IBM’s Mid-Market Built on Express Advantage Offerings Surpass 500 Deployments Worldwide

IBM Business Partners Continue to Drive Customer Innovation Through Built on IBM Express Advantage solutions

ARMONK, NY - 21 Sep 2006: IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced today it recently surpassed the major milestone of its 500th deployed offering under the Built on IBM Express Advantage program, launched in April, 2005. The initiative builds on IBM’s Express Advantage offerings and offers IBM Business Partners a full range of hardware, software, service and financing solutions, designed exclusively for the mid-market.

The success of IBM’s Built on IBM Express Advantage offerings is a testament to the ease with which IBM Business Partners can enroll in and benefit from this initiative. Enrollment requires that IBM Business Partners utilize one IBM Express Advantage offering and complete one mid-market installation. The program is inclusive of all IBM Business Partners types and focuses on enabling Partners who serve the mid-market by providing them with the targeted support and offerings to deliver their own mid-market applications and services to this key customer set.

The pay-off to both IBM Business Partners and to the mid-market clients they serve is that the partners can focus their attention on developing leading-edge industry and infrastructure solutions on the IBM Express Advantage offerings platform. Built on IBM Express Advantage opens the door for IBM Business Partners to take advantage of IBM’s vast resources, and use these resources as leverage for developing their own high-value solutions and services for the mid-market.

“IBM’s Built on Express Advantage program allows a company like NSI to build a solutions-focused business, raising us above the commodity clutter and enabling us to provide complete business solutions to our mid-sized customers,” said Tom McDonald, President of New England Systems Inc, an IBM Business Partner.

“For a small non-profit organization like the Connecticut Technology Council, IBM’s Built on Express Solutions like Email Carwash, developed by IBM Business Partner NSI, offer the security and proven effectiveness of a solution we know works, is easy to install and seamless to manage,” said Mike Scricca, Director of Membership, Connecticut Technology Council.

Built on IBM Express Advantage offers customers the ability to deal with trusted local experts, IBM Business Partners, who have the resources of IBM at their disposal to create total business solutions based on IBM’s Express Advantage offerings. Only after a solution is deployed and market-tested does it earn the Built on IBM Express Advantage seal.

“Built on IBM Express Advantage offerings are key drivers of innovation and sustained competitive advantage,” said Elaine Case, Director, Express Advantage and Influencer Initiatives. “The Built on IBM Express Advantage formula is straightforward -- combining the expert skills and local delivery capabilities of our Business Partners with specifically designed IBM Express offerings to bring proven solutions to the mid-market on a global scale.”

Business and infrastructure solutions represent the fastest growing segment of the $500 billion SMB marketplace. Through Built on IBM Express Advantage, IBM Business Partners combine their vast range of IT products, services and local market expertise with IBM offerings to form true partnerships for higher customer value. IBM’s broad network of consultants, integrators, software vendors and value-added resellers and distributors have specific expertise in every industry, and are capable of discussing and identifying business issues, as well as recommending, customizing and implementing solutions to meet those issues.

“The Built on Express program from IBM allows Pacific Software Associates and other IBM Business Partners to offer problem solving results instead of merely a collection of technologies to our customers. When it’s a Built on Express solution we know it works, we know it’s been tested and we know it will solve our customers’ problems,” said Al Davis, CEO of Pacific Software Associates.

Business Partner Ecosystem

In April 2005, IBM launched the Built on IBM Express Advantage initiative to engage IBM Business Partners who have built solutions on IBM Express offerings. Under this initiative, IBM Business Partners who have built solutions on at least one IBM Express offering can use a Built on IBM Express trademark that signifies their solution has been successfully installed in a SMB environment. IBM Business Partners also have the opportunity to promote their solution on an IBM Express Website in selected countries. More than 350 IBM Business Partners worldwide have participated in Built on IBM Express since its launch last year. The Built on IBM Express Advantage Offerings initiative has also become a key part of PartnerWorld Express Advantage.

For more information on Built on IBM Express and other resources and tools for IBM Business Partners focused on mid-sized customers, visit www.ibm.com/partnerworld/smb.

Contact Information

Cynthia Conway

IBM Media Relations

IBM

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