GTSI Corp. , a government IT contractor based in Chantilly, Va., has won a two-year contract to serve as the exclusive provider of BlackBerry wireless solutions to all agencies and institutions of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Financial terms of the term were not disclosed.
Under the contract, GTSI becomes the Commonwealth’s dedicated source for BlackBerry products and services, including wireless handhelds, basic and enhanced data services, accessories, support and warranties.
The agreement, which runs until August 2004, also covers BlackBerry Enterprise Server software compatible with Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino e-mail servers.
BlackBerry, developed by Research In Motion , is an integrated wireless solution that includes advanced wireless handhelds, desktop tools, enterprise server software and nationwide airtime. BlackBerry integrates with the user’s existing e-mail account, providing a wireless extension of their regular mailbox to simplify remote access.
Used with BlackBerry Enterprise Server, it also addresses the security needs of public sector organizations. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has awarded the BlackBerry Wireless Handheld the FIPS 140-1 Validation for its embedded encryption technology. Also, RIM is working with the National Security Agency and has provided support for Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions on the BlackBerry platform.
Commonwealth of Virginia employees can view the Blackberry technology and other GTSI solutions during the Commonwealth of Virginia Information Technology Symposium (COVITS-2002) being held at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia from Sept. 24-26.
GTSI offers state and local governments access to multi-vendor solutions from more than 1,300 manufacturers, publishers and service providers. GTSI’s state and local business has climbed to over $15.6 million from the beginning of January to the end of July, $3.4 million more compared to the same period last year.