Sysorex upgrades PC-2, may lure DT V buyers
Sysorex Information Systems Inc. has added Intel Corp. Pentium II PCs to its Army PC2 pact anticipating that the offering will not only appeal to Army buyers but also siphon some business away from the Air Force's Desktop V program. On PC2 Sysorex is providing a 233 MHz Pentium II bundle from IBM
Sysorex Information Systems Inc. has added Intel Corp. Pentium II PCs to its Army PC-2 pact anticipating that the offering will not only appeal to Army buyers but also siphon some business away from the Air Force's Desktop V program.
On PC-2 Sysorex is providing a 233 MHz Pentium II bundle from IBM Corp. and will shortly add a 266 MHz Pentium II system also from IBM. The 233 MHz bundle is offered as an upgrade to PC-2's contract line item 2AA a 200 MHz Pentium Pro machine. But Sysorex is selling the 233 MHz Pentium II for $2 168 the same price as the Pentium Pro. "In other words the customer gets an upgrade to a Pentium II-233 at no additional cost " said Carleton Jones president of Sysorex.
The 266 MHz Pentium II bundle meanwhile will be priced at $2 499 according to Sysorex. Sysorex last week submitted its proposal to add the 266 MHz machine to PC-2 and expects approval within the next two weeks said Nadir Ali vice president of programs at Sysorex.
Sysorex expects some interest to come from Air Force buyers who would normally purchase from the Desktop V program on which Hughes Data Systems is the sole vendor. Zenith Data Systems Corp. dropped off the pact earlier this year and a federal judge has asked the Air Force to recompete its Desktop V 8(a) contract.
Placing Orders
Air Force buyers however must place their orders through the General Services Administration's Federal Systems Integration and Management Center (Fedsim). The Air Force and the Navy cannot order directly off PC-2 which is open to all other federal agencies.
Those agencies can obligate funds to Fedsim which then places an order with the Army's PC-2 program office. "With the Air Force's inability to have multiple vendors on the Desktop V contract we expect to see more of that business coming through Fedsim " said Robert Farr a sales and marketing consultant with Sysorex. Hughes and Air Force officials could not be reached for comment.
Bob Dornan a senior vice president with Federal Sources Inc. said Fedsim's intermediary role is not unusual for the procurement group.