The General Services Administration (GSA) today awarded Qwest Communications International Inc. a stake in Networx, the largest communications services contract in the world. Qwest will participate in the U.S. government program that is valued at approximately $20 billion over the next 10 years to provide leading-edge voice, data and video services, including managed and secure advanced data networks, to federal agencies nationwide.
Today, Qwest is a leading provider to more than 50 federal government agencies, including the Department of Energy, Department of Defense, Department of Justice and the Department of Treasury. The Networx Universal award enables Qwest to aggressively compete for billions of dollars of additional federal government communication business.
"This is a big win for Qwest that complements our progress over the last five years and is a testament to Qwest"s status as a leading, national, tier-one communications provider," said Qwest Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard C. Notebaert. "All Qwest customers across the nation will see benefits. Qwest already is offering to its business customers many of the advanced features that are required in Networx and customers will continue to benefit from Qwest"s investments in broadband technologies to support next-generation applications that are anticipated by GSA."
The Networx program will provide comprehensive, best-of-breed communications and networking services and technical solutions to all federal agencies. It will allow the agencies to focus resources on building a seamless and interoperable operating environment while GSA ensures agency access to the best technology industry has to offer.
"Although Qwest is already a leading supplier to the U.S. government, this award enables us to grow our federal business," said Diana Gowen, senior vice president and general manager of Qwest government services. "It"s also good for government customers because including Qwest in Networx provides federal agencies with more choices, which will enable creative solutions and excellent price performance for the U.S. government and the taxpayers."
"A Networx Universal spot is akin to a 'Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval' for data and voice product portfolios, customer service and national network capabilities," said analyst Mark Winther, vice president of worldwide telecommunications at IDC. "Networx Universal winners secured the endorsement of one of the most discriminating customers in the world, in one of the most complex and thorough communications proposals ever. Networx winners will attract additional business and residential customers that want to work only with the best."
In addition to Networx, Qwest recently has received other large awards from the U.S. government. In November, Qwest was the winner of a contract worth up to $100 million from the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) to provide bandwidth transmission services for connecting military installations located across the West to the Global Information Grid (GIG) over the next 10 years. And last month, Qwest announced it will be the sole provider of telecommunications services to federal agencies in nine Western states in a contract from the GSA worth at least $10 million.
