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Centennial SD faces $447,000 net cost for network-switch project after FRLP bracket change
Summary
An IT project to replace network switches will cost the district about $447,000 after a drop in free-and-reduced-lunch rates lowered federal reimbursement; IT staff said the full project was over $1 million and that CNI offered the best pricing.
Kristen, an IT staff member introduced by district staff, told the operations committee the district’s free-and-reduced-lunch rate fell from about 52% to 48%, moving the planned network-switch project into a lower reimbursement bracket. "Our community is currently at 48% free and reduced lunch which affects our bracketing," Kristen said, and explained that while the full project was "over a million," the district expects about $600,000 in reimbursement and a net district cost of $447,000.
Kristen identified CNI as the vendor that offered the best pricing so far and said the district has used the company previously. "CNI is the company that will be providing the switches," she said, noting multiple vendors can bid but CNI’s pricing was most competitive in early estimates. She said the project will be brought back for approval at the appropriate board meeting once procurement details are finalized.
Committee members and Kristen also discussed how the district buys hardware and student devices. Kristen said hardware is harder to bundle than software but that device-refresh purchases can be aligned to reduce costs: "We lease the Chromebooks that we give to students and staff. We can bundle all of that together... and get one quote on the bid." She described a five-year projection for aligning lab purchases and device leases to improve bulk pricing and emphasized that devices should not be pushed beyond a four-year lifecycle.
The committee did not take a formal vote on the project during this meeting; Kristen said she would return with final procurement numbers and timing for board consideration.
