MICROSOFT TEAMS WITH BERRYMAN & HENIGAR E-GOVERNMENT FIRM, GOVPARTNER

SAN DIEGO, CA, May 1, 2001 -- Microsoft Government announced it is teaming with San Diego-based GovPartner (the e-government affiliate of the municipal management consulting firm, Berryman & Henigar). The arrangement extends GovPartner's existing platform aimed at modernizing local government through superior information technology resources and an unmatched understanding of local government.

Microsoft, Berryman & Henigar and GovPartner executives say they expect their collaboration will bring improved services and technology solutions for small and medium-sized governments across the country as the demand for e-government continues to grow.

GovPartner will serve as a Microsoft Government Partner, and work closely with Microsoft's State and Local Government division to develop strategies for increasing and improving e-Government services. GovPartner also serves as a Microsoft Exclusive Certified Business Partner, and its systems are dedicated to Microsoft's Windows-based platform. GovPartner will adopt the Microsoft.NET platform for next-generation e-government solutions, which will enable a new level of interoperability among computers, devices and services.

Last September, Berryman & Henigar/GovPartner was granted exclusive license from the City of Sunnyvale, Calif., on various e-government programs developed by the city, including the award-winning online permitting system, PermitPartner. This system was co-developed by Microsoft and the City of Sunnyvale through a local initiative, Joint Venture: Silicon Valley.

"This follows a natural progression for us in working with experienced, innovative service providers in local government," said Frank Giebutowski, General Manager, Microsoft State and Local Government. "We're looking forward to working with Berryman & Henigar and GovPartner to deliver meaningful e-government solutions and citizen services."

Since its formation in 1999, GovPartner has stood out among other e-government companies for its established relationships with the 400-plus local government agencies Berryman & Henigar has served over the past 25 years. Among the company's offerings are a combination of best-of-breed internal management systems (CommunityDevelopmentPartner) and online transactional modules (PermitPartner, RequestPartner and ReservePartner). GovPartner systems are offered through a hosted model, or can be implemented on a local government's existing infrastructure.

Citing an independent study that found 82 percent of city managers want their e-government solutions delivered by a municipal consulting firm rather than an information technology company, officials at Berryman & Henigar/GovPartner are confident in their unique business model.

"We have always believed that e-government is not only a function of technology, but that the real impact is realized as local governments redefine the way they conduct their processes and provide service to the public," said Scott C. Kvandal, President of Berryman & Henigar and CEO of GovPartner.

"Berryman & Henigar has been a leader to local governments for as long as Microsoft has been providing technology solutions - and that's an extremely powerful combination for e-government clients and business partners," said Microsoft's Giebutowski.

"Berryman & Henigar/GovPartner's business model is based on meeting customer demands through experience and hands-on consultancy with each technology solution," Giebutowski added. "This is a proven approach that Microsoft hopes to expand upon by teaming with GovPartner."

About GovPartner

As an affiliate company of Berryman & Henigar, Inc., GovPartner provides comprehensive and affordable e-Government solutions for cities, counties, and special district government agencies. In addition to developing effective, long-term e-Government plans, GovPartner implements various web-enabled applications including online permitting, service requests, reservation and payment of facilities and classes - available through a hosted model. GovPartner also provides powerful workflow management tools that interact with the online transactional systems. Please visit http://www.govpartner.com for more information, or call 888.256.5777.

About Berryman & Henigar

Berryman & Henigar, Inc. is a municipal professional services firm headquartered in San Diego, CA, with 14 offices nationwide. The firm provides municipal engineering, public finance, asset management, community development, construction management and e-Government services to public agencies nationwide. With a staff of over 350 professionals, Berryman & Henigar is ranked as one of the top 250 consulting engineering companies by Engineering News-Record. Further information is available on the Web at http://www.bhiinc.com.

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