Total Technology
Total Technology holds the Monterey County Office of Education (MCOE) contract for technology device buybacks, focusing on disposal of mobile devices like laptops, Chromebooks, tablets, and mobile phones.
Contracts typically give schools special pricing on products they purchase, but this contract does the opposite, helping school districts, charter schools, and other agencies maximize the value they get back for devices they are decommissioning, effectively putting funds back into their budgets.
California Education Code 17545 says, “The governing board of any school district may sell for cash any personal property belonging to the district if the property is not required for school purposes, or if it should be disposed of for the purpose of replacement, or if it is unsatisfactory or not suitable for school use.”
As described in Ed Code 17545, the procedure for the disposal of personal property (this includes computers and tablet-style devices) is to accept bids for such items.
In cooperation with the Association of Educational Purchasing Agencies (AEPA), the MCOE solicited bids for categories of surplus technology equipment that can be graded and assessed for value. The code also allows another agency like MCOE to conduct the bids or auctions on behalf of another school district agency. In this case MCOE advertised, accepted bids, and awarded in California to the highest bidder (“highest” because in this case, districts would be getting cash back instead of expending cash. Total Technology was the top bidder and was awarded a contract.
Based in San Marcos, California, Total Technology has been working with schools and governmental agencies since 2011. Total Technology started from the humble beginnings of a garage but quickly built an organization that now has a national reach, but a local approach, with two state-of-the-art facilities to process devices.
As one-to-one device initiatives have become more prevalent, so has the need for device buybacks. Each year Total Technology recaptures hundreds of thousands of devices extending the life cycle of the products for other purposes in a way that permanently removes all content and removes any security risks for school districts. In addition, the vendor follows strict environmental protocols.
Here is a quick overview of the buy-back procedures:
Quick Quote
After you provide a device list with specifications, Total Technology will provide you with a quote on the value of your equipment.
Shipping
Total Technology’s quote includes all shipping costs, so you never pay freight costs.
Device Audit
Total Technology completes a transparent audit with reporting by serial number while destroying data and removing any asset tagging.
Quick Payment
Within 30 days of audit completion, payment for the project will be in your hands.
Repurpose
Total Technology then achieves its goal of extending the lifecycle of your equipment by putting your equipment into the hands of a customer that sees the value of the devices.
Option to Resale Back to the Community
Total Technology can also implement TechU, a community marketplace, at no charge. With TechU a district can provide a valuable service for your surrounding community by making low-cost fully tested devices available for sale online. Schools and agencies often want a community sale, but don’t have the bandwidth to administer the sale or provide support and customer service. Again, Total Technology can assist.
With Total Technology’s simple process, school districts can get funds back into their budget for the next deployment creating a more sustainable technology program.
For more information, see this video: https://totaltechnology.com/k12/
Helpful websites hosted by the contracted vendor:
https://my.techumarketplace.com/sample/home
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