Maine Plans to Extend Learning Technology Initiative--Bid to Replace iBooks Out in January 2006

Maine was the first and only state to equip the entire 7th and 8th grade student population and their teachers with laptop computers and wireless networks. Under the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI), Apple won the contract and equipped the students with iBooks. That contract expires in June of 2006 and, according to Macs Only!'s sources, it will be re-bid starting in January 2006. The plan is to complete the bid process in April 2006, once again covering all of Maine's seventh and eighth graders and their teachers.

The bidding will be open to all vendors, not just Apple or vendors of Apple iBooks. If there is no successful bid, then Maine will seek to extend the current program for another year.

If there is a successful bid, the existing inventory of iBooks will be purchased by Maine's Department of Education for $48 per iBook and then offered for re-purchase by individual school districts. The iBooks include AirPort networking equipment and software, including Mac OS X 10.2.8. The iBooks may be used to extend the MTLI to grades other than 7 and 8.

The MLTI followed the first big school district purchase of iBooks by Henrico County, VA. Henrico County's program was re-bid earlier this year and Dell was the winning vendor based on a significantly lower cost and a much smarter bid. Hopefully, Apple has learned something from that debacle. [Dana Baggett & Bill Fox]