Claims agreement reached but leaves door open

Google has dropped its suit against the US Department of the Interior that alleged that the government organization had demonstrated favoritism by requiring that any solution for its messaging service use the Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite. Google had originally brought the suit last October. Google, in its motion for dismissal, indicated that it has reached a settlement agreement with the Department of the Interior. Government attorneys deny that any such agreement was reached.

In its original filing, Google claimed that the DoI had violated federal requirements that government agencies use a full and open bidding process to award contracts. Google alleged that the DoI had worded contractual documents for cloud e-mail and collaboration services in such a way that only Microsoft could have won the business. Google had wanted to bid its Google Apps for the contracts.

Google won a preliminary injunction back in January, which temporarily prevented the DoI from awarding any contracts. That injunction was continued several times, most recently in September.

Google, in explaining its filing for dismissal, claimed that DoI had agreed to "update its market research and then conduct a procurement in a manner that will not preclude plaintiffs (i.e. Google) from fairly competing."

Although it is not clear if Google and the DoI do actually have an agreement, the company has crafted its motion for dismissal with wording that will allow the company to refile the suit in the future. [via InformationWeek Government]

By Electronista Staff