WASHINGTON, D.C. AND ALEXANDRIA, VA– July 28, 2003 – Bantu Inc., a premier provider of secure enterprise instant messaging (EIM) solutions, and YellowBrix, a leading provider of targeted information products and customization technology, today announced that a program of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has deployed Bantu’s EIM Platform in conjunction with YellowBrix’s Portal Solution, to facilitate real-time communications among certified 360vu advisors throughout the U.S.

The 360vu Program is an initiative of NIST’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), which helps small and mid-sized manufacturers compete more effectively in the global marketplace. 360vu is a management resource center offered exclusively to the certified MEP Centers nationwide. Certified MEP specialists and staff use www.360vu.net to share insights about best manufacturing practices, collaborate on client projects, and stay updated on new developments that can help them give clients a competitive edge against large, global manufacturers.

“MEP and 360vu wanted to give staff and consultants every advantage in helping small manufacturers grow successful businesses, and enhancing their 360vu portal with real-time collaboration was critical to this effort,” said Jace Wieser, senior vice president and CTO of YellowBrix. “After exploring different options, it became clear that integrating Bantu into our Portal Solution was the right decision because it had the scalability, integration and security NIST’s MEP initiative needed—as well as key communication functionality that would continue adding value to its users well into the future.”

Bantu EIM was selected by NIST and YellowBrix, who integrated Bantu’s platform with the YellowBrix Portal Solution. Today, 360vu specialists signing onto the site are securely and automatically authenticated into the Bantu EIM Platform, which launches immediately. They can use Bantu to collaborate one-on-one or in private conference rooms with other 360vu specialists regardless of their location or computer platform. 360vu users can also display Presence (ability to see who’s online) whenever a staff member or other user signs onto the site, and can send targeted Alerts (immediate notification of time-sensitive events) strengthening the site’s real-time communication capabilities.

“EIM was identified as critically important for enhancing the way MEP staff and consultants collaborate about time-sensitive projects, and expediting their ability to exchange vital information,” said Larry Schlang, president and CEO of Bantu. “We’re pleased to partner with YellowBrix, and that MEP determined that the Bantu/YellowBrix integrated solution was the best choice for real-time, enterprise-grade communications.”

About Bantu, Inc.: Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Bantu is a pioneer in Enterprise Instant Messaging and leading provider of EIM solutions to the government and commercial markets. The Bantu IM, Presence & Alerting Platform enhances real-time communication and collaboration, resulting in greater productivity and operational effectiveness. Bantu is highly secure and scalable, platform-independent, interoperable, and easily integrates into any application or service. Bantu's customers and partners include the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Sprint, Strong Financial, The George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, Lockheed Martin, SAIC, Booz Allen Hamilton, Citrix and Blackboard.
(http://www.bantu.com)

About YellowBrix, Inc.: YellowBrix provides authoritative, real time, industry specific information used by global organizations to strengthen business decision-making, gain competitive advantage, improve employee productivity, expand customer relationships, identify new opportunities, and drive new revenue streams. YellowBrix partners with major portal software vendors and provides services to many Fortune 500 companies’ intranets, extranets, and portal initiatives.
(http://www.yellowbrix.com)

About NIST’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP): MEP is a nationwide network of manufacturing extension centers and field offices providing a wide variety of expertise and services to small manufacturers. More information can be found at http://www.mep.nist.gov.