Security Bullet In
Communiques from the security front, sir
Tuesday 26 May 2009, 5:26 PM
Red Hat to appeal Swiss Microsoft decision
The Swiss Federal Bureau for Building and Logistics awarded Microsoft a three-year desktop licence and maintenance contract, worth 14 million Swiss Francs per year, without putting the contract out to tender.
The Swiss line was that there were no viable alternative suppliers, according to Red Hat. "Au contraire," said the Red Hat legal team, pointing out that Swiss organisations already using Red Hat products include the Federal Agency for Computer Sciences and and Telecommunictions (BIT) and the Federal Institute for Intellectual Property (IGE).
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This, interestingly, dovetails with the following news:
Microsoft's Bulk Deal With New Zealand Collapses
Quoting:
If you are a government agency this is just about the worst possible outcome. Now is the time to consider alternatives to Microsoft. We must never again allow our Government to get into this situation. State Services Commission press release follows:
Outcome of G2009 Microsoft negotiations
26 May 2009
The State Services Commission today announced the government has concluded negotiations with Microsoft on a pan-government agreement for the next three years.
It became apparent during discussions that a formal agreement with Microsoft is no longer appropriate.
Microsoft have agreed to provide recommended retail price certainty for agencies as a basis for their individual negotiations, and the State Services Commission will be supporting agencies to explore how they can maximise their ICT investment and achieve greater value for money.
Since 2000 the government has negotiated a series of three-year agreements with Microsoft, enabling public sector agencies to purchase Microsoft products on an opt-in basis.
In late 2008 the State Services Commission commenced leading the re-negotiation of the G2006 Microsoft agreement on behalf of government agencies, and established an advisory steering committee comprised of senior executives from the largest IT purchasers in the public sector.
Contact: Marian Mortensen, State Services Commission: 04 495 6620 or 021 2441475
Microsoft are trying to use the technique that they successfully used in response to the US monopoly's commission ruling which is to wait for a change of guard. The delay that they have put in place means that the people who are in charge of the current case have to go through an election cycle and as such there is a high probability that they will be voted out. It will be interesting to see where the elected officials who replace them will obtain their campaign funding.
Either way I think that Microsoft aren't going to win this battle. But we shall see.
