VA Awards Omnibus IT Contracts Valued at $5.3 Billion

This story has been updated.

The Veterans Affair Department awarded contracts for desktops, laptops, servers, switches, routers, storage services and tablet computers valued at $5.3 billion to three companies that will compete for orders through the indefinite quantity, indefinite delivery contract for five years.

VA selected Hanover, Md.-based Alliance Technology Group LLC; Claremont, N.H.-based Red River Computer Co. Inc.; and Valador, Inc., of Herndon, Va., for its Commodities Enterprise Contract out of a field of more than 50 bidders, according to an announcement posted on Federal Business Opportunities website last Thursday.

The Commodities Enterprise Contract provides VA with a second vehicle to purchase desktop personal computers and monitors. In May 2011, the department tapped Dell Inc. to provide up to 600,000 PCs in a deal that runs through April 2015.

Rom Mascetti, VA deputy assistant secretary for information technology resource management, told Nextgov in April 2011 that the department would use the commodity contract as a follow-on to the Dell contract when it expires.

VA kicked off the Commodities Enterprise Contract in December 2011, and in August 2011 added Apple, Google Android and Windows tablet PCs to its shopping list to keep pace with changes in technology.

Former VA Chief Information Officer Roger Baker backed widespread use of tablets and smartphones in the department and last June predicted that within five or six years VA would no longer furnish employees with computers. Instead, they will use the devices they own to connect to department networks.

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