FORT WALTON BEACH — The Okaloosa County School Board will take the first step Monday night to resolve a standing debate on the district’s next technology contract.
The vote comes three months after a committee of four school district staffers and a School Board member recommended the district negotiation a contract renewal with L3 Communications.
The district began working with L3 a decade ago after leasing its technological equipment instead of purchasing it. The district advertised a request for companies interested in taking the job when L3’s initial contract was set to expire. L3 reapplied along with a joint venture company called Edcovation.
The committee recommended negotiating with L3 because an evaluation placed it 93 points ahead of Edcovation.
Edcovation filed a letter of protest in early November that said the costs were not weighed in the panel’s recommendation. The company had dropped its protest by December and brought its concerns to the School Board during a workshop last Thursday.
Eric Mitchell, who oversees the school district’s technology, said cost quotes submitted were considered by the board before the rankings, but were not included in the points awarded.
“When we weighed all things together, we still picked L3 No. 1 and Edcovation No. 2,” Mitchell said.
Other members of the committee, including Chief Financial Officer Rita Scallan, had concerns about Edcovation’s finances.
Edcovation’s leaders, who were present at the meeting with their attorney, said they were financially capable to take on the contract and could do it for about $1 million less a year than L3.
Mike Hicks, who owns one company in the joint venture, said each of the three companies was financially capable of covering the contract obligations, but together they were more of a value.
“It gives us the ability to be more stable,” he said.
Following the hour-long discussion, the School Board moved the vote onto the discussion portion of its agenda Monday night.
If the board supports the panel’s recommendation, district officials will iron out details of the contract with L3. If it doesn’t, attention will be given to Edcovation.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Katie Tammen at 850-315-4440 or ktammen@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieTnwfdn.