Congruent and Avalara Form Partnership Alliance; Software Developer, High-Tech Business Support Firm Team Up To Better Serve Greater Seattle Area Small and Medium-Sized Clients.

BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Avalara, provider of the first affordable, on-demand sales tax calculation solution designed for small and medium businesses, has forged an alliance with Congruent in Bellevue. "Small and medium businesses need a better, more accessible way to calculate sales and use tax for the more than 8,000 distinct U.S. taxing jurisdictions -- and we are delivering on those needs with AvaTax ST(TM)," according to Avalara's CEO, Jared Vogt. "To help us reach these businesses in the greater Seattle area, Congruent has joined Avalara as our regional Business Partner."

AvaTax ST is currently integrated with some of the SMB market's most popular accounting systems, one being Microsoft's Great Plains. AvaTax ST for Microsoft Navision and Small Business Financials are scheduled for release this quarter. Small and Medium-Sized businesses access AvaTax ST through their accounting software package, or via their MS e-commerce server.

"Congruent provides high-tech software and IT support services for small and medium-sized businesses, and is well-positioned to help both their client firms and other SMB businesses in implementing Avalara's AvaTax ST," Vogt added.

"We're excited to become part of Avalara's network of business partners," according to Cliff Johnson, Congruent Vice President of Sales. "We recognize that many of our clients have faced the challenge of determining sales and use taxes for a growing number of taxing jurisdictions -- and until now, there were no low-cost, highly reliable technology solutions.

"AvaTax ST is an affordable alternative to expensive software installations -- and time-consuming updates -- or worse, to the error-prone, manual system of sales tax calculation many businesses now employ," Vogt pointed out. "When taking on sales tax calculations internally, Congruent's business clients have the daunting task of assigning each customer to one or several of the more-than-8000 U.S. tax jurisdictions, based on the customer's location. These businesses then have to assign all applicable rates to the customer -- knowing that some US locations are liable to as many as six different sales tax levies on any given sales. On top of that, these businesses -- and businesses throughout America -- have the responsibility to track and apply the more than 900 new sales tax law changes that are enacted in the U.S. market each year." Last year, there were 945 sales tax changes implemented somewhere in the U.S.

"Other factors," Vogt noted, "such as product taxability, exemptions, amnesties and a myriad of statutory regulations, which vary state-by-state, must also be taken into account. The more states in which a given business has a legal presence, the more complex that company's dealing with sales tax implementation becomes. Savings generated by AvaTax ST -- by replacing such a time-intensive, manual updating system with a web-service solution -- adds directly to the bottom line."

"With years of experience developing and implementing cost-effective business solutions for their clients, Congruent brings to Avalara a proven record of success in creating value for end-user businesses and developing business technology solutions to clients' most challenging needs," according to Matt Scoble, Avalara's Business Development Manager. "As our business partner, Congruent is responsible for working directly with clients and prospective end-users -- to ensure that their clients -- and ours -- receive the on-demand sales tax calculation services they need to maximize their own business opportunities."

"AvaTax ST gives businesses, as well as our partners who serve the business community, an opportunity to solve a common, frustrating and costly problem -- and in doing so, delivers a cost-effective approach to sales and use tax compliance," Scoble pointed out. To learn more about how Avalara and Congruent can help build your business's bottom line, visit http://www.avalara.com and http://www.congruentsoft.com.

About AvaTax ST

AvaTax ST is an "on demand" web service that instantly and accurately calculates sales tax for clients in any of the more than 8,000 taxing jurisdictions in the U.S. Introduced to the small and mid-sized business market in 2004 and now serving over 160 partners and end users, AvaTax ST is a web-service solution to businesses' sales and use tax calculation needs. It is available already integrated within some of the SMB market's most widely-used accounting systems, including Microsoft's Great Plains, Navision, Small Business Financials, Best Software's ACCPAC Advantage Series(TM), MAS 90(R) and MAS 200(R), and Scala, among others. The AvaTax service can also be easily integrated with any e-commerce, third-party or custom-built solution.

About Avalara

Headquartered on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, Washington, Avalara is changing the sales and use tax landscape by delivering innovative and affordable solutions. Led by a team of industry experts in sales and use tax, security and information technology, Avalara is focused on providing the easiest, most accurate and affordable way for any-sized company to address all statutory sales and use tax requirements. Additional news and information is available at www.avalara.com.

About Congruent

Congruent improves business processes for growing companies by integrating business and productivity applications, providing on and offshore software development, offering networking services, and providing on and offsite project consultants. Our services include Microsoft Business Solutions (Great Plains, Solomon, Navision), Productivity & Collaboration Tools, Offshore Software Development, Networking Services, and IT Staffing & Consulting. As a single source for your technology needs, Congruent has developed a structured methodology that delivers the smoothest, most cost-effective implementation experience available. Additional news and information is available at www.congruentsoft.com.

To schedule an interview with Avalara CEO Jared Vogt or Business Development Manager Matt Scoble, please call Ned Barnett -- [phone] or email Ned at [e-mail].

To schedule an interview with Congruent President Mani Krishnamurthy or Vice President of Sales Cliff Johnson, please call Kathleen VanDerAa - [phone] or email Kathleen at [e-mail].