[StBernard] Landrieu Announces Landmark Microsoft Commitment to Hurricane Impacted Small Businesses

[Westley Annis]

Landrieu Announces Landmark Microsoft Commitment to Hurricane Impacted Small
Businesses Businesses to be eligible for software license reimbursement.

 

NEW ORLEANS - Louisiana small businesses struggling to rebuild from
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the subsequent levee breaks will soon be
eligible for one year of Microsoft software licensing at no cost, U.S.
Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., announced yesterday during remarks
preceding a business recovery forum at the 2007 Hope & Recovery Summit, an
all-day discussion of hurricane recovery issues hosted by Sen. Landrieu at
the University of New Orleans.

Under the program, hurricane-affected businesses could purchase licenses for
Microsoft software, including the popular Windows and Office products,
through any authorized Microsoft reseller with payments spread over three
years.  Eligible business owners would then bring the first year's invoice
to any Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) for that amount
to be paid by Microsoft. 

"Small businesses are a key economic backbone of our recovery, and this
landmark partnership will help provide the tools these business owners need
to rebuild their businesses stronger than ever even while their financial
resources remain limited," said Sen. Landrieu, who originally proposed the
unprecedented licensing approach in a letter to Microsoft Chairman Bill
Gates last year. 

"This novel approach reflects just one good way big business can step up and
use its might to help an entire region get back on its feet, and I commend
and thank Microsoft for its leadership.  Their commitment is made even
stronger by their smart partnership with Louisiana's Small Business
Development Centers, who under Mary Lynn Wilkerson's leadership have been a
tremendously helpful guiding hand to thousands of businesses working to
recover."

"Microsoft was proud to play a role in helping the people of the Gulf Coast
rebuild following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and we are committed to
contributing to the ongoing community recovery efforts," said Steve Ballmer,
CEO of Microsoft. "In particular, we believe very strongly that small
businesses are a vital engine of economic growth and opportunity and we will
continue to support small business owners in Louisiana as they work to
rebuild and revive their communities." 

"Technology is critical to the success of a small business. It allows
Louisiana businesses to develop customers worldwide. This agreement with
Microsoft will assist small businesses with their cash flow by saving them
the first year's licensing fees," said Mary Lynn Wilkerson, State Director
of the Louisiana Small Business Development Centers.   

"LSBDC applauds Senator Landrieu for initiating and negotiating this
important agreement with Microsoft.  Senator Landrieu has been such a
champion for small businesses," said Wilkerson. 

The LSBDC offers high quality, no-cost business consulting and low-cost
training for small business owners and potential owners through nine centers
statewide.  In October, the LSBDC will offer business training on Microsoft
products with topics ranging from e-commerce to small business accounting.
Since Hurricane Katrina, LSBDC Greater New Orleans Region has counseled
nearly 2,600 small business owners. LSBDC is a partnership program supported
by the Small Business Administration, Louisiana Economic Development, and
the host universities for the nine service centers.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita impacted 125,000 small and medium-sized
businesses across the Gulf Coast, and in Louisiana alone, more than 18,000
businesses were totally destroyed.  For the typical small business of 50
employees and 25 PCs licensing Microsoft Windows Vista and the Office 2007
suite of programs, the free year can result in savings of as much as
$12,050. 

To be eligible for the program, businesses must:

*	have been in business prior to August 29, 2005, the date of
Hurricane Katrina's landfall, or September 24, 2004, the date of Hurricane
Rita;
*	be based in one of the 19 federal disaster-designated Louisiana
parishes;
*	have fewer than 200 employees;
*	have applied for small business assistance through at least one
federal or state government program, though the application need not have
been approved for aid; and
*	purchase a three-year Microsoft Open Value License for business
software (the first year will be paid for by Microsoft with proof of
purchase).

The software licensing program is expected to launch in September, at which
point more details of it will become available.

Sen. Landrieu also commended Microsoft for their continued commitment to
helping the communities of the Gulf Coast rebuild as well as to supporting
workforce development programs and increasing their commitment to supporting
future disaster relief and recovery efforts.  Microsoft's disaster response
team will be working closely with the Senate Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs Committee Disaster Recovery Subcommittee, which Sen.
Landrieu chairs, to seek out new and effective ways for the company to
assist following a disaster.

"Steps like these are more than just good corporate commitments to their
communities," Sen. Landrieu said, "they are good business. Microsoft has
recognized that the businesses that survive disaster today are the
successful customers of tomorrow.  I hope their leadership inspires other
companies to take similar proactive steps to help their customers rebuild
their businesses when disaster strikes."

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