IBM agreement clears way for CGI award
By
Nick Wakeman
IBM's agreement to withdraw its protest of an EPA contract will enable CGI Federal, which originally won the contract last year, to help the agency modernize its financial management system.
IBM Corp.'s agreement to withdraw its protest of an Environmental Protection Agency contract has cleared the way for the award to go to CGI Federal Inc.
The $83 million contract was at the heart of the controversy that resulted in IBM's weeklong suspension from new government work.
CGI originally won the contract last year to help the agency modernize its financial management system. IBM filed a protest, and it was during that process that IBM employees are alleged to have improperly received information from an EPA employee.
As part of its agreement to get the suspension lifted, IBM said it would withdraw its protest.
The investigation is continuing.
Under the 10-year contract, CGI will act as the shared-services provider for EPA's Financial System Modernization Project
The award is important to the company because it fits with its strategy of delivering "managed services across technology management, application management, systems integration and consulting and business process services to the federal government," said Donna Morea, president of CGI's U.S. operations.
The contract also is the largest procurement CGI has won under the Financial Management Line of Business initiative. The General Services Administration, the Administrative Office for the U.S. Courts and the Corporation for National and Community Service also have picked CGI and its Momentum software for financial system shared services.