
Summary
Johnson County Schools will purchase 82 network switches using a Category 2 E‑Rate award of approximately $335,000; the board approved the PCS proposal after staff said the slightly higher priced vendor met specifications and offered reliability and an existing working relationship.
The Johnson County Board of Education approved a proposal to purchase 82 network switches, configuration, support and installation from PCS using federal E‑Rate Category 2 funds awarded to the district.
Technology director Rob described the E‑Rate Category 2 program as a five‑year funding window and said the district was awarded about $335,000 to spend on hardware and infrastructure upgrades. The district issued a request for proposals on Jan. 22 to roughly 30 vendors. Staff recommended PCS because their proposal met the district's technical specifications and offered a plug‑and‑play solution; the lowest bid did not meet the specs, staff said.
Rob told the board that paying roughly $7,000 more for the PCS configuration delivered greater certainty and a working relationship the district already has in place. The upgrades are intended to increase network availability and to support future projects such as security and surveillance camera expansion.
A motion to approve the PCS proposal carried; the transcript records affirmative roll‑call replies from trustees including Mr. Frazier and Mr. Robinson. The board asked staff to proceed with procurement under the E‑Rate award and to report on installation timelines and any local match or out‑of‑pocket obligations.
Next steps: staff will finalize procurement paperwork with PCS, begin scheduling installations and update the board on project timing and any remaining funding details.
