Sprint Extends Agreement Worth $1.2 Billion to Provide Wireline/Wireless Voice and Data Services to VHA, the Leading National Health Care Purchasing Network

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), April 06, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE:S, news, filings) today announced that VHA, an Irving, Texas-based health care purchasing network, has agreed to a three-year contract extension with Sprint worth an estimated $1.2 billion. Sprint, a primary telecom carrier to VHA since 1997, will continue to provide wireless services – including solutions and handsets – as well as wireline and data capabilities to VHA and Provista members.

VHA and Provista serve about 1,350 not-for-profit hospitals and more than 30,000 non-acute health care organizations nationwide, employing more than 3 million people. The purchasing network works with members to identify and implement best practices to improve clinical outcomes, operational efficiency and cost savings.

“Effective communication is vital to health care institutions, and it is essential for health care professionals to have access to critical information anywhere, anytime, to better meet patient needs,” said David Gillan, vice president of Purchased Services and Sourcing Operations at Novation – the supply contractor for Provista. “Sprint has the history and documented success to instill confidence when our members work with them.”

Sprint earned the contract extension based on its consistent record of value, service and innovation, as well as its growing portfolio of converged solutions that combine wireless and wireline capabilities. Sprint has earned VHA’s Sales Growth and Member Participation Growth awards in past years.

“VHA’s confidence in Sprint speaks volumes,” said Paget Alves, president-Sprint Business. “Over the course of more than 14 years, we’ve built a solid relationship with the organization and its members based on trust and the expectation of mutual growth. We look forward to continuing to supply the best value, network and solutions to VHA in the years to come.”

The VHA contract marks another major win for Sprint among purchasing consortiums. Earlier this month, Sprint announced a similar pact with Western States Contracting Alliance, a national consortium of states that relies on Sprint for wireless products and services for its state and local government members. WSCA extended its contract worth an estimated $360 million over three years, increasing the total lifetime value of the contract to $1.4 billion.

Sprint’s Business Markets Group is composed of sales, support, marketing and operations personnel solely dedicated to enterprise, small and medium-sized business and public sector customers. BMG delivers wireless, wireline and converged solutions for companies drawing on its 3G wireless network, 4G capabilities, push-to-talk network, first-tier Global IP network and a comprehensive solutions portfolio of devices and applications.

For more information about Sprint Business Markets Group, visit:
www.sprint.com/business
http://www.sprint.com/business/mb/index.html
http://www.sprint.com/business/gov/index.html

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 49.9 million customers at the end of 2010 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

About VHA – VHA Inc., based in Irving, Texas, is a national network of not-for-profit health care organizations that work together to drive maximum savings in the supply chain arena, set new levels of clinical performance and identify and implement best practices to improve operational efficiency and clinical outcomes. In 2009, VHA delivered record savings and value of $1.47 billion to members. Formed in 1977, VHA serves nearly 1,350 not-for-profit hospitals and more than 30,000 non-acute care providers nationwide, coordinating delivery of its programs and services through its 16 regional offices. VHA has been listed as one of the best places to work in health care by Modern Healthcare since 2008 and one of the best places to work in IT by Computer World since 2007.

About Provista – Based in Irving, Texas, Provista is a leading supply chain improvement company dedicated to strengthening financial and operational performance for its 60,000 sites in the health care, education, hospitality and corporate markets nationwide. Together, Provista and its supply contracting company, Novation, leverage more than $38 billion in annual purchases to provide members with the most competitive, extensive portfolio of products, services and solutions available. Provista is owned by VHA Inc.