Laptops: Not Exactly A Buyout Clause

It turns out that the “buyout” clause in the $182 million laptop contract is not what the State Department of Education originally described - a  cost that “is only paid if the contract is severed for some reason” and “may or may not be paid.” In response to my repeated inquiries, after I found no reference to such an early-cancellation buyout fee in the contract, SDE spokeswoman Melissa McGrath told me this afternoon, “That would be my error.” Instead, the “buyout” clause is the amount the state would have to pay at the end of the contract term - after it’s run its full eight years - to buy out the remaining years in the four-year leases on the laptops, for those with years remaining. That means it’s definitely a cost that will remain part of the total/ Betsy Russell , Eye on Boise. More here.

Question: I’m glad that Betsy, Dan Popkey & Melissa Davlin are ferreting out these things before the election. How about you?