Challenge

A public school system on tribal lands relied on a vendor for visual security but discovered the relationship was unsustainable and unfair. The vendor had been double-charging for support services and failing to deliver comprehensive coverage, leaving critical security gaps in high-risk areas of the campus.

This placed the school system in a vulnerable position:

• Financial Strain: Budgets were impacted by excessive and unnecessary support fees.
• Security Gaps: Important areas of the campus lacked camera coverage, leaving students and staff exposed to risk.
• Vendor Dependence: The school had limited leverage to demand accountability from the vendor, who prioritized billing over service.

School leadership recognized that both student safety and financial stewardship were at stake and needed a partner to intervene.

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Approach

DeSoto partnered with the school system to advocate, restructure, and rebuild. Our team:

• Vendor Relationship Audit: Conducted a full review of the existing contract, billing practices, and service obligations.
• Restructured the Agreement: Negotiated a fair vendor partnership that eliminated “double dipping” on support fees and aligned costs with actual services.
• Architected Comprehensive Coverage: Designed and deployed solutions to fill in missing camera zones and secure vulnerable, high-risk areas previously neglected.
• Ensured Compliance & Oversight: Established clear accountability structures to ensure the new vendor relationship remained transparent and fair.
• Partnered With Leadership: Worked side-by-side with school administrators to ensure solutions reflected the priorities of safety, fairness, and long-term sustainability.

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Results

The project created both immediate and lasting impact for the school system:

• Financial Integrity: Eliminated excessive vendor fees, ensuring budget resources are used responsibly.
• Comprehensive Security: Full coverage now protects all critical areas of the campus, reducing risks to students and staff.
• Fair Vendor Partnership: The school now works with a transparent, reliable provider committed to service—not exploitation.
• Restored Confidence: Leadership and parents alike have peace of mind knowing both the financial and safety aspects of security are being managed responsibly.
• Sustainable Oversight: The school now has processes in place to prevent similar issues with vendors in the future.

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