VA Again Seeks Alternative to Microsoft

The Veterans Affairs Department has kicked off its second effort in just more than a year to find an alternative to the Microsoft software key to its operations.

In procurement documents posted on FedBizOps on Tuesday, VA said it wants to identify “comprehensive integrated solutions that exist today” to replace Microsoft software currently installed on 370,000 laptops and desktops and 30,000 servers at the department.

In February 2012, VA announced plans to test desktop applications -- email, word processing, presentation, database and spreadsheet software -- in a cloud computing environment...