State Superintendent Tony Evers recently discussed the topic of Skyward and the state law that mandates a single-vendor system on the Joy Cardin Show on WPR.
Evers says that he supports the single-vendor system because he says it will save money, is more efficient, and will be a better resource for teachers. However, he says he wishes that the procurement process used by the Department of Administration to award contracts could be weighted to favor local companies.
“If I had a magic wand every Wisconsin company would get every bid, but the fact of the matter is I don’t have a magic wand and I need to follow state law. The process, I know, has hurt deeply in the areas where it affected that company. But the company has an appeals process and we’re working through it.”
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Wisconsin law doesn’t allow for special preference to be given to in-state businesses. According to the Department of Administration website, that “allows Wisconsin businesses to compete for contracts in other states without penalty.”
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