Symantec, DOD sign enterprise security software deal

Symantec Corp. of Cupertino, Calif., has made an enterprise software agreement with the Defense Department that will enable DOD agencies to get access to more than 6,000 of the company's information assurance hardware and software products and services.

The Air Force Operations and Sustainment Systems Group, acting on behalf of DOD's Enterprise Software Initiative, signed a blanket purchase agreement with Symantec that became effective Sept. 13. All Defense organizations, the Coast Guard, intelligence agencies and authorized Defense contractors can place orders using the BPA.

"This BPA provides the full line of Symantec Corp. products and services with considerable discounts on software licenses, hardware, software maintenance and training/services," according to a release posted on the Defense Department's ESI site.

immixGroup Inc. of McLean, Va., announced it had obtained the ESI deal for Symantec.

The products being offered at a discount on the BPA fall under eight main categories including virus protection, anti-spam and anti-spyware software, content filtering, firewalls/VPN, integrated security, intrusion protection and security management.

The BPA allows increased discounts on volume software license purchases, software licenses bundled with maintenance, and enterprise software license agreements.

The Enterprise Software Initiative is a joint DOD program to develop or procure standard software and hardware across the Defense enterprise. The objectives, according to officials, are to save money and improve information sharing.

Dawn S. Onley is a senior writer for Washington Technology's sister publication, Government Computer News.