The Department of Administration has quietly signed CenturyLink to a $1.88 million emergency contract to provide broadband to state agencies.

Cynthia Sewell of the Idaho Statesman reported on the contract Friday.

The deal is an offshoot of the voided Idaho Education Network contract — which provided high-speed Internet to high schools and state agencies alike.

With the network contract thrown out by Ada County District Judge Patrick Owen, the state scrambled to set aside $3.6 million to cover districts that sign short-term broadband deals for the remainder of the school year. But while the school bailout played out publicly — passing both houses before Gov. Butch Otter signed it into law — the agency bailout was signed on Feb. 27, without public attention.