VA Contract for Communications Worth $450 Million

Windstream awarded contract with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Contract to improve service consolidation efforts for VA facilities nationwide
Aug 04, 2015

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.,—Windstream (NASDAQ: WIN), a leading provider of advanced network communications and managed services, announced today that it is one of three awardees of a contract to provide voice, data and Internet services for the federal government’s Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Information and Technology (OIT) under the National Consolidation of Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) Services Contract. This award, with a ceiling of over $450M over the next five years, provides Windstream’s comprehensive solutions portfolio to 2,100 VA facilities across the nation.

This new contract is designed to reduce costs and support management. It allows installation of Windstream’s technology solutions at 2,100 facilities nationwide, helping the VA further consolidate its communication services for even greater efficiency and reliability, supporting the OIT’s enterprise-level management of its LEC services.

“In the past, the VA’s local voice, data and internet services have been decentralized. By continuing its consolidation efforts and implementing more formalized management of its LEC services, the VA is able to strengthen all of its communications solutions, leveraging Windstream’s reliable, nationwide fiber network,” said Michael Magliato, vice president of government solutions at Windstream. “While this also supports the federal government’s overall budgetary and organizational goals, it allows the VA to offer higher quality service to our nation’s veterans – and Windstream is proud to be part of that effort.”

Windstream will provide multi-location VA medical center clinics and facilities with services such as local voice and high-speed Ethernet Internet services, as well as customized solutions to support complex telehealth initiatives. Rural clinics also will benefit from teleconferencing technology in order to communicate with hard-to-reach patients and medical practitioners.

“The strength and reliability of the Windstream network is foundational to the essential communication needs of federal government offices and its employees,” said David Works, president of enterprise at Windstream. “As a U.S Navy veteran, I’m personally committed to ensuring that we provide our government with the reliable and secure technology solutions that will assist in the efficient delivery of healthcare to veterans across the nation.”

Windstream offers a full suite of advanced network communications and technology solutions, including voice and data services such as VoIP access, SIP trunking, MPLS and dedicated high-speed Internet. Windstream also offers managed services, cloud computing, disaster recovery and networking services designed to help businesses increase productivity and improve operational costs. For more information, visit windstreambusiness.com.