Business Services Industry

Forrester Expands Research-Based Services For The Government Sector; Receives GSA Approval As Successor In Interest To Contracts Formerly Held By Giga Information Group, Inc

Business Wire, Nov 17, 2004

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Recognizing that all levels of the US government face increasingly complex IT issues and buying decisions, Forrester Research, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORR) today announced a broader focus on research offerings for the government sector. Analyst Gene Leganza has been named vice president of Forrester's government sector research and will lead the company's government research team.

"Government sector technology executives face a unique set of challenges including a management agenda that can change with each election and constant budget scrutiny," says Leganza. "Ongoing change notwithstanding, government IT leaders must provide a broad range of services. Forrester helps the government sector and those doing business with the government understand transformational technologies and business models, and complex technology alternatives." Forrester provides clients, such as the US Bureau of Reclamation, the state of New York, and the state of Kansas, with research and advice tailored to the unique concerns of the government sector, coupled with best practices from the private sector and ways to adapt them to the government environment.

Forrester also announced today that it has received approval from the General Services Administration (GSA) to assume Giga Information Group's contracts with GSA and has updated its schedule of products and services. Forrester acquired Giga Information Group (Giga) in February 2003. The novation agreement approved by GSA recognizes Forrester as the successor in interest to Giga, authorized to fulfill Giga's GSA contracts.

The Evolving Role Of The US Federal CIO

The newest government sector research from Forrester focuses on the changing role of the CIO in federal government. Leganza, author of the report, says that while US federal CIOs have moved out of the back office to the senior management table over the past several years, they are struggling to have a significant impact. Forrester asserts that this is because these CIOs still aren't viewed as strategic partners in their organizations. The report cites data from the General Accounting Office (GAO), which shows that only 41 percent of federal government CIOs actually report to their agency head. Furthermore, since the median tenure is less than two years, the GAO found that these CIOs don't stay on the job long enough to be effective. Given these findings, Forrester concludes that government sector CIOs must actively pursue increased credibility with both Congress and agency heads.

The research mentioned in this release, "The Evolving Role Of The US Federal CIO," is available to Forrester WholeView 2(TM) clients and can be found at www.forrester.com.

About Forrester

Forrester is an independent technology research company that provides pragmatic and forward-thinking advice about technology's impact on business. Business, marketing, and IT professionals worldwide collaborate with Forrester to align their technology investments with their business goals. Forrester offers products and services in four major areas: Research, Data, Consulting, and Community. Established in 1983, Forrester is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. For additional information, visit www.forrester.com.