Veterans Affairs taps contractor to build mobile apps store, software

Firstview Federal Technology Solutions LLC will provide the Veterans Affairs Department with both a cloud-based mobile application store and mobile device management software under a $4.4 million contract awarded last week, a company official told Nextgov.

Jerry Ambrosh, senior vice president of health solutions at LongView International Technology Solutions Inc., which does business as Firstview, said the company has tapped Agilex Technologies Inc. as its core subcontractor on the three-year VA agreement.

Agilex supports federal agencies that use Apple iPads. VA kicked off a tablet test last year with 1,000 iPads, though Chief Information Officer Roger Baker expects the department eventually will use tablets and smartphones from multiple vendors.

Firstview will use mobile device management software from Airwatch, which touts itself as the largest provider of such software in the world. Airwatch’s commercial customers include the Lowe’s home improvement chain, which uses the company’s software to manage 42,000 iPhones, and United Airlines, which manages iPads that store electronic flight charts that 11,000 pilots use.

Ambrosh said the suite of software and services Firstview will supply to VA will support department-owned tablets as well as personal technology employees use at work under bring-your-own-device policies.

Baker has said he expects to use the mobile management software to ensure the security of employee-owned devices connected to the VA network, including the ability to wipe them clean of all data.

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