News release

HP Launches Simplified Partner Program in U.S. as Part of Worldwide Partner Strategy

As part of its worldwide partner strategy, HP (NYSE:HPQ) today announced a simplified, all-encompassing program designed to help partners grow top-line revenue and bottom-line profitability, reward performance and initiative, and make program administration more efficient and flexible.

HP's partnerONE program, being implemented in the United States, replaces some 40 previous programs and spans HP's entire product and services portfolio. The program, which provides benefits to HP's more than 20,000 partners in the United States, addresses resellers, systems integrators, independent software vendors (ISVs) and service providers.

"The partnerONE program is critical to our go-to-market strategy, assuring partners incentives -- along with the right sales and technical support -- to deliver consistent, high-quality solutions to users of HP technology," said Kevin Gilroy, vice president and general manager, HP North America Commercial Channels.

HP also launched a key element of partnerONE, its worldwide Developer and Solution Partner program, specifically designed to deliver services for its 6,000-plus systems integrators, independent software vendors and other developers.

In addition, HP introduced a worldwide HP Certified Professional program for partners as well as customers and HP personnel. The new certification program consolidates all HP's former programs into one, assuring the same sales and technical competence to design and deliver HP technologies, services and solutions -- whether they are from an HP employee, customer or partner.

The partnerONE program is designed to reward partners' performance and initiative and to reduce administration time and complexity. For example, partners can earn rebates from HP by providing unique solutions on HP hardware and winning competitive deals. The program also is intended to help HP's partners grow revenue and profitability with demand generation and Web-enabled marketing tools, such as those for creating direct mail and e-mail promotions.

There are three membership levels within the program based on a partner's level of expertise or sales volume:

• Platinum partners, who have the highest number of HP-trained technical consultants or sales volume;
• Gold partners, who have a significant number of HP-trained technical consultants or substantial sales volume; and
• Business partners, who are authorized to sell selected HP products.

Gold and Platinum partners are eligible to receive additional rebates and benefits.

"We're fans of the partnerONE program because it makes it easy to do business with HP and will save us time and money on administration," said Dan Sytsma, vice president of sales at Computer Design and Integration in Teterboro, N.J. "There are good incentives to continue building our people's expertise in HP technologies and selling HP's products. We definitely see greater opportunity to grow our business."

The HP Developer and Solution Partner program (DSPP) significantly extends former HP and Compaq developer programs, enabling these partners to bring solutions to market faster with less risk and less complexity. DSPP offers its members equipment discounts, technical assistance, education and training, plus marketing support.

The HP Certified Professional program assures skill levels and expertise across sales and technical areas in a unified, global program: there are different achievement levels for each area; certifications are granted based upon passing exams; and training is highly recommended, but not required.

While many elements of the partnerONE program, like DSPP, already exist in various regions around the world, additional details will be announced in the coming months.

More information on partnerONE is available on HP's partner Web site at http://partner.americas.hp.com. Information on DSPP is available at http://www.hp.com/dspp, while information on the HP Certified Professional program is available at http://www.hp.com/go/certification.

About HP

HP is a leading global provider of products, technologies, solutions and services to consumers and businesses. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing. HP completed its merger transaction involving Compaq Computer Corp. on May 3, 2002. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com.