Rentable apps provider makes GSA schedule

Application service provider USinternetworking Inc. (USi) last week became

one of the first companies to be awarded a General Services Administration

schedule contract for enterprise application hosting and management services.

Under the contract, agencies will pay a flat monthly fee to access enterprise

applications owned and operated by USi. This means agencies won't have to

buy, build and manage their own enterprise application infrastructure. Initially,

USi's schedule contract offers human resources, financial management and

supply-chain solutions based on PeopleSoft Inc.'s enterprise resource planning

software and messaging services based on Exchange software.

The company plans to add e-commerce and customer relationship management

solutions to the GSA contract shortly, said Richard Terhorst, USi's vice

president for the eastern region, which includes federal sales. It also

plans to offer professional services and training to the schedule.

USi teamed up with Computer Marketing Associates, a government marketing

and contracts services firm, to secure the GSA contract. Monthly fees for

the application services are based on various factors, such as the number

and type of software applications provided, the number of users on the system

and the service levels delivered.