You seen this?---IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 24, 1997--Hughes Data
Systems, a unit of Hughes Aircraft Co., Monday announced that with
the dismissal of protests on the $172 million Patent and Trademark
Office (PTO) workstation contract, the company has received its
first orders.
Hughes Data Systems also announced the approval of a significant
technology upgrade to the contract. Responding to customer
requirements for increased processing power, Hughes Data Systems has
replaced the Pentium 120 and 133 MHz Micron systems with 180 MHz
Micron Pentium Pro workstations. Valued at more than $9.6 million,
the first orders are all for the new Pentium Pro workstations.
The products offered by Hughes Data Systems utilize top-of-the-
line components and provide the PTO with state-of-the-art
workstations that are optimized for data retrieval and image
processing. Hughes Data Systems offers a two-year, on-site parts-
replacement warranty to the PTO. The offer brings the power of
fully supported Pentium Pro platforms within the reach of
``lifecycle'' cost-sensitive agencies.
Hughes Data Systems offers three configurations on the contract,
with a wide selection of options and accessories. Priced at $3,540,
the Level I Workstation offers a 180 MHz Pentium Pro system, 32 MB
RAM, a 2.1 GB Enhanced IDE Seagate hard disk drive, a Plextor CD-ROM
drive, a 2 MB Diamond Multimedia graphics board, an Adaptec SCSI-III
controller, an Intel EtherExpress Pro 100 network-interface card, a
U.S. Robotics fax modem, a Creative Labs sound card and a 17-inch
high-resolution CTX color monitor.
The Level II Workstation provides a 180 MHz Pentium Pro system,
64 MB RAM, a 2.1 GB SCSI Ultra Wide Seagate hard disk drive, a
Plextor CD-ROM drive, an Adaptec SCSI-III controller, an Intel
EtherExpress Pro 100 network-interface card, a U.S. Robotics fax
modem, a Matrox 4 MB video adapter and a Hitachi 21-inch ultrahigh-
resolution color monitor. The price is $5,242.
Priced at $6,461, the Patent Examiner Workstation offers the
same capabilities as the Level II configuration but increases the
storage capacity by substituting two 4.3 GB Ultra Wide SCSI Seagate
hard disk drives for the single 2.1 GB drive. Microsoft Windows NT
3.51 Workstation is available as an optional operating system.
While the systems support a vast series of applications, the
majority of the workstations will be used for data retrieval and
high-resolution imaging applications used by patent examiners to
investigate new patents relative to archives. The offered systems
are also ideally suited for other demanding applications, such as
CAD/CAM and cartography.
``Hughes Data Systems is committed to offering the most
versatile and powerful systems at the most competitive prices,
accompanied by customer service and support of the highest
standard,'' stated Richard Dovala, PTO program manager, Hughes Data
Systems.
``We are excited by the early momentum on this contract, and
will continue to work with the program office to refresh the vehicle
to ensure that it remains the premier civilian agency contract for
high-end Pentium Pro workstation procurement.''
Hughes Data Systems is the prime contractor on the PTO contract.
With a potential value of about $172 million, PTO is a firm,
fixed-price, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ)
contract supplying systems to the Patent & Trademark Office, the
Department of Commerce and other civilian agencies. The contract
calls for a one-year ordering period with two one-year options.
While the contract is focused on the Patent & Trademark Office,
it is open to all federal civilian agencies. Federal agencies can
access up to 28 percent of the $172 million delegation of
procurement authority -- 14 percent Department of Commerce, 14
percent other federal civilian agencies.
Hughes Data Systems is a unit of Hughes Aircraft, which is a
unit of Hughes Electronics Corp. The earnings of Hughes Electronics
are used to calculate the earnings per share attributable to GMH
(NYSE) common stock.
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