GSA has awarded Networx Enterprise contracts through which agencies can acquire voice, IP, wireless, satellite and IP-centric services.
Agencies seeking global telecom solutions would use Networx Universal contracts, which GSA also awarded recently, mostly to the same vendors.
For the enterprise contracts GSA lowered the number of required services and reduced the geographic requirement. Both universal and enterprise contracts support the transition to Internet protocol version 6, which OMB has called on agencies to transition to by June 2008.
It said core services provided under all Networx contracts include IP, security and management services necessary to design and deploy networks, GSA said.
The Defense Information Systems Agency has also reportedly said the Department of Defense intends to use the Networx, which would make it the largest federal customer.
Both universal and enterprise contracts have been awarded to AT&T and Quest Government Services. Enterprise contracts also went to Sprint and MCI Communications Services, while additional universal contracts went to Verizon Business Services.
Networx enterprise is estimated to cost up to $20 billion while Universal is estimated at about $48 billion.
