U.S. computer bid won by Japanese; first such federal decision is raising trade issues
Article Abstract:
The US National Science Foundation has awarded NEC of Japan the right to enter into final negotiations with the US government on a hotly-contested contract to supply the agency with a supercomputer. The contract is estimated to be worth between $13 million and $35 million, depending on the extent of the final order, and it marks the first time in US history that a Japanese computer firm has been awarded such a contract. However, Cray Research alleges that NEC has offered the supercomputer at a price below its own cost, a practice known as "dumping," and is officially disputing the awarding of the contract. Cray Research has been the traditional supplier of supercomputers for US, European and Canadian military, engineering and scientific applications. Cray has sold more than 100 of its supercomputers to the Japanese government.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1996
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A new twist in computer deal appears; a U.S. agency is now said to favor Hewlett
Article Abstract:
The National Center for Atmospheric Research's (NCAR) possible decision to purchase an HP supercomputer adds a new element to the litigation between NEC and Cray Research over the NCAR contract. When NCAR announced that it would purchase a NEC supercomputer in May 1996, Cray contended that NEC was selling its computer at a $65 million loss. It brought an anti-dumping suit against NEC before the US International Trade Commission in Jul 1996. NEC conutersued, accusing the Commerce Department of favoring US companies. The NCAR's decision to purchase the HP computer is a means of protecting itself against a ruling to block its purchase from NEC. The HP computer could be expanded to the size of the NEC computer, which operates at about a trillion calculations per second. The NCAR will make its decision by the end of Jan 1997.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1997
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U.S. may buy fast computer from Japan; NEC and Fujitsu giving Cray stiff competition
Article Abstract:
Japanese electronics companies Fujitsu and NEC are bidding to supply the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) with a supercomputer. The companies represent a major challenge to the leading US supercomputer maker Cray Research. The bidding has attracted the attention of both the US and Japanese governments since supercomputers remain symbols of technical expertise and are central to vicious trade disputed between the countries. Supercomputers designed by US companies abound in laboratories financed by the Japanese government, but Japanese supercomputers have never been adopted by a US federal agency. Moreover, the NCAR has adopted supercomputers from Cray Research almost exclusively. A contract with a Japanese computer maker would set a new precedent.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1996
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