• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Verizon Business to Provide Voice, Data Services to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Posted on: Tuesday, 7 July 2009, 06:00 CDT

ASHBURN, Va., July 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Business will provide the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with a comprehensive set of voice, data, collaboration and professional services under a new agreement through the Washington Interagency Telecommunications System (WITS 3) contract.

Under the agreement, valued at as much as $245 million if all options are exercised, Verizon Business will provide HHS with voice and data services, dedicated voice mail systems, and audio, video and Web conferencing. Verizon Business professional services experts will assist the department with conference room design and systems setup.

As the new agreement is implemented, HHS will be able to order from Verizon Business additional services - including security software and professional services -- that could increase the value of the agreement.

The U.S. General Services Administration's WITS 3 contract, which runs through 2015, covers local telecommunications and professional services and products for federal agencies in the National Capital Region, which includes Washington, D.C., and portions of the Maryland and Virginia suburbs. Verizon Business has previously provided voice and data services to the agency under the WITS2001 contract, the predecessor to WITS 3.

"The Department of Health and Human Services requires reliable communications as it works on behalf of the health and welfare of all Americans," said Susan Zeleniak, group president, Verizon Federal, a sales organization within Verizon Business dedicated to serving federal government customers. "As the leading communications provider to the federal government, we are continuing to work closely with our customers to meet their evolving communications and technological needs while helping them to achieve their mission of public service."

HHS is the U.S. government's main department for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves. The agencies under HHS perform a wide variety of tasks and services, including research, public health, food and drug safety, grants and other funding, and health insurance. Agencies include the Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Aging, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Food and Drug Administration, Health Resources and Services Administration, Indian Health Service, National Institutes of Health, Office of Inspector General, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Verizon Business is the largest provider of communications services to the U.S. federal government and one of the largest providers of advanced communications and information technology services globally. The company offers local-to-global network capabilities coupled with a broad range of telecommunications products and services -- including advanced Internet protocol (IP) services, professional services, managed network services and systems integration -- to all levels of government. With this broad portfolio of services, Verizon Business can provide federal agencies with one-stop shopping for their communications or connectivity needs. The company has built the next-generation services that are helping to transform the way government customers -- and their constituents -- do business.

About Verizon Business

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), is a global leader in communications and IT solutions. We combine professional expertise with the world's most connected IP network to deliver award-winning communications, IT, information security and network solutions. We securely connect today's extended enterprises of widespread and mobile customers, partners, suppliers and employees -- enabling them to increase productivity and efficiency and help preserve the environment. Many of the world's largest businesses and governments -- including 96 percent of the Fortune 1000 and thousands of government agencies and educational institutions -- rely on our professional and managed services and network technologies to accelerate their business. Find out more at www.verizonbusiness.com.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

SOURCE Verizon Business

Source: PR Newswire

More News in this Category