TestMart Awarded GSA Contract

SAN BRUNO, Calif., - September 18, 2002
TestMart, builder and operator of Web-based marketplaces for organizations procuring test equipment, today announced the award of a General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule contract. This award covers over 750 test and measurement products that will be added to NAVICPmart, a test equipment e-commerce marketplace operated under contract from the federal government specifically for the U.S. military, federal agencies and their contractors.

The addition of the GSA contract products to NAVICPmart means that authorized buyers can now research and select from nearly 1,000 new test and measurement products that are all under contract and are compliant with the federal Competition In Contracting Act (CICA). Specifically, the new GSA Schedule products augment the existing products in the catalog where the pricing, terms and conditions are pre-negotiated and pre-approved for purchase by federal and military personnel. This development further enhances NAVICPmart's position as the leading low-cost test equipment marketplace for the DoD, federal agencies and their contractors.

The GSA contract products will also be offered for sale at the GSA's e-commerce Web site, GSA Advantage!. The GSA which is a centralized federal procurement agency, provides government agencies with a simplified process for acquisitions. It offers a fast, cost-efficient method for government ordering offices to procure products or services and certifies that the product prices on the schedule are fair and reasonable. This methodology allows government agencies to purchase directly from GSA Schedule holders without exhaustive sole source procurement procedures or obtaining competitive pricing.

"The GSA schedule system is a modern concept in Government that was initiated in order to speed up the process of contracting work and procurement for Government agencies. The products offered under this schedule will be reflected in two on-line e-commerce marketplaces - www.navicpmart.com and www.gsaadvantage.gov and represents a major cost and time benefit to authorized customers of both marketplaces," TestMart's President and CEO Peter Ostrow explained.

Mr. Ostrow went on to say, "Specific to the NAVICPmart marketplace which is used today by federal agencies such as NASA, the FAA and FBI, the armed services and major contractors for all their test and measurement requirements, the inclusion of GSA schedule products means that much of the equipment on the Web site is offered under government contract, removing some of the time and contractual complexities typically associated with buying test equipment. The varied catalog of products at significant discounts, and various acquisitions methods, added to our wealth of reference materials, makes NAVICPmart the first choice for authorized procurement and engineering professionals alike. Through NAVICPmart, organizations are able to more effectively undertake life-cycle management for the test equipment assets."

TestMart was awarded 5-year GSA contract numbers GS-24F-0066M and GS-24F-0067M.

About NAVICPmart
NAVICPmart is the product of a service contract between the Naval Inventory Control Point (NAVICP), a Division of the Naval Supply Systems Command, and TestMart under contract number N00104-01-D-X407. Contract P.O.C. Ricky D. Rhoades, Code 0214.16, (717) 605-3234. NAVICPmart is the official e-commerce procurement portal for the Naval Inventory Control Point's (NAVICP) General Purpose Electronic Test Equipment (GPETE) division. NAVICP in Mechanicsburg, PA has negotiated a series of requirements contracts with test and measurement manufacturers for significant savings (Up to 70%) from the normal manufacturer's list price. For more information please visit www.navicpmart.com.

About the GSA
The US General Services Administration is a central management agency that sets Federal policy in such areas as Federal procurement, real property management, and information resources management. Founded in 1949, the agency is headquartered in Washington DC with regional offices in 11 US states. For more information on the GSA, please visit www.gsa.gov .