Economy

Pentagon Says It Will Adhere To Microsoft’s JEDI Cloud Contract

Published

4 years ago

September 4, 2020

Pentagon Says It Will Adhere To Microsoft's JEDI Cloud Contract

President Donald Trump speaks with Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, and Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon during an American Technology Council roundtable at the White House state cafeteria in Washington on June 19, 2017.

Jabin Botsford | Washington Post | Getty Images

The Pentagon said Friday it will stick to a major cloud computing contract with Microsoft, which has been contested in court for months.

The JEDI, or Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure, deal has become one of the most controversial contracts for the Department of Defense. The contract is designed to modernize the colossal IT infrastructure of the Pentagon and can be valued at up to $ 10 billion for services provided over a full 10 years.

“The Department has completed a comprehensive re-evaluation of the JEDI Cloud offerings and determined that Microsoft’s offering continues to provide the most value to the government,” the Pentagon said in a statement. “The JEDI Cloud Contract is a fixed price, indefinite delivery / indefinite quantity contract that will make the full range of cloud computing services available to the Department of Defense. However, the contract will not begin immediately due to a preliminary injunction issued by the Federal Claims Court on February 13, 2020, the Department of Defense is ready to provide this opportunity for our men and women in military uniform. ”

Microsoft shares rose during Friday’s trading session after the announcement.

The result is a loss to Amazon, which challenges the contract award after the Pentagon gave it to Microsoft in October. An Amazon spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“We appreciate that after a thorough review, the Department of Defense has confirmed that we offered the right technology and the best value. We are ready to get started and make sure those who serve our country have access to this much needed technology, ”a Microsoft spokesman told CNBC by email.

In November, Amazon Web Services, Amazon’s cloud computing division, filed a claim in the US Federal Claims Court, challenging the JEDI decision. The company claimed that President Donald Trump’s bias against Amazon, and its CEO Jeff Bezos influenced the Pentagon to hand over the contract to Microsoft. During the litigation, the Pentagon asked Amazon and Microsoft to reconsider and resubmit their contract proposals. A Justice Department spokesman was not available for comment immediately following the Pentagon’s announcement.

Today’s decision could lead to new litigation.

The lucrative contract, which was originally slated for a September 2018 deal, has garnered attention after Trump announced last year that he was seriously considering taking a look at the JEDI contract…

“I’ve never had something more people complain about,” Trump told reporters at the White House in July 2019. “Some of the world’s greatest companies are complaining about this,” he added, naming IBM, Microsoft and Oracle. The White House declined to comment.

Trump’s potential impact on the deal got into focus when a book describing the tenure of then Secretary of Defense James Mattis at the Pentagon alleged that the president told Mattis to “get Amazon” out of the contract.

The billionaire CEO who owns The Washington Post has become a constant source of frustration for Trump. The president regularly criticizes the publication for its coverage of his administration. Trump has also targeted Amazon on several occasions because he claims not pay your share of taxes and rob the US Post Office…

Earlier this year, the Pentagon Inspector General released a report that said the award appears not to have been influenced by the White House…

However, the inspector general noted in his April 313-page report that he had limited cooperation from White House officials throughout the review and, as a result, was unable to complete his assessment of the ethical conduct allegations.

At the time, Defense Department spokesman Lt. Col. Robert Carver told CNBC in a statement that the inspector general’s report confirmed the Pentagon’s JEDI cloud procurement process was “fair and in accordance with the law.”

An AWS spokesman then suggested that the report did not reveal everything.

“It is clear that political interference could not be assessed in this report because several DoD witnesses were instructed by the White House not to respond to IG questions about links between the White House and DoD officials,” the spokesman wrote in a statement emailed CNBC. “The White House’s refusal to cooperate with the IG investigation is another blatant attempt to avoid meaningful and transparent renegotiation of the JEDI contract award,” the person added.

In December, AWS Amazon head Andy Yassi told CNBC that the cloud computing contracts were unfairly handed down.

“You know, there has been significant political interference here,” Yassi explained of the JEDI award.

“When you have an incumbent president who is willing to openly declare that he does not like the company and the CEO of that company, it is difficult for government agencies, including the US Department of Defense, to make objective decisions without fear of reprisals. And I think it is dangerous and risky for our country, ”he told CNBC’s John Fortt.

This story is developing. Please stay tuned.

Kenneth Woodward

“Internet specialist. Evil entrepreneur. Troublemaker. Analyst. Tv aficionado. Thinker. Passionate explorer. Bacon guru.”

Economy

Everything has been delivered. 10 Bugatti Centodieci are already in the hands of the owners

Published

1 year ago

December 20, 2022

Kenneth Woodward

Everything has been delivered. 10 Bugatti Centodieci are already in the hands of the owners

OAll Bugatti Centodieci have been delivered, the Molsheim-based brand said on Monday. Cristiano Ronaldo received the number 07 in October this year. and Bugatti has now revealed that the latest unit – #10 – is already in the possession of its owner.

