The Idaho Department of Education is pressing forward with its plan to outfit public high schools with wireless Internet as it prepares to award one of its largest private contracts ever to the future prospective outfitter.

“We have over $2 million attached to this project,” said Lucy Willets, chief of staff to Tom Luna, superintendent of public instruction. “We haven’t before awarded a contract this large and we have taken extra measures to ensure transparency.”

The department first submitted an official “request for proposals” at the end of May, soliciting bids from private companies that would like the opportunity to build the wifi infrastructure throughout the state’s high schools.

While none of the official proposals have been completed and returned to the department, the department has nonetheless been inundated with hundreds of specific and technical questions from several of the prospective outfitters, questions that seek clarification on what the state needs for the project.

So, the department chose to begin publishing the questions, along with the official answers, to ensure that all prospective contractors with the state have an equal access to information and direction on the project. “We are doing everything to the letter of the law and above,” Willets said. “We are proactively seeking to avoid situations where one prospective contractor has an advantage over another.”

The first list of questions and answers from the prospective wifi contractors posted on the department of education’s website at 5 p.m. Monday, and can be viewed HERE. Willets said the list will be updated periodically during the bidding process.