i2 Branches Out to Public Sector

After a six-month effort, i2 Technologies Inc. has won a place on the General Services Administration schedule, bolstering the company's move into the government market.

The Dallas provider of supply chain and e-business solutions announced April 24 it was awarded a GSA schedule contract for its software solutions and professional services offerings. The contract enables federal agencies to buy products and services directly from i2 through pre-negotiated and priced delivery orders.

"i2's move into the public sector is a natural extension of our commercial success,'' said Sanjiv Sidhu, chairman and chief executive officer. "We intend to bring the same energy, professionalism and value orientation to our government clients as we do to the blue chip commercial customers that i2 supports today.''

The company, which has more than 1,000 commercial customers, will provide supply chain, content and marketplace e-business solutions to federal, state and local governments through its Public Sector, Aerospace, Defense and Airlines Business Unit. Jim White, former head of federal operations at both Digital Equipment Corp. and Platinum Technologies Inc., will lead the effort. The public sector division of the team will be based in Washington.

I2 officials view the company's entry into the government market as timely, because the General Accounting Office ? an investigative arm of Congress ? recommended in January that government agencies utilize private-sector best practices and commercial software solutions for supply chain and contract management.

i2 said it can provide an end-to-end e-business solution for government, including a procurement solution, supply chain and supplier relationship management tools and an open technology platform that directly addresses integration and implementation.

"We are excited about the opportunity to tackle the complex supply and program management challenges inherent to the public sector,'' said White, i2 senior vice president of the new unit. "Government agencies and aerospace enterprises have some of the most complicated supply and logistics chains in the world, and we believe that i2's proven ability to discover value and eliminate inefficiencies in these chains will result in dramatic new efficiencies.''