John Letzing of Marketwatch wrote an interesting story last week on Google’s DC-based federal sales division. Microsoft and many others have long sold technology related products to government. But as consumer database and online advertising companies, including Google, seek to secure federal contracts, what goes on should be transparent to the public. Here’s a few excerpts from Mr. Letzing’s fine article, which we urge you to read in its entirety:
“…Google is increasingly well positioned to tap at least one big spender to be found amid the economic malaise: the federal government…Some $20 billion in additional, wide-ranging federal spending is expected to go into technology as part of the recently-passed stimulus package…while the proposed 2010 budget should include at least three times as much for tech-related projects…Google, which in December leased 15,000 square feet of office space for a Washington-area outpost, pitches “search appliances” to agencies, or pieces of hardware installed within a network to facilitate quick access to internal documents and databases…Google has at least one key supporter of [Google] Apps in the new administration. On Thursday, President Obama named Vivek Kundra as the government’s chief information officer. In his former capacity as the District of Columbia’s chief technology officer, Kundra switched its public agencies to Google Apps from Microsoft…There may be even more evidence of Google’s federal bounty, if sales to classified intelligence agencies such as the National Security Agency were made public.”
Google in position to capture Uncle Sam’s spending: Federal agencies testing Google tools; a key fan is Obama’s new tech hire. John Letzing. Marketwatch. March 6, 2009
