by I'm sure Apple is celebrating this following announcement. Pretty soon we
are going to have another IBM on our hands (cough, hack, gasp)...
-Michael
APPLE WINS FIRST FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BID
AS PRIME CONTRACTOR
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA--August 3, 1989--Apple Computer,
Inc. today announced that it had been awarded a contract
to supply the United States Postal Service (USPS) with
Macintosh personal computers for use nationwide. In its
first award as a prime federal government contractor,
Apple will supply Macintosh IIx systems as part of the
Microcomputer Acquisition for the Postal Service (MAPS)
procurement. The MAPS contract was awarded competitively
and carries a potential five-year term. Depending on postal
demand, the Postal Service estimates that Apple's contract
award may be as much as $30.2 million for systems,
peripherals, support and service.
The computers will support diverse office productivity
needs in stand-alone applications, information processing and
host terminal emulation. Falcon Microsystems, Apple's teaming
partner on the procurement, was primarily responsible for
configuring third party products, maintenance and support
services. The Apple bid includes over 25 subcontractors
who will be providing a wide variety of peripheral products
for the Macintosh IIx.
"This is a major milestone for our Federal Systems
Group," said Bill Coldrick, senior vice president of sales,
Apple USA. "The award demonstrates Apple's ability to offer
a total solution, including support and service, at the most
competitive price. It further solidifies the important role
that Apple and Macintosh will have in the government's
information technology strategy."
"The Macintosh IIx offers the open architecture,
connectivity and flexibility that the Postal Service
sees as essential to its business," commented Greg Shuk,
acting director of the Apple Federal Systems Group (AFSG)
and manager of AFSG's Complex Systems Group, which was
responsible for the procurement. "We are pleased to be
working with the Postal Service to ensure that it has the
best possible tools to serve the public."
The MAPS contract will be used on an as-needed basis,
meaning that the Postal Service is not committed to buying
a specific number of systems. Known as a requirements
contract, the legal agreement also exempts the Postal
Service from spending a specific dollar amount on new systems.
Apple's Federal Systems Group, headquartered in Reston,
*ia, has nine regional locations in the United States to
serve all departments and agencies in the federal government.
Falcon Microsystems, headquartered in Landover, Maryland,
is an authorized Apple federal government reseller and holder
of Apple's GSA Schedule.
--
Michael Niehaus UUCP: <backbones>!{iuvax,pur-ee}!bsu-cs!mithomas