The OU Board of Regents approved the purchase of $155,000 in computer software today. The new software will help the athletic department track NCAA compliance issues — continuing to fix the problems that came up after the Kelvin Sampson and Rhett Bomar issues.
Read the board’s agenda after the jump.
THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMAAGENDA ITEM 29
ISSUE: AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR COMPUTER SOFTWARE – NC
ACTION PROPOSED:
President Boren recommends the Board of Regents:
I. Authorize the President or his designee to award a contract in the initial amount of $155,000 with additional license and maintenance fees of $80,000 annually for up to four (4) additional one (1) year terms to ACS Athletics of Austin, Texas, a sole source provider, for computer software system for athletics compliance programs, implementation and installation, training, license fees, upgrades, maintenance, and other required services for the system beginning on or about March 1, 2008, subject to termination provisions and statutory funding requirements; and
II. Authorize the President or the Athletic Director with the assistance of the Office of the General Counsel to negotiate and execute the final agreement.
BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE:
As part of continuing efforts to incorporate best practices and emerging best practices into OU’s Athletic Compliance Programs, the University and its Athletics Department have identified an opportunity to expand the computer software systems used by OU’s Compliance Department staff for all of the University’s intercollegiate athletics teams and programs. The system will afford the OU Compliance Department the capability to monitor and manage athletics compliance in a more integrated, comprehensive manner.
The proposed system is the only system available that is applicable to and useable for all sports in a significantly expanded number of compliance program areas. The proposed software, training, and related services provided by ACS supplies platforms for all of the desired compliance programs. Other software and systems reviewed were only applicable to a limited number of sports and/or a limited number of compliance programs and areas.
The proposed computer software system and related services will establish and expand the computer platform for the variety of compliance forms and systems and will apply this automation to all sports and programs. Additionally, this system will integrate the Compliance Department and its programs, forms, and paperwork with the University and Athletics academic staff (including the University’s Certification Officer), financial aid staff, all other institutional staff, and all sports programs.
Funding is available and identified from operating funds of the University’s Athletics Compliance budget.