IISD board fails to act on fiber connectivity

By Millie Diaz

Managing Editor

Time was paramount for the Industrial school board last week in choosing a bid for fiber connectivity, but neither La Ward Communications or Victoria Electric Cooperative’s proposal was accepted. The motion to go with La Ward failed on the floor 2-4. Both companies had representatives present to speak.

According to Nathan Sappington, technology director, IISD put out three requests for proposals: (dark) fiber connectivity between Inez and Vanderbilt schools, the cost of transport service for the provider, and general internet service. La Ward and Victoria both bid, but their proposals were quite different. The comparison was described as ‘apples to oranges’ by himself and other members of the board.

Both companies were on different ground because of the fiber already installed by La Ward Communcations. Because VEC has no fiber built into IISD, their proposal had a transport service and LWC did not.

The term-lengths also differed, therefore the numbers differed as well. LWC fit the original specifications for the request for proposals, while VEC’s proposal wanted to extend their services to all four schools for 15 years, rather than the 10 years IISD originally asked for.

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