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The Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) today announced it has awarded a contract for email and related messaging services for approximately 59,000 state employees to Tempus Nova, a Small, Women-owned and Minority-owned (SWaM) certified business, specializing in Google solutions.

"This new contract will allow us to deliver agile technology services for the commonwealth and can provide significant savings opportunities," said Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the Commonwealth Nelson Moe. Moe is agency head of VITA, which oversees information technology (IT) infrastructure services and contracts for Virginia’s executive branch agencies.

Moe said there are numerous benefits to working with Tempus Nova, including:

• Relevant experience as a leader in other states and with other governmental bodies using a Google solution
• Proven ability to execute to plan
• Flexibility to address needs
• Support above and beyond standard Google services

The contract award was the result of a competitive procurement. It followed an in-depth, multi-agency evaluation of responses to VITA’s request for proposals (RFP) for messaging services. The RFP was developed and evaluated by collaborative, multi-agency work groups and was issued publicly in February. It was separated into four subcomponents: email, enterprise collaboration, directory and authentication services, and mobile device management. Suppliers could submit proposals for one, several or all of these service components. Supplier responses were scored according to standard, pre- established benchmarks. The award was made based upon demonstrated, measurable benefit to the commonwealth and contract users. Tempus Nova will provide email, enterprise collaboration and mobile device management services. Nine different suppliers submitted proposals for one or more components in the RFP. No proposals were received from suppliers for directory and authentication services.

Messaging services currently are provided under a contract with Northrop Grumman. The contract will expire in June 2019 and is not eligible for renewal. Integris Applied was engaged to help develop a strategy for the commonwealth to determine actions to prepare for the end of the contract and how infrastructure services will be provided after the contract expires. Following extensive stakeholder involvement and research, the recommendation was to start now to disentangle some services from the current contract and adopt a multi-supplier model with a services integrator.

"The IT infrastructure program with Northrop Grumman positioned Virginia as a national leader in consolidating IT services and has garnered awards since its inception in 2006," said Moe. He said VITA will work closely with Northrop Grumman and Tempus Nova to ensure smooth transition of messaging services to the new supplier.