Corruption: 'Microsoft Deal' with Government to Go Under Investigation

(CC-BY-SA garethr)

Press sources are reporting that the Jordanian Anti-Corruption Commission will look into the 2010 deal signed between the Jordanian Government and 3 companies to provide Microsoft products licenses and related support to public administration.

The agreement, signed by Marwan Juma former Minister of Information and Communication Technology, provided the kingdom's ministries and public agencies with software and training at the cost of 14 million JD ($18,7 million) and was signed on 21/6/2010. News websites are asking if the Commission will inquire with the former minister who represented the government in the signing of the deal.

Al-Arab Al-Yawm daily cited a source saying that "only one company within the three which signed the deal as a coalition was conform to the requirements published in the bid/tender". The deal required from companies which implemented the products on behalf of Microsoft to be within Microsoft's Large Account Resellers, to provide a performance guarantee (bond) of 10% of the total value of the deal, to provide certified technical resources for 73 training courses and several conditions for training centers.

In addition, the agreement also obliged the three companies to obtain permissions from the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology in the case of dealing with third parties or external consultants in order to provide the products or the support.

A similar agreement was signed in 2007 at a cost of $8.7 million.

UPDATE (28/4/2011): The Anti-Corruption Commision closed the investigation case without charges, AmmanNet reported.