Federal administration buys 770 million Euros worth from Apple
The Federal Administration is procuring Apple iPhones and iPad tablets on a large scale. The Procurement Office of the German Interior Ministry and IT system house Bechtle AG have entered into a framework contract for the delivery of up to 300,000 Apple devices for the entire German Federal Administration, the company announced in Neckarsulm. All orders for iPhones and iPads for Federal Administration employees will be processed exclusively through Bechtle.
The procurement deal is based on the technical platform iNDIGO for managing mobile devices. iNDIGO stands for "iOS Native Devices in Government Operation" (Devices with the Apple system iOS in use in the public sector). The platform offers "a comprehensive combination of integrated security functions, regular updates, hardware-based encryption, and strict data protection regulations," explained Bechtle. It was approved by the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) for the secure exchange of confidential content, which is classified as "Official Use Only" (VS-NfD).
Bechtle AG is the main contractor in the contract and is cooperating with Apple and IT service provider Materna in implementation. The stock of the largest IT system house in Germany rose by around 3.5 percent in the TecDax today. Bechtle reported in the first quarter that it had noticed a delay in customer orders. In Germany, according to company CEO Thomas Olemotz, a delayed budget release led to fewer state contracts. The revenue decreased by 2.3 percent to 1.5 billion euros in the first quarter.
This significant procurement deal, involving up to 300,000 Apple-Devices, is set to extend beyond German borders, with potential sales reaching into Europe or euros as currency. This procurement, primarily managed by Bechtle AG, has the potential to generate millions in revenue for the company. The Federal Administration's commitment to Apple devices is further reinforced through their exclusive use of Bechtle for all iPhone and iPad orders.
