Board approves Second Life MAC buyback, board told of $833,186 minimum guarantee and $416,593 upfront payment

The Raleigh County Board of Education approved a buyback agreement for Chromebooks and Apple devices with Second Life MAC after administrators said the company submitted the highest minimum-guarantee bid and favorable contract terms.

Polly, presenting procurement results, told the board the district solicited bids in June and that Second Life MAC offered a minimum guarantee of $833,186 — the top offer compared with the next bidder at about $666,009 — and would provide a down payment of $416,593 at first pickup. "So when you look at that, Second Life MAC was outbidded as far as tech Bridal Technologies," Polly said, explaining the selection rested on the highest guaranteed revenue and minimal deductions for missing chargers.

Board members asked clarifying questions about quantities and past sales; Polly and staff said market conditions after 2021’s device purchases have flooded secondary markets and reduced resale prices. Polly said the company has previously worked with the district and that some devices, including Chromebooks, are sold overseas.

The board moved and seconded the motion to accept the recommended vendor and voted in favor. The contract terms described in the meeting transcript included the $833,186 minimum guarantee and an immediate down payment of $416,593 at first pickup; the transcript did not record a line-item tally of devices or the final total net revenue beyond the guaranteed amount.

Next steps: administration will finalize pickup logistics with the vendor and process the initial down payment to the district. The board did not discuss changes to device-replacement timing at this meeting.