Verizon Business to Help Meet California's High-Tech Consulting Needs

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- As California seeks to consolidate its high-tech resources to operate more efficiently and effectively, the state has awarded Verizon Business a new contract for a wide array of professional consulting services.  

Verizon Business was among awardees selected by the California Department of General Services under the state's IT professional services master agreement, which has a total value of as much as $330 million over five years.

The agreement, which expands and deepens the company's long-standing relationship with the state, authorizes Verizon Business to compete for business to provide state agencies information technology (IT) consulting services under three categories: independent verification and validation, including creating timelines and risk assessment; project implementation activities, including systems analysis, design implementation and database design; and project support activities, including IT facilitation and technical writing.

The state of California spends more than $3 billion a year on IT and telecommunications services.  Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last month signed into law legislation intended to improve and consolidate the state's IT infrastructure and increase government efficiency, including reducing the total amount of energy used  by IT and telecommunications equipment.  The reductions are 20 percent by July 1, 2011, and 30 percent by July 1, 2012.

"Verizon Business already provides high-performance technology solutions to the state of California, and we look forward to helping the state streamline the business of government," said Blair Crump, Verizon Business group president of worldwide sales. "Our state government customers are looking for new ways to make the most of limited budgets, and our expertise can help them meet their evolving goals."

Verizon Business is a leader in providing government agencies of all sizes one-stop shopping for their communications and IT needs. The company has built the next-generation services -- including IT, security, communications, network and professional consulting services -- that are helping agencies make the most of their technology and transform the way government customers -- and their constituents -- do business.

About Verizon Business

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), is a global leader in communications and IT solutions. We combine professional expertise with one of the world's most connected IP networks 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.

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SOURCE Verizon Business