AT&T to run FirstGov search engine

The General Services Administration (GSA) has awarded a contract to AT&T Business Services for the FirstGov.gov search engine, which acts as a gateway to online government transactions, services and information. AT&T said it will use the engine to search more than 51 million pages of federal and state government information. The company said its contract, which begins April 1, will last for one year and includes four one-year options to renew. The contract is valued at $2 million a year. Last year, FirstGov received 50 million hits, according to the GSA. The Federal Search Foundation has provided the search engine to the federal government at no cost. The Web site was redesigned last month.