Critical Thinking 2 The Los Angeles school system’s recent IPAD scandal could easily serve as an example from the course book. It reads as an expanded version of the Tom Walters tablet opening case (Schwalbe, p. 44) found in the course book. Although the situation may have started with the same good intent, it spiraled out of control with procurement violations, non-existent planning, cost overruns, and behavior bordering on favoritism, fraud, or abuse of power for potential personal gain.
Los Angeles School System Tablet Program The story of this massive school district IT program failure broke during the summer of 2014, however the problems with the program began two years earlier. The origins of the program were innocent enough. John …show more content…
The discussions surrounded a forthcoming Pearson product that supported tablet based learning, specifically on the Apple iPad platform. By the end of May Deasey had generated what he called a “concept paper” on how the school system could utilize the Pearson platform (Dovarganes, 2014).
This is where the project began to derail. There are very specific rules when companies work with government entities that govern the rules of engagement. In very limited situations a public entity may purchase a specific product from a specific vendor when it is a highly unique product without comparable offerings from other vendors. This is call sole-sourcing and the procurement office of has to be involved to ensure all legal requirements are met guaranteeing no other vendor or product is available. This process is in place to ensure public funds are spent fairly and in the best interest of the …show more content…
Everything that occurred after the initiation of the project drew upon that origin. The public procurement process was violated and in the end the school district spent an extravagant amount of money on a platform that was not ready, and was never tested by the employees who would use it. Had there been engagement with the users, and an open bid process the many problem would have been revealed. The procedures for procurement are in place to avoid just such an unfair bid process that results in the failure of a
Los Angeles School System Tablet Program The story of this massive school district IT program failure broke during the summer of 2014, however the problems with the program began two years earlier. The origins of the program were innocent enough. John …show more content…
The discussions surrounded a forthcoming Pearson product that supported tablet based learning, specifically on the Apple iPad platform. By the end of May Deasey had generated what he called a “concept paper” on how the school system could utilize the Pearson platform (Dovarganes, 2014).
This is where the project began to derail. There are very specific rules when companies work with government entities that govern the rules of engagement. In very limited situations a public entity may purchase a specific product from a specific vendor when it is a highly unique product without comparable offerings from other vendors. This is call sole-sourcing and the procurement office of has to be involved to ensure all legal requirements are met guaranteeing no other vendor or product is available. This process is in place to ensure public funds are spent fairly and in the best interest of the …show more content…
Everything that occurred after the initiation of the project drew upon that origin. The public procurement process was violated and in the end the school district spent an extravagant amount of money on a platform that was not ready, and was never tested by the employees who would use it. Had there been engagement with the users, and an open bid process the many problem would have been revealed. The procedures for procurement are in place to avoid just such an unfair bid process that results in the failure of a