Please direct your media and public relations inquiries to: mediarelations@cdw.com 800-800-4CDW U.S. Mint Awards $30 Million Contract To CDW-Government Advanced Technology, Personalized Service Secure IDIQ Contract VERNON HILLS, Ill. - July 6, 1999 - CDW-Government (CDW-G), a direct marketer of information technology (IT) products, services and solutions dedicated to serving the unique needs of government and education customers, today announced that the United States Mint has awarded the company a $30 million contract expiring at the end of 2004. The indefinite delivery-indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract covers all U.S. Mint locations. "This contract emphasizes the reason why CDW-G was formed," explained Larry Kirsch, senior vice president, CDW-G. "Through our customizable capabilities, CDW-G leverages best commercial practices to address the needs of the U.S. Mint. Our e-commerce technologies, personalized service and technical support give the government marketplace a proven leader, focused on their needs." The contract will provide the U.S. Mint with the opportunity to utilize CDW-G's extensive e-commerce capabilities, resulting in more streamlined and efficient procurement procedures. "The ability to quickly implement a fully-functional, dedicated extranet site was extremely important to the agency," said Kirsch. CDW-G's extranet capability, cdwg@work, provides for the development of secure, agency-specific e-commerce sites. Procurement personnel are able to specify approved vendors and products for purchase, implement guidelines regarding price and spending ceilings and limit access based on purchasing authority. Beyond traditional purchasing functions and services, CDW-G will provide the U.S. Mint with a multi-tiered approach to procurement monitoring and reporting. As part of the roll-out phase of the contract, procurement personnel will be divided according to their procurement authority. Various parameters will determine how particular orders are processed. By implementing this system, senior procurement officials will be able to determine what is being purchased, the quantities purchased, who is purchasing and methods of payment. Procurement personnel at all seven locations have access to the U.S. Mint's dedicated extranet site, thereby providing full advantage of the approval infrastructure developed by the U.S. Mint and CDW-G. To acquaint and familiarize U.S. Mint employees with the dedicated extranet site and promote its use, CDW-G is conducting an outreach and training program utilizing e-mail, telephone calls, direct mail and on-site training. The U.S. Mint locations include Denver, Colo., Ft. Knox, Ky., Lanham, Md., Philadelphia, Pa., San Francisco, Calif., Washington D.C. and West Point, N.Y. About CDW-G A wholly-owned subsidiary of CDW Computer Centers, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDWC), CDW-G was formed in September 1998 to address the unique needs of customers in the government and education markets and signals CDW's long-term commitment to providing specialized service to these markets. Using the model pioneered by CDW, CDW-G combines advanced technology and personalized service to provide government and education customers with direct computing solutions. CDW-G offers the full-range of government procurement vehicles, including GSA Schedule, open-market purchases, blanket purchase agreements and other formal bid contracts. Through customized extranet sites, customers are able to access purchase histories, verify order status and obtain product pricing. For more information about CDW-G's product offerings, service and solutions, call 1-800-863-4239 or visit the CDW-G Web site at www.cdwg.com. About CDW CDW®(NASDAQ: CDWC) is the country's leading direct solutions provider, offering complete, customized computing solutions for business and consumers nationwide. With competitive prices on a selection of thousands of brand name computer products, CDW is the No. 1 authorized direct source of Compaq, Computer Associates, IBM, Microsoft, Toshiba and other top name brands. Celebrating its 15th anniversary year, CDW was founded in 1984 as a one-man, home-based business and today employs more than 1,600 coworkers whose efforts generated net sales of $1.9 billion for the trailing twelve months ended March 31, 1999. CDW's pioneering direct model offers personalized expertise through one-on-one relationships with highly-trained, knowledgeable account managers; telephone and online purchasing; custom configured solutions; customized financing solutions; next day shipping; and lifetime phone and online technical support, with more than 60 factory-trained and A+ certified technicians on staff. For more information about CDW's products and services, call 800-797-4239 or visit the award-winning e-commerce Web site at www.cdw.com. For media inquiries or general company information, please call CDW's media relations at 888-CDW-7040.