Softshare becomes first Value Added Network to be Certified by DoD under New Agreement

SANTA BARBARA, CA. – March 10, 1997 – In an industry that affects 350,000 companies, Softshare Information Services, a leading provider of EDI services, set a precedent today by becoming the first Value Added Network (VAN) to be certified by the Department of Defense under the new Network License Agreement. The new, more stringent certification procedures were introduced in October 1996 by the Defense Information Services Agency to ensure that all networks participating in the government’s electronic purchasing program, FACNET, are meeting a common set of requirements. FACNET is a federally mandated program that requires government purchasing offices to solicit bidding opportunities via electronic data interchange (EDI) and requires government contractors to respond via EDI. Because FACNET affects thousands of companies, the federal government established a system where certified Networks act as the electronic postman between buyer and contractor saving them the time and money that would be necessary to communicate individually with each contractor. As the first, fully certified VAN, Softshare is uniquely positioned to help the government’s electronic commerce purchasing program reach its full potential of 350,000 contractors.

Softshare Information Services successfully completed all testing phases of the new certification procedure including an on-site inspection of all primary and backup facilities, connectivity testing to the government’s processing centers, and load testing of system capacity. Softshare also demonstrated its ability to provide 100% redundancy of data, data security and data recovery in the event of a disaster. Because Softshare provides translation software in addition to its network services, software compliance testing was included in the certification procedure. Through all phases of testing, Softshare met or exceeded the provisions put forth by the federal government’s stricter certification parameters. Because the certification process is expected to take 60 days for each individual Network and Softshare is the only one to have passed the initial site survey requirements, it is doubtful that there will be any additional certifications in the near future.

Since the federal government established its EDI purchasing program, Softshare has proven itself a leader in the government procurement arena. Softshare was one of only six networks to participate in the federal government’s pilot EDI program, GATEC, which was initiated in 1992. In 1994, Softshare was one of the first VANs to operate under the preliminary FACNET certification. Immediately recognizing the need for a single source solution that combined easy-to-use software with an integrated network, Softshare was the first VAN to introduce Windows-based EDI translation software, called Link for Windows™ , that offered preprogrammed government overlays in addition to integrated network services. Taking it one step further, Softshare was also the first VAN established for government EDI purposes to add commercial EDI to its network and software solution. Today, Softshare combines all of these advances into one comprehensive program that offers both government and commercial EDI services through one software package and one network connection.

Today, Softshare credits its tremendous accomplishments to its ability to grow and change with the times. Frank Gott, President of Softshare, states, "We are committed to offering an integrated solution to electronic commerce. The fact that commerce is becoming digital should only assist and never hamper business. Making information technology actually work for people is what Softshare is all about." Softshare’s appeal to the public is clearly evidenced by the more than 18,000 companies currently using Softshare’s various network, software, and EDI services.