Bull has signed a Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) with NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A). The BOA provides the framework between the two parties to quickly do business together. This agreement between Bull and NATO clearly demonstrates the interest of Bull in the government and defense market.

Under the BOA, Bull is entitled to compete on bids that NATO issues within the range of products and services that Bull focusses on. The BOA between Bull and NATO NC3A specifically mentions the following products and services: Computer Servers, Electronic Data Storage Equipment, Radio Systems, Transmitter and Counter IED, Securised Hardware, Crypto, Security Software, Prefabricated Structures and Container Units and Consultancy. Bull can now compete with all solutions that match these categories.

“Bull is an expert in secure, mission-critical systems, robust infrastructures and applications,” commented Saskia Van Uffelen, CEO Bull Belux, “and we are very happy to have completed the BOA procedure.” Bull helps defense and homeland security authorities and organizations take new risks into account, interoperate securely and react more quickly to fulfill their missions. From services (engineering and integration of complex hardware/software systems) to solutions, Bull helps leading players build the new defense technologies of tomorrow. The company has been involved in projects as diverse as the largest European supercomputers for nuclear simulations, warship information systems, mobile tactical systems, remote processing of military devices and radar interceptors, among others.

A BOA is the primary part in a two-stage contracting procedure, whereby the contract is negotiated and placed centrally with a supplier for a specific range of goods. All basic contract provisions are agreed including prices or a definitive pricing methodology. Individual orders for retail quantities may then be placed against the central contract by local offices for local delivery.

“Although there is no immediate ‘euro’ value tied to this type of agreement, signing an agreement like the current BOA will make it easier for local offices to order products and services from Bull and its subsidiaries,” says Saskia Van Uffelen, CEO  Bull Belux.

Bull is strengthening its focus on the market of the European institutions. Bull Belux hired Emmanuel Vaerman as Business Manager European Institutions.

The European institutions constitute an important market for European IT specialist Bull. The Belux offices in Brussels and Luxemburg are responsible for the development of this market. Bull already has a strong hold over this market, with large projects at the European Parliament, the Council, the European Commission and Nato. A couple of months ago, Bull secured a 43 million euro contract with Eurocontrol.

The team responsible for these successful projects welcomes Emmanuel Vaerman as an extra member of the team. In his function as Business Manager European Institutions, he will play an important role in developing new business in the European market. Emmanuel Vaerman has ample experience with this target group. In the past four years, he has worked at Tata Consulting Services.  Prior to that, he worked at Sun Microsystems for twelve years. Emmanuel Vaerman started his career in the IT sector at BIM.

“His experience adds a new complementary dimension to our team and will allow us to expand faster in this market,” said William Petermans, Sales Director European Institutions at Bull Belux. Vaerman reports to William Petermans and works in a team that also includes Jean Renglet and Olivier Deleuze.

“What appealed to me most at Bull, is the flexibility of the organization,” said Emmanuel Vaerman. “In my previous job I worked with Bull for four years. What struck me the most is the capacity of Bull to listen and cater to the needs of its customers. I see it as an important challenge to help Bull gain new contracts and customers with its innovative technologies.”