Feds release multibillion-dollar Networx draft RFP
By Ed Gubbins
TelephonyOnline.com, Nov 1 2004
The federal government’s General Services Administration today released a draft of a request for proposals (RFP) for a comprehensive telecom services contract vehicle expected to be worth billions of dollars over the next ten years.
Known as Networx, the draft--designed to find a wide range of wireless and wireline services for federal government agencies--is a later version of the FTS2001 contract vehicle, which industry sources say might end up having funneled at least $3.5 billion over a nine-year period to Sprint, MCI and others. Sources familiar with both FTS2001 and Networx say the latter could end up being worth about $5 billion, though the GSA won’t estimate the vehicle’s likely expenditure.
Level 3 Communications and Broadwing Communications are among the new entrants expected to vie for a piece of Networx along with AT&T, MCI, Sprint, Verizon Communications and others.
Networx is divided into two sections based on the types of telecom services needed. The "Universal" portion refers generally to nationwide services while the "Enterprise" portion refers to specialized geographically limited services.
Both draft RFPs can be downloaded from the GSA’s Web site, www.gsa.gov. Participants may respond to the draft through Dec. 22, 2004. The final version of the RFP will be issued in April 2005, with awards expected a year later.
The GSA’s Federal Technology Service unit will host a public information forum to highlight information in the draft RFP on Friday, Nov. 5 in Fairfax, Va.
|
