Beyond.com, PlanetGov Get $15M IRS Contract Renewal

Beyond.com and PlanetGov Inc. have been awarded a $15 million renewal of their contract with the Internal Revenue Service for electronic delivery and maintenance of Microsoft software to approximately 130,000 desktop computers within the IRS, Beyond.com announced Jan. 10.

The renewal ensures the delivery of Microsoft products to the IRS through 2001, according to Beyond.com. The renewal, based on a 65-month, $120-million contract established in June 1999, will strengthen the relationship Beyond.com and PlanetGov established with the Department of Treasury, the company said.

Beyond.com of Santa Clara, Calif., builds and manages Web stores for businesses and sells software and computer related products to government, corporate and consumer markets. PlanetGov of Fairfax, Va., is an online reseller of goods and services to the government.

The two firms have other agreements within the Department of Treasury which total more than $10 million and span three to five years.

The contract renewal allows the IRS to use Beyond.com's proprietary Automated Tracking of Licenses and Software technology to distribute, manage and support products across the Internet to its various sites.

The agreement covers licenses for Microsoft's Windows 2000 family of products. Under the contract, the IRS will use Beyond.com's Web-based store for the electronic purchase of additional Microsoft products.

"We are pleased to continue facilitating the government's progress toward standardized, digital delivery of all software. This is essential in helping reduce the total cost of software ownership for the government," said Don Beery, vice president and general manager of the government systems group for Beyond.com.