Juniper Networks Selected For New Western States Contracting Alliance Procurement Vehicle

Juniper Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: JNPR), the leader in high-performance networking, today announced that it has been chosen as one of the contractors for the Western States Contracting Alliance (WSCA) data communications contract. The cooperative purchasing vehicle allows WSCA member organizations to take advantage of Juniper Networks’ high-performance network infrastructure to help manage risk and reduce operational costs. WSCA provides state members with a competed purchasing vehicle that allows them to leverage their collective purchasing power for obtaining a variety of networking products and services. Additionally, member state political subdivisions – city and county governments as well as public and higher education entities – may use the purchasing vehicle.

“Juniper Networks is thrilled to participate in WSCA’s latest data communications contract,”“ said Haywood Talcove, vice president, Public Sector Americas, Juniper Networks. ”In the U.S., a range of Juniper Networks technology is already deployed by 47 of 50 state governments, 80 percent of local governments and more than a quarter of higher education institutions. We believe that WSCA’s selection of Juniper Networks as a contractor will help streamline and simplify the acquisition process so that even more government and education entities can buy our networking and security solutions at significant cost savings"

Following a competitive evaluation of vendor candidates, WSCA established this data communications contract, the first to include network security and only the second data communications contract since WSCA’s founding in 1993. The contract covers all aspects of data communications equipment, including routers, switches, security, monitoring and associated original equipment manufacturer (OEM) maintenance and training. Additionally, it allows for new products to be added to the product list, provided that they are within the scope of the original bid and discounted appropriately.

WSCA limited responses to its RFP to manufacturers in order to foster a partnership between them and state procurement officers as well as to enlist manufacturers’ help in identifying technologies that address state and local government and education specific needs and requirements.

The State of Utah’s Division of Purchasing and General Services was the lead state conducting this procurement and award, but both WSCA member and non-member states can execute participating addendums using the Utah contract as a baseline to add their required purchasing language without completing an additional RFP process.

The WSCA data communications contract has the possibility of existing for a total of seven years with an initial May 31, 2010 expiration date. The contract is eligible for two, two-year extensions.