HP NOT LOWEST LAPTOP BID

According to the People’s Partnership (PP), the 20,400 SEA laptops will cost the people of Trinidad & Tobago (TT) a total of approximately $83 million or $4,000 per unit.  When converted to US dollars it will cost $634 US per laptop (4,000/6.30=634 US per laptop) or $12,933,600 US.

The Minister of Education Dr. Tim Gopeesingh stated, “The cost of the $4,000 per computer involves everything.  Transport, storage, all the fees that are associated with bringing the computers into the country,” he added.  He said bids differed by $30 to $40 per unit between bidders such as Acer and Lenovo, but HP’s bid was lowest and provided better long-term servicing.  The minister said that the firm awarded the project, Hewlett Packard (HP), was the lowest bidder (there were eight).  (http://www.newsday.co.tt/politics/0,126491.html) 

It has come to my attention that HP was not the lowest bidder for the laptops but a company named One Laptop Per Child (OLPC).  According to information that I anonymously obtained, OLPC bid $245.35 US per laptop (See attachment).  The following questions require answers: 

Did OLPC bid on the 20,400 SEA laptops? 

Why did the PP go with the higher priced HP laptops of $634 US ($12,933,600 US) rather than the lower priced OLPC laptops of $245.35 US ($5,005,140)? 

Did HP actually bid on the laptops or was it a local agent of HP who placed the bid? 

Did Digi-Data/Info-Tech, a local company bid on the 20,400 SEA laptops? 

For the sake of transparency and accountability, I am requesting that the PP release the bid of all eight bidders to show the people of T&T that HP was indeed the lowest bidder.

T&TLAPTOPS (Click Here To View Bid or See Below) 

According to OLPC, there was a typo in the operating system specs, which should have been English rather than French.

Wall Street 

Technical Specifications XO laptop 1.5 

The XO laptop version 1.5 has the following minimum specifications: 

Physical dimensions: 

• Dimensions: 245mm × 230mm × 30.5mm;
• Approximate weight: XO laptop with LiFeP battery: 1.5KG; XO laptop with NiMH battery:  1.58KG;
• Configuration: Convertible laptop with pivoting, reversible display, dirt- and moisture-resistant system, and no fan.

  

Core electronics: 

• CPU: Via C7-M Ultra Low Voltage x86-compatible processor with 128KB each L2 cache;
• CPU clock speed: 400 MHz (1.5W) at 1GHz (5W), variable;
• DRAM memory: 1GB- dynamic RAM; data rate: DDR2 SDRAM;
• BIOS ROM flash memory interface 1024KB=1MB SPI;
• Open Firmware used to load the operating system;
• Mass storage: 4GB SLC NAND flash, high-speed flash controller;
• Drives: No rotating media.

  

Display: 

• Liquid crystal display: 7.5” (19cm.) dual-mode TFT display;
• Monochrome display: high-resolution, reflective, readable in direct sunlight  monochrome mode;
• Color display: standard-resolution, quincunx-sampled, transmissive color mode;

Integrated peripherals: 

• Keyboard in English QWERTY: 80+ keys, 1.0mm stroke, sealed rubber-membrane, key-switch assembly;
• Cursor keys: two sets of four direction keys and cursor control;
• Touchpad: touchpad capability;
• Camera: integrated color video camera; 640 x 480 resolution at 30 FPS;
• Wireless Networking: integrated interface 802.11b (2.4GHz); double rotating antenna and adjustable support for diversity reception, supports network 802.11s (Mesh).

External connectors: 

• DC Power: 6mm (central contact1.65mm) connector; 11 to 25 V input usable,  40 to 40V input tolerated; power voltage limited to 25 W;
• Audio output: standard stereo audio connector 3.5mm 3-pin;
• Microphone input: standard mono microphone connector 3.5mm 2-pin; mode selectable 2V DC bias, selectable sensor-input mode (DC or AC connected);
• USB: three type-A USB 2.0 connectors, up to 1A power supplied (total);
• Flash Expansion: SD card slot.

Battery: 

• Package type: 2 or 4 cells LiFePO4, or 5 cells NiMH, approximately 6V series configuration (subject to change);
• Weight: 0.96kg;
• Capacity: 3000 (ampere-hours) (NIMH), 3100 (ampere-hours) (LiFeP);
• Fully-enclosed “hard” case, removable by user;
• Minimum 2,000 charge and discharge cycles (to 50% capacity of new).

Charger: 

• Input: 100-240V ~ 1A 50/60 Hz
• Output: 12V- 2A

  

Operating system: 

• Sugar Learning Platform: a platform for learning applications designed specifically for children ages 6 to 12. Language is French. Operates in Fedora 11.
• Linux GNOME: a popular version of Linux open source software. Language is French. Operates in Fedora 11.
• MS Windows XP compatible.

Unit Price 

209 USD$ Laptop cost 

34,45 USD$  Windows XP + SD memory Card 

1.9 USD$ Shipment cost till Port of Spain 

Total cost 245.35 USD$ per unit