Hard Drive Hard Luck
Focusing on Cost, we have implemented a new methodology for managing our IT assets which will result in savings for our customers and the State of Arkansas." Claire BaileyThis morning I decided to try to wrap my mind around the Arkansas Department of Information Systems or DIS. Most of us have never heard of this department until the Huckabee Hard Drive Crushing Scandal broke a couple of weeks ago. After spending several minutes gawking at the picture of the comely Ms Claire Bailey I started working my way through the DIS website. Nothing really stood out except the comely Ms Bailey until I got to the Information Technology Procurement Contracts page. Just one quick search of a run of the mill Dell workstation made me think I understood why the State of Arkansas paid $335,000 for a handful of computers. In order to get an idea of the fantasyland prices the State paid under WSCA Contract A63307, I did a little comparison shopping.
This link is for the first Dell workstation computer on the list. It's pretty actioned packed with a duo core Intel processor, probably about 10 times the computer most State workers would ever need. It comes with a standard flat panel monitor, though surely Huck didn't crush the monitors too? Also a keyboard and a mouse and an 80 gig hard drive. It comes with no sound card or speakers. It is a Cadilliac of a workstation computer and the cost is a whopping $2,641.09.
This link is for comparable Dell office computer which in it's standard configuration comes with a 250 gig hard drive, way bigger than the one above. It comes with the same flat panel monitor included in the price. It comes with no floppy drive, but one can be had for another 30 dollars. This one comes with 15 free months of Norton Anti-virus and 6 months free AOL (oh joy). In case the link doesn't work this hunk of computer comes in at $999.00. This is the price regular folks would pay for a good office computer just picking up the phone and ordering from Dell.
Let's review the case at hand. 83 hard drives were crush, and those from 4 servers. Since the DIS vendor site isn't broken down into components, I'll have to go shopping elsewhere for 22, 100 gig hard drives. Below you'll see that though 87 hard drives were crushed, only 22 were replaced. I chose to shop at tigerdirect.com which sells the fire out of computer components all across the nation. The Seagate I picked out can be bought all day long for 50 bucks each. That comes to $1,099.78.
It's stated in the Computer World article that the State now has 22 refurbished computers with new hard drives, so that implies to me 22 computers were not replace, just got a new hard drive. So the money spent above should put them in good shape.
For reasons unknown at the moment 27 new desktop computers were purchased, when and by who is not known at this time. Here's the math. If the State bought the new computers thru WSCA Contract A63307 for Dell, like the one listed above, they would have spent roughly, $71,309.73.
If they sent pretended to be Mary Lee Orsini and ordered the second computer I listed, directly from Dell like you or I, the price would have been $26,973.00.
The State of Arkansas, by whose hand we are yet to know, purchased 22 new laptop computers and I have come up with 2 price scenarios for them. First I chose a middle of the line laptop ordered from Dell thru WSCA Contract A63307 at a cost of $1,479.23 times 22 equals $32,543.06.
Letting Mary Lee order online from Dell, this laptop also came out costing $999.00. Order up 22 of them and you've spent, $21,978. 00
Let's see what we've spent! For hard drives, desktops, and laptop ordered thru DIS under WSCA Contract A63307
$104,952.63 a very long way from $335,000.00....like $230,047.37 away.
Mary Lee, just your average dead felon, would have to write out a check for $50,050.78.....even farther away from $335,000.00. $284,949.22 less than we're told the State had to pay because of Huckabee's fit.
Now I know I am not an expert at state finances, I know these computers are slightly apples and oranges, but the figure is so off...this research makes me sure the people of Arkansas are getting royally screwed right in front of our eyes. If I was into S/M, I'd spend all day researching and calling and gathering information...but I gots chores to do. As I've said before....there is an Ethiopian in the woodpile somewhere and everyone of those folks meeting in LR this week should be asking why. If someone is not a crook, someone needs to be S'painin all this to us before we get our panties in more of a wad.
Comments
The labor, the labor, have we forgotten that most computer techs make at least
$50 hour for all that refurbishing? Now if the computer techs were loaned to the state by another contracting party add in some mark-ups. Add the cost of service warranties, and other add-on goodies and there you have the magic of government money magic.
Don't ask right now how I know all this but if it's important "I'll get back to you."
Posted by: Lwood![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/billikenman/nav-commenters.gif)
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February 6, 2007 09:54 PM
DBI, you have been on a one-man tear on this subject and good for you! I was thinking the same on what was paid, but figured there just MUST be some justification. Can't guess what it is, but there must be something.
I can imagine that the state might have a policy to always buy top-of-the-line computers so they don't become obsolete as fast, and that in the long run, by using an expensive computer longer, they come out ahead.
But a little cost accounting would probably show, due to the quick advances and dropping prices, that it's probably wiser to throw them away after 2 years and get a new one, vs. paying double and keeping the same old one 4 years.
Keep after 'em, DBI, and let's hope someone can eventually come forward with some good reason for what Halliburton was paid for these new computers.
Posted by: Spirit![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/billikenman/nav-commenters.gif)
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February 7, 2007 08:01 AM
Two thoughts here....if you look at the DIS website it would appear those folks can handle anything computer related that comes their way. There is about 200 people working at DIS and I'd just have to assume if a computer breaks at the Capitol or the State Police airplane hanger, DIS will be there to fix it.
If those 200 folks are already on the payroll, I don't think you pay them extra to go do the jobs they're already being paid for? I'm thinking the State of Arkansas was going to pay them for a 40 hour week even if Huck didn't have a hard drive crushing party.
And who crushed the goddamn hard drives? Wouldn't you think that would be the job of DIS? Who got $13,000 dollars to crush 87 hard drives?
As far as the cost of the computers, the prices of Dell computers I quoted bought thru that contract are high dollar computers and still the dollar figures do not add up. It's not possible to find out the per unit price the State paid for 87 hard drives, but if you divide $335,000 by 49 new computers the unit price is $6,836.73 EACH. Screw cocaine....let's sell computers to the State!
After years of being screwed in all directions....I'm pretty sick of being screwed and I'd think the rest of the people of Arkansas would be to.
Posted by: Deathbyinches![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/billikenman/nav-commenters.gif)
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February 7, 2007 07:30 PM
You think a computer technician makes $50 an hour in Arkansas? Maybe a Systems Administrator, administrators always make more; but not a tech.
"People who work sitting down get paid more than people who work standing up." Ogden Nash
Posted by: Zatharus![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/billikenman/nav-commenters.gif)
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February 14, 2007 04:28 PM
yes, very good points, but what about this? Why didnt the huckabees simply register on behalf of the state at Dell? then we could have paid for the computers the rev-guv sat on and crushed.
oh wait thats right, we the taxpayers already are paying for them.
thanks for doing the math here. Why doesnt anybody in charge care about this?
Posted by: tina![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/billikenman/nav-commenters.gif)
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February 21, 2007 09:20 PM