Telecommunications services throughout the six New England States

The General Services Administration intends to award on a sole source basis a contract, in accordance with FAR 6.302-1, to provide for continuity of services and support the transition to a new competitive award currently being worked for Region 1 local telecommunications services. Proposals are currently being evaluated for awarded for services in Massachusetts. The region currently has the Metropolitan Area Acquisition contract for its local telecommunications services which is held by Verizon. The contract was awarded in 2001 and is currently on a twelve month extension and is due to expire July of 2009. The region is currently competing for these services under the recently awarded LSA contract which encompass all Massachusetts telecom services. As a the incumbent contractor, Verizon is the sole contractor capable of providing continuity of services through the period leading to a follow-on effort without major disruption, loss of functionality and/or features, degradation of services and significant overall costs impact to the federal agencies serviced by this contract. This action effects approximately 12,000 circuits. A laps in service will have an immediate detrimental effect on the ability of the General Services Administration to provide telecommunication services to federal agencies in the New England region. Virtually all the federal agencies in New England region would loose telecommunications service if this contract ends before services are transitioned to the new Local Services Contract. This contract will provide a bridge while the competitive acquisition is finalized and services can be transitioned to the new contract. This sole source bridge contract extension is to allow for time to transition to the region 1 Local Services Contract. Services will be mirrored on the bridge award to provide for transition to the Local Services Contract. The Statutory Authority for other than full and open competition is 10 U.S.C. 2304(d)(1)(B). The proposed bridge contract extension period of performance will be from August 1, 2009 through January 1, 2010. This six month bridge contract extension will continue to provide minimum services that are currently provided for the requiring agencies.