District Approves More Than $395K for Technology Upgrades

The Lacey Township Board of Education approved technology upgrades totalling more than $395,440.80 at its June meeting Monday.

“It’s to enable new technology that’s 2012,” Board of Education President Jack Martenak said.

The board approved a contract with Dell Computers, Inc. to provide computer equipment for the elementary schools in the amount of $385,132.80 for 520 computers. The cost also includes installation, set up and software.

The purchase was made under the Western States Contracting Alliance (WSCA) State Contract, a cooperative multi-state contracting approach.

Over the last few years, the school district has replaced computers at the high school and middle school. Just last summer, the district transitioned from PC to Apple computers at the middle school.

This summer, the district will be making the same transition but to Dell computers at each of its elementary schools, Martenak said, calling it a “refresh.”

The board also approved a contract with X-Tel Communications, Inc. in Marlton for a fiber optic high-speed wide area network in the amount of $10,308 per month.

“We have a bandwidth problem,” Martenak said. “The contract for internet access is to provide the fiber optic link to the schools. It’s an expansion to the internet access that we already have.”

Increased bandwidth will bring the schools faster Internet access district-wide. The upgrade will cover a broad area rather than each school individually, he said.

Since this purchase falls under telecommunications, it was exempt from bidding, although, the district did request proposals from three vendors, Business Administrator James Savage said.

for a contract with DynTek Services, Inc of Mount Laurel. The contract will provide wireless upgrades throughout the district.