Windstream drops EIS protest

Windstream Communications on May 24 formally withdrew its pre-award protest of the General Services Administration's 15-year, $50 billion contract for 21st-century telecommunications, freeing the agency to move forward with an award.

Windstream protested the massive next-generation Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions telecommunications contract in April, telling the Government Accountability Office it had been eliminated from the competitive range.

The protest blocked GSA's ability to award the next-generation replacement for its aging Networx telecommunications contract.

GSA had never set an official award date for EIS, and officials have said they intended to award the contract in late spring. Some contractors familiar with EIS have said privately that the agency would award closer to early summer, with early June being the most likely timeframe.

Ten companies have lined up for the contract, including traditional telecom companies AT&T, BT, CenturyLink, Frontier Communications and Verizon, and less traditional providers Core Technologies, Hughes, Level 3 Communications, MetTel and Windstream.

GSA and Windstream spokespeople acknowledged to FCW that the protest had been withdrawn. GSA declined further comment, citing its policy not to talk about active procurements. Windstream officials also declined further comment.

Little Rock, Ark.-based Windstream provides network and data services, cloud connections, managed network security, colocation and unified communications for a variety of markets, including the federal government.

The company has been building capabilities through acquisitions. It bought EarthLink in a $1.1 billion deal in November and purchased Broadview Networks in April for $227.5 million.