QUESTION
What is the status and details of New York City public schools' contract with IBM regarding system capacity?
0:30:23
·
5 min
New York City public schools' contract with IBM, initiated around 2018, involves an annual renewal process, with a system capacity that was initially stated at 400 but increased to accommodate more traffic.
- Annual purchase orders with IBM began approximately in 2018, with annual renewals through a reseller.
- The initial stated capacity was 400, which was exceeded in practice, reaching 1400 in September 2023 and adjusted to 2000 in February 2023.
- IBM's system was prepared to support up to 3,000,000 users with individual logins, offering capacity beyond initial expectations.
- Ongoing evaluations with IBM take place to ensure the procured service meets the needs of New York City public schools, especially considering potential for remote learning.
- The DOE provided verbal, not written, reports on system simulations for remote learning, without direct involvement from IBM in these simulations.
Rita C. Joseph
0:30:23
So when did the New York City public schools enter a contract with IBM and that specific system capacity.
0:30:30
Did you enter the contract with IBM and what's the specific fixed system capacity.
0:30:36
Just a follow-up on what council member Lewis is saying.
0:30:41
When did New York City
Scott Strickland
0:30:42
Oh, when did So we do a we do an annual purchase order.
0:30:44
I think the city enters into contract if he goes back to maybe several years.
0:30:48
I think it started in 2018.
0:30:51
We need to we would need to go to OTI to get the exact duration of that contract and when it gets renewed.
0:30:57
But we purchase these services from IBM every year through a annual renewal purchase order through the reseller.
Rita C. Joseph
0:31:07
And you stated that the capacity was at 400?
Scott Strickland
0:31:11
That is the stated capacity in their product catalog for that service.
0:31:15
Yes.
0:31:16
Again, IBM had been providing us more than that in the configuration that we've been able to use.
0:31:23
It was at 1400 in September 2023.
0:31:27
It was on that number at the beginning of February 13th.
0:31:31
And as problems arose, IBM raise that to 2000 even attempted to go higher than that as a mechanism to see if we can get more traffic through the system.
Rita C. Joseph
0:31:41
So during the time the contract was executed, did IBM call caution New York City public school that the system capacity might not be sufficient for the size of the New York City public school system?
0:31:51
Given that we have close to a 1000000 students.
Scott Strickland
0:31:59
I think what what IBM had seen and what what we have procured was potential for up to 3,000,000 people logging in, each having a username and password.
0:32:09
And so I think they were making a again, I'm speaking for them, but in terms of what actually happened, they gave us something over the standard amount of TPS to support the New York City Schools Environment.
Rita C. Joseph
0:32:24
So net never in a conversation that they suggest you need to expand even though they gave you 3,000,000, but you said 400 is what you were using, and it they expanded to 2000, was there ever a conversation to expand that?
Scott Strickland
0:32:37
I believe each year, especially recently, as we have stabilized at number and with the potential for remote learning day, they have asked to us to reevaluate whether we are procuring enough for them and what type of service we're procuring.
Rita C. Joseph
0:32:55
And when you conducted your system simulation, For for system wide remote learning, did you ever produce a report to give to the chancellor to review?
Scott Strickland
0:33:08
And when do you wanna handle that?
Emma Vadehra
0:33:11
Thanks, Joe Joseph, and thanks to all of you for having us here today.
0:33:15
We provided a verbal report.
0:33:17
I don't believe we provided a written report, no, in the comprehensive on the testing we did this fall.
Rita C. Joseph
0:33:24
And during your simulation, was IBM part of that simulation?
Scott Strickland
0:33:29
The fall simulation is recorded where we were working with students and teachers to make sure they had a device, could access the system, and do it at home and in school.
0:33:37
No, IBM was not involved.
Emma Vadehra
0:33:38
Why not?
0:33:40
Can I just adjust one thing on that and you should jump in?
0:33:42
I just wanna say one thing.
0:33:44
IBM systems were used for because that's the only way for folks to log in to our systems.
0:33:50
And so the IBM product was used as a part of that testing as we did it.
0:33:54
Mhmm.
0:33:55
But you can speak to
Molly Senack
0:33:56
what your question was on
Shekar Krishnan
0:33:57
a moment.
Scott Strickland
0:33:58
Yeah.
0:33:58
Yeah.
0:33:58
We did not involve any vendors whether it was the services we get from Google or Microsoft or IBM, Zoom, in the simulations.
0:34:07
Again, it was designed to make sure that students and teachers had access and knew where to go to potentially perform a synchronous and synchronous remote learning.
Rita C. Joseph
0:34:16
So you tell me you didn't think it was important to involve IBM in the simulation.
0:34:21
This is a practice and play situation.
Emma Vadehra
0:34:30
I think one of the things we're trying to do now is make sure we prepare as well as possible for the future, and I think both we and IBM can talk about the detailed and extensive work we are doing now.
0:34:39
I think what I would say is in terms of the testing this fall, all the systems we use were tested.
0:34:44
Right?
0:34:45
So that IBM system was in use.
0:34:47
Zoom was in use, Google, classrooms was in use.
0:34:50
We did not proactively notify each vendor and say, we're doing a simulation using your system on these dates.
0:34:57
Between November December.
0:34:59
So the systems were used, but we didn't do that proactive notification of those simulations.
0:35:03
We did proactive notification on February 12th for February 13th.
0:35:07
But not for the simulations themselves.
0:35:09
That's certainly something we're adjusting in terms of our practice.
Rita C. Joseph
0:35:11
Moving forward, that will be that's what you'll be using.
0:35:14
Okay.
0:35:23
Council member, I'm gonna let you ask you a question.
0:35:25
I know you guys gotta leave.
0:35:26
So go ahead.