Council Saves Promethean World!

Breaking News! The Montgomery County Council just unanimously approved the Board of Education request to buy 2,000 Promethean brand (gotta be this one brand) Interactive White Boards:

• without putting out a Request for Proposal (RFP)
• without taking competitive bids
• without allowing local Montgomery County Interactive White Board vendors to bid
• without a written contract of the purchase

Council members asked a few questions, but spent most of their time discussing a contract that MCPS is not using for this purchase.  It was a great way to fill the time and "look" interested in the $14.5 million expenditure.  Discussing a contract that MCPS is not using is a great way to confuse the public and side step the real issues.  Kudos to the Council. It worked. 

However, MCPS Chief Technology Officer made it very clear at the hearing that he had gone directly to Promethean World, LLC to set up this deal.  That fact was openly discussed at the hearing.  We will post the video soon, along with a few "fact checks" of what went on today.  

Libraries closing early? Ride-On bus service cut?  Police and Fire services cut?  Now you know why.  No documents were ever produced to verify the MCPS claims.  Everyone in the County loses when MCPS fails to follow Maryland Education Act procurement law.  It's your dollars that just left the County without oversight by the Council.  

Watch County Executive Candidate(s) in Action Tuesday as they Vote to Hand MCPS $14.5 Million for No-Bid/No Contract Purchases

Leventhal plans Montgomery County Executive run | WashingtonExaminer.com

On Tuesday, November 13, 2012 watch how County Councilmember George Leventhal handles a request by MCPS to spend $14.5 million of taxpayer dollars without any RFPs, competitive bids, contracts, or details.  

Mr. Leventhal is one of possibly a number of County Councilmembers who are interested in running for the position of County Executive.  How will the future candidate(s) handle MCPS' request?  Will they rubber stamp the Board of Education's vote, or will they require MCPS to produce the contracts to document the funding request? 

It's Official! No Contract for Purchase of 2,000 Promethean brand boards. Council will hand MCPS $8.9 MILLION without any strings attached!

In the packet of information for the Montgomery County Council's vote tomorrow to hand over $14.5 million to MCPS, we find this amazing statement about the $8.9 million dollar Promethean brand Interactive White Board purchase:

"MCPS intends to use one of two Statewide contracts to purchase the Promethean Board systems."

Contract One? Contract Two? 

That confirms what we have been telling you on this blog.  There is no current MCPS contract to purchase 2,000 Promethean brand Interactive White Boards.  When Councilmember Phil Andrews asked MCPS' Chief Technology Officer for the pricing for the 2,000 Promethean boards, he couldn't answer.  Of course not!  The prices don't exist yet because there is no contract!

MCPS "intends to use" tells the public that MCPS doesn't have a contract in hand yet.  Intention is not a contractual relationship.

"One of two" tells the public that MCPS doesn't have a contract yet.  It could be contract one, or contract two, or even number three if MCPS changes their mind.  Prices and terms? Not yet final.  No guarantee what taxpayers are getting for this $8.9 million.

What exactly did the Board of Education approve on September 11th?  Guess the BOE has no idea, and the County Council doesn't care.

2012November13 Council hands over $14.5 Million to MCPS without any contracts.

The State Law the County Council will Ignore Tomorrow

On Tuesday, November 13, 2012, the Montgomery County Council will vote to approve the expenditure of rebate funds that have come back to the County after MCPS overpaid for services. The County Council has control over these funds under Maryland law.  Here's the specific section of Maryland law that establishes the control that the County Council has over these funds:

(c) Expenditure of nonlocal funds received after adoption of budget. -- Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, nonlocal funds received by a county board after the adoption of the annual budget by the county fiscal authority may be spent by the county board if the county fiscal authority is notified and approves of:
   (1) The source and amount of the funds; and
   (2) The manner of spending the funds.

But, instead of using the oversight granted to them by Maryland law, the County Council will simply approve whatever Superintendent Joshua Starr puts in front of them.  The County Council will not investigate the manner in which the funds will be spent.  Instead, the Council will do a lot of talking about how they can't control MCPS, and can't get involved in how MCPS spends $14.5 million dollars of taxpayer funds.  

In the case of the $14.5 million dollars for Promethean, Dell, Cisco, and Banc of America, the County Council will ignore the LOCAL MONTGOMERY COUNTY BUSINESS that could provide the same products.  The County Council will ignore the MANNER in which these funds will be spent by MCPS.  

County Council, Let's Help Dell too!

On Tuesday, November 13, 2012, when the Montgomery County Council approves $14.5 million for Promethean, Dell, Cisco and Banc of America (and we know they will approve it!) they will be helping at least 2 of those companies through rough financial times.

We've already told our readers about Promethean's plight, and now we relay that the Dell distributor that MCPS uses in Round Rock, Texas is also in trouble.  

Isn't the Montgomery County Council great to help out these struggling companies even if they have to cut county services to do it? No contracts, bids or competitive pricing needed!  Let's just write those checks and help those companies!  

Look for the thank you notes from Promethean, Dell, Cisco and Banc of America in your mailbox soon! 

Shock! Texas Public School System Posts Promethean Prices

Warning:  If you are in Montgomery County, Maryland, please cover your eyes.  What we are about to show the public is pricing for Promethean products.  This information is not to be revealed to taxpayers in Montgomery County, Maryland under any circumstances!  

On Tuesday, November 13, 2012, the Montgomery County Council will vote on an Appropriation to spend $14. 5 million on...well, whatever.  The Montgomery County Council doesn't actually know how this money will be spent.  All the Council knows is that 4 companies are going to get a boatload of Montgomery County tax dollars.  

The 4 companies are Promethean, Dell, Cisco and Banc of America.  3 of those companies are known partners.  Dell is a distributor of Promethean products and also does the financing.  (Act now for Veterans Day pricing!)  Cisco is also a partner of Promethean.  

Why doesn't the County Council know how this money will be spent? Because they have not seen the contracts for these purchases.  They have not seen the pricing.  They have not seen competitive bids.  They have zero details about this $14.5 million dollar transaction.  All they know is the names of the 4 companies that will profit. 

But, take a look at this!  In Texas, this public school system has posted ALL of the pricing information for the Promethean products that are used in its schools.  Notice that the products in the Texas school system are also being purchased from Dell!  Just like us! How do the prices that MCPS will be paying for these items compare?  Take a guess, go ahead. Might as well guess because we will never know.  The County Council has no interest in contract details.  

Texas public school