Microsoft Product Preference by USDA Needs Reconsideration

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Microsoft brand-name limitation in an enterprise business solutions license and software assurance procurement is an unreasonable restriction on competition, the GAO said in a decision released Friday.

The department failed to provide market research showing that other companies’ similar products don’t meet or can’t be modified to meet its standards, the Government Accountability Office said.

The department should prepare a properly documented and supported justification for Microsoft products or obtain competition for the requirement without the brand-name restriction, the Government Accountability Office said.

The department argued that the restriction is necessary to meet operational and ...