The General Services Administration released the final request for proposals for vendors interested in its Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) telecommunications contract vehicle on Oct. 16.
The $50 billion vehicle — part of GSA's Network Solutions 2020 program — is set to replace the Networx contract vehicle, which was originally set to expire in 2017 but was extended to 2020 to help with a smooth transition.
Once awarded, EIS will offer agencies a slate of pre-competed contracts for a suite of telecommunications services, including traditional telecom, voice over IP and virtual private networks. The contract will also allow for any emerging technologies that mature over the 15-year life of the vehicle.
GSA expects most civilian agencies will order off the vehicle and is also making a push for more business from the Department of Defense, in particular the Defense Information Services Agency.
The final RFP "is the culmination of an extensive and successful collaborative process between GSA, federal agencies and industry which lasted more than two years and provided GSA with valuable feedback that helped us build and refine the RFP," said Mary Davie, assistant commissioner of GSA's Integrated Technology Services. "We believe the EIS RFP achieves the appropriate balance between industry's goals and capabilities, GSA's objectives and federal agencies' current and future needs."
GSA released a draft RFP in February and originally planned to release the final version this summer. However, after extensive feedback from industry — including more than 1,600 comments — the NS2020 team delayed the final RFP in order to refine the scope and language of the solicitation.
Proposals must be submitted to GSA by Jan. 15, 2016. The agency expects to announce awards before the end of 2016.
Aaron Boyd is an awarding-winning journalist currently serving as editor of Federal Times — a Washington, D.C. institution covering federal workforce and contracting for more than 50 years — and Fifth Domain — a news and information hub focused on cybersecurity and cyberwar from a civilian, military and international perspective.
