The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has entered into a five-year Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft Corp, in a renewal of a longstanding business relationship between the two bodies.
The agreement provides the VA with all of Microsoft's current and emerging technologies, including Windows 7, Windows Server 2012, Microsoft SQL Server 2012, Microsoft SharePoint 2010, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Microsoft System Center 2012, Bing Maps, the full suite of Microsoft Visual Studio developer tools, and mobile devices
"After considerable deliberation and working very closely with Microsoft, we are pleased to have constructed a unique and cost-effective Enterprise License Agreement for a full array of Microsoft products and services," Charles De Sanno, the VA's executive director of Enterprise Systems Engineering, said in a statement. "This agreement allows VA to continue its longstanding, strategic relationship with Microsoft as a key technology partner while providing value and flexibility for our rapidly changing needs in this new era of datacenter, cloud and mobility."
The VA has approximately 6,300 IT employees and 175 datacenters, and uses roughly 400,000 desktop computers and more than 100,000 mobile devices. The deal is touted as a way for the VA to cut costs and enhance productivity while continuing to improve service.
Microsoft calls the VA one of the largest users of Microsoft Office Communications Server, and says the agency is in the process of upgrading to Microsoft Lync. The agency is "aggressively migrating to" Windows 7 and Office 2010; and the deal allows it access to future versions of Windows for its desktop environment. The VA is a participant in the Windows 8 early adopter program.
The agency is in the process of using SQL Server database technology to consolidate the bulk of its analytical data onto one platform, which it says will provide it with greatly enhanced reporting and collaboration tools, a new data security framework, and a state-of-the-art scientific computing environment.
"Microsoft is thrilled to continue our strategic partnership with the VA and our contributions to the essential mission of the Department," Greg Myers, VP for Microsoft Federal, said in a statement. "The VA continues to focus and improve on its most important mission - that of providing the most efficient and effective services for our veterans. We share this mission with the VA and are honored to be supporting our veterans with the many key technical and educational initiatives that Microsoft is able to impact. From our work on the mobile platform to big data and collaboration initiatives to helping improve claims processing through the Veterans Relationship Management program, we are doubling down on our commitment to our veterans."
The company points to various initiatives in which it assists veterans to enter or re-enter the workforce. It has extended its Elevate America veterans initiative to include the establishment of a voucher program to provide computer training to military personnel and their spouses. It also claims to support initiatives such as Michelle Obama and Jill Biden's Joining Forces program, which assists soldiers and their families.
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