According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO),the Avery County Schools ignored competitive bidding requirements when they awarded Wireless Generation, a company with ties to Jim Hunt, a hefty contract for software used in handheld devices.
For its two largest Recovery Act purchases, ACS staff could not provide documentation to show that the district obtained multiple bids or price quotes for contracts for goods and services. ACS?s two largest purchases with Recovery Act funds were for student assessment software and handheld computer devices entitled “Wireless Generation” that were purchased with ESEA Title I and IDEA Part B Recovery Act funds for $91,058.98 and a teacher planning software and professional development package entitled ?Rubicon? for which the district used $13,680.00 of its ESEA Title I Recovery Act funds. Regarding both purchases, ACS officials acknowledged that their procurement processes were not in compliance with state management directives for Recovery Act funds or with ACS?s purchasing policy, at the time, to solicit bids or obtain price quotes for purchases costing $10,000 or more.
Now that the state approved an additional $10 million for the handheld devices pilot program, expect Wireless Generation to receive more “gravy train” contracts.
