Optimus' prime deal

Polish IT solutions supplier Optimus was chosen by the Ministry of National Education (MENiS) to provide wide-range computer equipment to 1,327 schools from Poland's biggest region as a part of a limited tender. The zł.52-million transaction signed by Optimus and a consortium of ABG Ster-Project, MCSI, and Lumena, obliges the companies to equip schools in Mazowieckie, Podlaskie and Lubelskie voivodships.

The contract is the biggest one-off deal in Optimus' history, exceeding 10 percent of the company's own capital. The order must be completed by December 1. The company's management board expects further contracts this year with MENiS on equipping schools with computers. "We believe that this is just the beginning of big procurements in the public sector. It is a great success for our company - once again our offer was chosen," boasts the vice president of Optimus, Małgorzata Walczak.

This year, as a result of another tender, Optimus also provided 840 PCs to the Ministry of Science and Information Society. "Such large orders enable us to cut down on production costs," says Walczak. Indeed, large-scale orders for the public sector boost production volumes, which in turn enable the company to exploit its potential and increase profits.

Other groups that were chosen by MENiS in the tender to supply, install and integrate internet workrooms are: a consortium of Aram and ComputerLand, which is equipping schools in Podkarpackie, Małopolskie, and Śląskie voivodships for zł.64 million; a consortium of Incom, Emax, and Winuel computerizing schools in Świętokrzyskie, Łódzkie, Wielkopolskie, Opolskie and Dolnośląskie voivodships for zł.64 million; and Comarch, which provided equipment in Lubuskie, Zachodniopomorskie, Pomorskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie and Kujawsko-Pomorskie regions for zł.55 million.