GSA issues draft RFP for WITS 3 contract
Connecting state and local government leaders
The General Services Administration earlier this week released the draft request for proposals for the Washington Interagency Telecommunications System 3 contract.
The General Services Administration earlier this week released the draft request for proposals for the Washington Interagency Telecommunications System 3 contract.
WITS 3 would replace WITS 2001, which is held by Qwest Communications International Inc. of Denver and Verizon Communications Inc. of New York and expires in January 2008. GSA awarded the 8-year, $1.4 billion WITS 2001 contract in 2000.
WITS 2001 provides federal agencies in the national capital region a wide range of local access, data and telecommunications equipment.
The national capital region includes Washington; the Maryland counties of Montgomery and Prince George's; the Virginia counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William; and the Virginia cities of Alexandria, Manassas, Fairfax and Falls Church.
WITS 3 would be worth about $1.8 billion over eight years, according to Input, a market research firm in Reston, Va. It will be a multiple-award, firm fixed-price contract, GSA said.
Vendors are asked to submit their responses to the draft RFP by June 2.
WITS 3 is scheduled to be awarded in January 2007. It will provide a continuation of local telecommunications services within the Washington region and also will serve as a platform for users to migrate to GSA's Networx contract based on individual agency requirements, funding and timelines.
Networx is GSA's $20 billion governmentwide contract for telecom and networks, which will be awarded in spring 2007.
'WITS 3 service requirements are based, in large part, on what WITS customers are buying today,' GSA said in the draft RFP. 'Our customers are technologically sophisticated and increasingly demand new and emerging technology in addition to traditional telecommunications services.'
GSA said voice and data services are mandatory under WITS 3, and vendors are encouraged to propose additional commercial services and equipment to enhance or extend their service offerings.
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