“The Centodieci combines all the values of the Bugatti brand in an extraordinary package: rarity, innovation, heritage, craftsmanship and unrivaled performance. The production batch of 10 units was so in demand by our customers that it was sold before the Centodieci. was even officially presented,” said Christophe Piochon, president of Bugatti.

This latest example is finished in Quartz White with carbon fiber trim on the bottom and matte grilles. The brake calipers are painted in Light Blue Sport, as is the logo on the rear that refers to the EB110, the iconic Bugatti model that inspired this Centodieci. Inside, the predominant color is also blue, as you can see in the images above.

This block is powered by the same block as the other nine instances. The 8.0-liter W16 with four turbines is capable of developing 1600 hp. In terms of performance, this allows the Centodieci to hit 100 km/h in just 2.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 380 km/h.

Recall that each unit costs the owners eight million euros before taxes.

Always be the first to know.
Sixth year in a row Consumer Choice and Five Star Online Press Award.
Download our free app.

Kenneth Woodward

“Internet specialist. Evil entrepreneur. Troublemaker. Analyst. Tv aficionado. Thinker. Passionate explorer. Bacon guru.”

Economy

The first Dacia hybrid. “The cheapest hybrid family on the market”

Published

1 year ago

December 20, 2022

Kenneth Woodward

The first Dacia hybrid. "The cheapest hybrid family on the market"

BUT Dacia revealed this Monday that the hybrid engine has been available since March on the Jogger, the Romanian brand’s model known to be available with a seven-seat variant.

The Jogger Hybrid 140, Dacia’s first hybrid, will hit dealerships in March, but customers can expect and order it as early as January.

The price has been revealed by Dacia and since it’s only available in the seven-seater SL Extreme, it starts at €28,800. The brand claims it is “the most affordable hybrid family car on the market.”

Available in six existing colors to celebrate the launch of this hybrid, there will be a slate gray version, as you can see in the images above.

Equipped with a 1.6 liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 90 hp, the Jogger is also powered by two electric motors (a 50 hp engine and a high-voltage starter-generator). The total power is 140 horsepower. The electric transmission is automatic, four-speed, connected to an internal combustion engine, and two speeds are connected to an electric motor. This combined technology was possible, according to Dacia, only due to the lack of clutch.

Combined with the energy recovery levels of the 1.2kWh (230V) battery pack and the efficiency of the automatic transmission, regenerative braking delivers all-electric traction on 80% of urban journeys and saves up to 40% of fuel compared to a combustion engine vehicle.

Always be the first to know.
Sixth year in a row Consumer Choice and Five Star Online Press Award.
Download our free app.

Kenneth Woodward

“Internet specialist. Evil entrepreneur. Troublemaker. Analyst. Tv aficionado. Thinker. Passionate explorer. Bacon guru.”

Economy

See how Tesla tests its electric Semi truck in the worst-case scenarios

Published

1 year ago

December 19, 2022

Kenneth Woodward

Tesla has finally been able to bring its long-awaited Semi to market. This electric truck promises to revolutionize transportation and bring all the unique characteristics of this type of electric vehicle to this class of vehicles.

Now that the first units have been delivered, there is hope that they will finally be mass-produced and reach more transport companies. With so many promises to be kept, a new video is now emerging showing Tesla testing its Semi truck under worst-case scenarios.

Tesla Semi is already on the market

Like all Tesla electric vehicles, Semi follows the same line of creating a unique design associated with a platform with the most modern technology available. The proof is in what was presented to the public and surprised most people.

To prove the quality of this new proposal, Tesla published in your LinkedIn account new video. In it, he reveals some of the testing he's done to determine the strength and quality of the Semi's design and its (potential) durability.

Tests to prove its durability

It has been revealed that the Tesla electric truck is subjected to numerous tests and its application in the worst scenarios that drivers may face. It doesn't stop at the ruggedness of the Semi's designs, but goes further and focuses on the motors and batteries themselves.

This is the proof that many have been waiting for to ensure that this new proposal is not limited to a lot of autonomy. Its resistance is great and will provide greater durability, further enhancing the Semi's value and performance.

high quality electric truck

Tesla has already showcased the Semi's quality with a video showing its truck driving roughly 500 miles on just one charge. The big news here is that he managed to make this long journey with a maximum load of about 37 tons.

Now Tesla remains to widely place the Semi on the market. At the moment, only a few companies have access to this new product, with a very long list of pending deliveries, who want to start mass-using this electric truck offering.

Kenneth Woodward

“Internet specialist. Evil entrepreneur. Troublemaker. Analyst. Tv aficionado. Thinker. Passionate explorer. Bacon guru.”