Versata, AMS Agree to Software Deal

By Jennifer Freer, Staff Writer


MAY 8 - Versata Inc. of Oakland, Calif., signed a deal May 8 with American Management Systems Inc. to make AMS' government e-business services available on the Web


The partnership combines AMS' Advantage Management System and Versata's E-Business Automations Sy
stem. Together, the systems "will enable government agencies to achieve delivery of products and services in
a dramatically short time frame," said Bob Butler, AMS' vice president of state and local government practices.


Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but an AMS official said the contract was in the mu
ltimillion dollar range for Versata.


AMS is licensing the Versata E-Business Automations System for an unlimited time, company officials said. The software decreases the time needed to change and implement Web applications by eliminating code programming.


AMS Advantage already offers 300 state and local government agencies e-business software products that
provide solutions for financial management, human resource management, procurement and budgeting to government
agencies.


The deal allows Versata to expand its applications and strengthen its position in the public sector, said Mike DeVries, Versata's vice president of marketing and business development


Fairfax, Va.-based AMS expects to announce agencies who will use the newly combined software package by
the end of the year. None have signed up for the package as of yet.