CDW-G Named to the State of Oregon's Smart Buy Agreement for Laptops

    Business Editors/High-Tech Editors/Government Writers

    VERNON HILLS, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 14, 2005--CDW Government, Inc. (CDW-G), the government and education subsidiary of CDW Corporation (NASDAQ:CDWC) and leading supplier of brand-name Information Technology (IT) products and services to governments and educators, today announced it has been awarded a two-year Price Agreement to provide laptops and peripherals as part of the state of Oregon's Smart Buy program. Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski and the state instituted Oregon Smart Buy to realize sustainable cost savings through more effective purchasing practices.
    The state of Oregon invests an estimated $48 million per year in computer technology products. Through the Smart Buy program, Oregon will leverage the state's collective purchasing power to obtain from CDW-G the best combination of quality products and services, while saving money and promoting accountability in statewide procurement. The agreement, which has a renewal option for up to three one-year extensions, calls for CDW-G to provide IBM laptops and a broad array of peripherals - including products from Infocus, Microsoft and Xerox - to more than 100 Oregon agencies that purchase under the state's Department of Administrative Services (DAS) authority. Additionally, the agreement enables hundreds of municipalities, city and local governments, state universities, school districts and agencies that are part of the Oregon Cooperative Purchasing Program (ORCPP) to benefit from increased procurement efficiency.
    "We leveraged CDW-G's strong relationships with its supplier partners and its extensive product line to select the best, leading-edge technology products to meet our agencies' laptop computer and peripheral needs," said Dugan Petty, deputy administrator at the state of Oregon. "The agreement with CDW-G provides Oregon with fast and easy access to the right technologies and associated order tracking services, enabling our agencies, local governments and schools to deliver enhanced services to our citizen and business constituents. Further, it allows the state to leverage its collective purchasing power to obtain maximum value for the taxpayer dollar."
    Oregon will also enjoy a variety of services on CDW-G's extranet, which provides personalized access to consolidated purchasing and account management information. CDW-G will provide the state with a customized extranet site that delivers secure access to the assigned CDW-G account teams, product information and purchase history. Customers can track their orders, manage asset-tagged hardware and order configured products via the extranet - providing unprecedented visibility into, and control over, the purchasing process.
    "We commend Oregon for its commitment to enhancing efficiency by leveraging statewide technology purchasing and deployment agreements," said Chris Rother, CDW-G vice president for education, state and local sales. "CDW-G will respond to Oregon's IT needs with a sense of urgency, making sure they implement technologies that enable them to attain their objectives efficiently. Overall, Oregon will be able to select what it needs from the best the IT industry has to offer, at lower costs, and to enjoy ongoing support."
    CDW-G partners with leading IT companies to deliver more than 100,000 products featuring top IT brands from over 1,400 manufacturers, providing public-sector customers with best-in-class products and solutions.

    About CDW-G

    A wholly owned subsidiary of CDW Corporation (NASDAQ:CDWC), a FORTUNE 500 company, CDW Government (CDW-G) is a trusted technology advisor to federal, state and local government agencies, as well as to educational institutions at all levels. CDW-G offers best-in-class technology products and services from top-name brands such as APC, Cisco, IBM, Sony, Symantec, Toshiba and ViewSonic. For more information about CDW-G product offerings, procurement options, service and solutions, call 1.800.863.4239, or visit the CDW-G Web site at CDWG.com.

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CONTACT: CDW-G Public Relations Barbara Crystal, 847-968-0710 bcrystal@cdw.com or O'Keeffe & Company Gail Repsher Emery, 703-883-9000 ext. 113 gemery@okco.com

KEYWORD: OREGON ILLINOIS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS EDUCATION GOVERNMENT NETWORKING PRODUCT MARKETING AGREEMENTS SOURCE: CDW Government, Inc. (CDW-G)

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