San Diego Unified will pay $25,200 to a company that installs audio and visual systems as part of a settlement over how it chose a company to install technology for its $2.1 billion school construction and renovation bond.
Audio Associates of San Diego sued after the school district picked two companies to installinteractive whiteboards without competitively bidding the work last June. Instead, San Diego Unified used a process that is commonly used for supplies that have already been competitively bid by the state of California, such as computer technology.
Attorney Kevin Carlin, who represented the company, said it was improper to use that process for construction services, rather than for getting goods. Audio Associates argued it had been unfairly prevented from vying for a chance to do the installation work.