MS Chosen Exclusive "Homeland Security" Contractor

(Forwarded from Interesting People list.  Oh my God.  Article text pasted
below.  -- Seth)

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [IP] Microsoft chosen as exclusive HomelandSecurity contractor
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 10:20:21 -0400
From: Dave Farber <[email protected]>
To: ip <[email protected]>


------ Forwarded Message
From: Steve Bellovin <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 15:57:12 +0200
To: [email protected]
Subject: for IP: Microsoft chosen as exclusive Homeland Security contractor

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0703/071503h2.htm

 Microsoft chosen as exclusive Homeland Security contractor

By Shane Harris
[email protected]

The Homeland Security Department has chosen Microsoft Corp. as its preferred
supplier of desktop computer and server software, according to a statement
issued late Tuesday. The move is a significant development in the
government's ongoing merger of 22 agencies and comes as officials are
selecting various technology companies' products as de facto standards for
the department.


....


 --Steve Bellovin, http://www.research.att.com/~smb (me)
 http://www.wilyhacker.com (2nd edition of "Firewalls" book)



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July 15, 2003 
Microsoft chosen as exclusive Homeland Security contractor 

By Shane Harris
[email protected] 


The Homeland Security Department has chosen Microsoft Corp. as its preferred
supplier of desktop computer and server software, according to a statement
issued late Tuesday. The move is a significant development in the
government? ongoing merger of 22 agencies and comes as officials are
selecting various technology companies?products as de facto standards for
the department. 

The contract ?stablishes a key partnership relationship?between the
government and Microsoft, the world? biggest software maker, the statement
said. The department has purchased a license for about 140,000 desktop
computers and is consolidating other Microsoft agreements held by Homeland
Security agencies into the five-year contract. The deal is worth $90
million. 

Homeland Security employees?computers now will be outfitted with Microsoft?
Windows XP operating system, as well as the Microsoft Office Professional
version of software products. And perhaps most important to Homeland
Security? mission to get agencies communicating more easily, Microsoft will
provide the standard e-mail software for the entire department. 

Months before the Homeland Security Department was established in March,
officials labored over an inventory of the various software, hardware and
network brands security agencies are using. Their ultimate goal has been to
select one company as the sole supplier in each of several technology
categories, such as e-mail or desktop computers. Microsoft? selection for
such a wide range of software products would seem to indicate that officials
have found those brands are used and favored by the majority of security
agencies. 

Dell Marketing L.P, a division of Dell Computer Corp., also was chosen to
provide ?ay-to-day management?of the license agreement, the department?
statement said. The statement didn? disclose the value of that deal. The
Microsoft contract was awarded June 27.