S.J. (CA) council to expand City Hall deal probe (Cisco)

Mercury News ^ | 6/30/04 | Aaron C. Davis

[NormsRevenge]

The San Jose City Council voted Tuesday to expand an investigation into potential favoritism in the city's decision to purchase $8 million in Cisco networking and phone equipment for its new downtown City Hall.

Under the council's order, City Attorney Rick Doyle and City Auditor Gerald Silva will join forces to examine whether the city's early dealings with Cisco improperly put the San Jose networking giant in the position of advising the city on how much Cisco equipment to buy.

Cisco's role in consulting with the city was first reported last week by the Mercury News. Since then, at least one bid competitor, SBC, has contacted city officials to complain that the process was unfair.

City officials said they favored Cisco equipment in the decision because the city decided in 1999 to standardize on the company's products, and the city wants to make the new system compatible with $2 million in Cisco equipment that it already owns.

A company representative, Sandra Wheatley, has told the Mercury News that the company's interaction with the city was ``commonplace for any technology provider working with a customer.'' She was not available for further comment Tuesday night.

[NormsRevenge]

Coincidentally ( or maybe not ), last night the council was discussing new policies re: lobbyists and city business. ;-)

[Blagden Alley]

As long as the government didn't get more than a few expensive lunches and a golf trip or two, sounds like good salesmanship to me!

Seriously, this "compatibility" thing isn't new. IBM (and others with installed equipment) have used it for at least 30 years that I know of. Sometimes it's a real argument. Sometimes it's favoritism. And sometimes it's simply not wanting to spend an extra two years in the procurement process.

Plus ca change...

[TommyDale]

Golly gee, since when did SBC make equipment that was even remotely comptetive to Cisco? The government agencies here in NC are 99% Cisco, but no one is complaining. Cisco is difficult to compete with, since they offer good products, fair pricing and excellent service. Duh!

[auzerais]

Although I live in SJ, [nr I-280 & Bird Av] I got totally burned out on local news, (far too many killings and corruption EVERY NIGHT!!!) so have heard very little about this, though I'm not surprised in the least.
Dozens, if not hundreds of school districts across the country have paid millions of dollars through the nose for advanced computer networks they have absolutely no need or use for or the ability to run them without very expensive 'technical services'. This computer rip-off has all the makings of another national Savings&Loan type scandal for which the taxpayers will be paying for for decades to come.

[martin_fierro]

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[NormsRevenge]

No issue here re: the equipment side of things, this is an issue of the dirty little hands this city has doing the deals.

The council is under scrutiny for some other stuff as well.

You're blessed if your local officials aren't rabid liberals.

[TommyDale]

Only half of our local politicians are rabid liberals. The other half are spineless conservatives. 100% have "dirty little hands" that like to skim their share of the loot, however.

[runningbear]

looking at this pic you have, have you seen this monument located at Almaden and Alma? It is silver metal, circular, and in the center of the median spliting the Almaden Av N/B traffic. What is it and who put it there? Weird.....