Network Cooperative Services

Voice and data networks are growing and in need of qualified, trained support personnel; the Technology Services Cooperative provides this resource without the burden of payroll and supervisory responsibilities.
 
Cooperative members receive the combined knowledge of the entire Technology Services staff for a reduced fee.  A few benefits of the cooperative include:

• Router maintenance, configuration, documentation, and support available.
• Hardware maintenance options available upon special request.
• Comprehensive network documentation and capacity planning assistance. Remote network support, monitoring, and diagnostic assistance via the network.

Calendar
 

Cooperative Fees

The rates for the NWESD Network Cooperative are based on a formula which represents the true costs to provide the service.  This includes:

• Average base salary of the network support specialists
• An indirect rate of 9% for NWESD operations
• An annual per coop FTE budget for:
  • Training
  • Supplies
  • Equipment
• A budget to cover average travel expenses throughout our five-county service area which is adjusted to represent required travel to meet the needs of past year’s member district service levels.*
•  A budget to cover supervision of cooperative support staff

Typically, we require a commitment to participate in the cooperative for an entire calendar year.  This facilitates planning for staffing and serves to reduce cost that might otherwise be incurred when staffing is required on short notice.
 
Rates are based on a sliding scale so those that require a higher number of support days throughout the year pay a proportionally lower rate.  Rates are differentiated as follows (in order of least costly to most costly):

• Remote contracted support rate for cooperative members
• Additional remote support for cooperative members
• Onsite contracted support rate for cooperative members
• Additional onsite rate for cooperative members
• Non-member remote support rate
• Non-member onsite support rate

Each cooperative member absorbs their share of the vacation, training, and sick days that may be incurred by cooperative support staff.
 
*additional travel expensed may be negotiated in advance for particularly remote locations