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Beloit board delays $500K‑plus Chromebook purchase to gather RFP and warranty info
Summary
Facing a $300K–$500K procurement estimate and vendor warnings of a 20% price hike, the board postponed a vote on purchasing classroom Chromebook sets until March 23 to allow staff to gather competitive bids, repair‑cost history and warranty comparisons.
Board members on March 17 delayed a proposed Chromebook procurement after a long presentation and pointed questioning from trustees about procurement rules, sole‑source justification and the district’s repair and replacement costs.
Administration described a plan to purchase new classroom‑set Chromebooks for middle school (sixth and seventh grades) and an ongoing replacement cycle for ninth graders to reduce high repair volumes and obsolete devices. Staff estimates to buy ~720 devices for middle grades and roughly 350 for ninth grade placed the immediate ask above $500,000 including carts and shipping; administrators warned vendors had signaled price increases of roughly 20% after March 30.
Technology staff and TC Networks coordinator Jake Slaybeck explained the district’s long relationship with its vendor and described a five‑year warranty and drop‑off/pickup service that has reduced district labor. Board members pressed for competitive bids and a formal RFP: Board member Amy Levy said she would not support the purchase without an RFP and detailed repair‑cost accounting. Board member Brian Nichols emphasized policy 6721, which requires three bids for purchases above $25,000 and asked staff to document any sole‑source justification.
Administration agreed to postpone to a special board meeting on March 23 in order to gather additional vendor quotes, quantify out‑of‑warranty repair costs, and confirm whether a March 30 shipping deadline could be met; the motion to postpone passed (mover: Brian Nichols; second: Joanne Rue). The board also asked staff to provide a clear proposal for how students who need devices at home would be accommodated if classroom‑sets are adopted and devices no longer leave campuses.
What happens next: Administration will seek competitive quotes, clarify warranty and service details, and report repair‑cost history and procurement options at the March 23 meeting so the board can decide whether to proceed before the vendor price change deadline.
