GSA taps Nextel for wireless comm

The General Services Administration's Federal Technology Service yesterday awarded Nextel Communications Inc. a contract, potentially worth several hundred million dollars, to support wireless communications across the government.

Under the contract, Nextel will provide integrated digital cellular and radio services and products over a two-year base and three one-year options.

Nextel's integrated digital cellular, text/numeric paging and digital two-way radio products satisfy a large need within government, judging from agency response to the FTS contracting office's inquiries, said Joey Phelps, the contracting officer's technical representative at the FTS Greater Southwest Region office, which awarded the contract.

Nextel already has several federal customers, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the FBI and the Defense Department, according to Phelps.