GSA awards $1B in telecom deals

Contracts estimated to total more than $1 billion have gone to five companies

to supply telecommunications services to federal agencies operating in four

major metropolitan areas.

The General Services Administration's Federal Technology Service awarded

multimillion-dollar contracts to WinStar Communications Inc., AT&T,

Bell South, Southwestern Bell and SBC Global Services to provide local voice

and data communications services to four cities and surrounding regions.

WinStar,

which in March captured three Metropolitan Area Acquisition contracts, was

the biggest winner in the latest round. It will provide service in each

of the four latest MAAs but share the contracts with other companies.

* In Atlanta and Miami, where the contracts are estimated to be worth

$520 million and $140 million, respectively, WinStar's contract partner

will be Bell South.

* In Indianapolis, Winstar will share an estimated $240 million contract

with AT&T and SBC Global Services.

* In St. Louis, WinStar will share

in a contract worth about $140 million with Southwestern Bell.

The GSA anticipates awarding 20 MAA contracts by the end of the fiscal

year. The only cities remaining to be awarded are Albuquerque, N.M.; New

Orleans; Boise, Idaho; and Philadelphia, according to Clare McFadden, a

contracting officer for GSA.

Only bidding for the Philadelphia MAA remains open, and that closes

May 15, she said.

This latest round of contracts represent Phase Two of the MAA program.

McFadden said GSA expects more MAAs to be awarded in the next fiscal year.