MCI wins $35 million Veterans Affairs contract; MCI to provide telephone services to Veterans...

MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 27, 1996--MCI will soon offer U.S. veterans highly competitive telephone service rates, under terms of a recently signed contract with the Department of Veteran's Affairs/Veteran's Canteen Service (VA/VCS).

The five year, $35 million contract continues MCI's

Awarded last month, the contract calls for MCI to provide pay phone, bedside phone and calling card services to all VA Medical Centers. VA earnings generated from the contract will be returned to VA Medical Centers to further improve service and patient care. MCI has served the veteran community since 1991, providing pay phone, operator, calling card, and credit card billing services to VA Medical Centers under a previous VA/VCS contract.

"MCI will offer U.S. veterans competitive rates and quality services and -- at the same time -- will contribute to VA Medical Centers' funds nationwide," said Tony Bardo, director, MCI Government Markets. "It's a win-win telecommunications solution."

MCI will offer significantly reduced rates on veterans' bedside and pay phone calls and will continue to provide competitive rates to its established and growing veterans' calling card program customers. Calling card applications will be available at hospital gift stores and outpatient clinics or by calling 1-888-MCI-GOVT.

"This contract is another major step in the Department of Veterans Affairs' efforts to improve the quality of care and treatment in all VA Medical Centers," said James B. Donahoe, director of Veterans Canteen Service, Department of Veterans Affairs. MCI will offer long distance telephone services for bedside and pay phones at all VA Medical Centers within the continental United States and Puerto Rico. MCI will be responsible for telephone service for approximately 40,000 patient bedside telephones and 4,800 pay telephones at 172 VA Medical Centers nationwide.

Established in 1946, the Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) is a self-sustaining entity within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The VCS operates retail stores, food courts, vending outlets and service activities such as barber shops in all VA Medical Centers for the benefit of VA patients, caregivers and visitors.

MCI Government Markets, based in McLean, Va., is the sales and marketing group serving U.S. government agencies and federally chartered organizations. MCI, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., is one of the world's largest and fastest growing diversified communications companies. With annual revenue of more than $15 billion, MCI offers consumers and businesses a broad portfolio of services including long distance, wireless, local, paging, Internet software and access, information services, outsourcing, business software, advanced global telecommunications services, and music distribution and merchandising.

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