Unisys’ IT assistance to Minneapolis to run through 2015

Unisys Corp. has received a contract extension worth an estimated $33 million to provide further IT outsourcing services to the city of Minneapolis.

Under the extension, Unisys will provide the services to the city government through 2015, nearly three years beyond the previously contracted expiration date of Jan. 31, 2012, according to a Unisys announcement today.

Unisys will now expand services to include cloud-based e-mail management and managed security, and will also continue managing the city’s IT infrastructure, from the data center to desktops and mobile devices used for public safety.

Under the extension, Unisys will provide city employees with e-mail service delivered through a cloud computing model based on Unisys’ Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS).

The UCaaS solution will provide Minneapolis with streamlined management, archiving and retrieval of 4,200 Microsoft Exchange/Outlook e-mail mailboxes, at lower cost than previous methods.

Unisys also will modernize the city’s IT security infrastructure and management capabilities.

These services are intended to protect municipal operations from the sophisticated cyber attacks that have become increasingly common over the Internet and to provide a more secure environment for residents seeking services online, the Unisys statement said.

The company also plans to consolidate the number of devices attached to the city’s networks to reduce vulnerability points and lower equipment costs.

In addition, Unisys will provide managed security services such as ongoing analytics and event management, delivered from Unisys’ Eagan, Minn., data center, to make it easier to identify and deflect potential cyber attacks.

The services benefit all departments of the city government – including the mayor's office, city council, fire and police departments and the public works department – enabling them to deliver services to residents more efficiently and cost-effectively, the statement said.

Unisys, of Blue Bell, Pa., ranks No. 38 on Washington Technology’s 2010 Top 100 list of the largest federal government contractors.