FTS releasing solicitation for distance-learning services

Kicking off the second of its three new business lines, the General Services Administration's Federal Technology Service (FTS) today will release the solicitation for a new governmentwide contract to provide broadband distance-learning services.

The services will be available worldwide and will support the federal Government Alliance for Training and Education (GATE) requirements. This includes access to the National Telecommunications University and the Public Broadcast System, voice, paging, voice mail, data, imaging and facsimile services. The new multiple-award contract will be for one year with five one-year options.

Federal employees will be able to access the services through a mobile satellite service or fixed satellite service that will connect to providers on the FTS 2001 long-distance contract for no charge. If that connection cannot be made from any location, users will be connected to a non-FTS 2001 service provider and will pay a transport charge.

FTS recently created the Financial Management Systems Service Center to lead the federal use of enterprise resource planning systems. The solicitation for the agency's third new business line, for call-center services, is expected to be out later this year.