EIS testing is picking up speed

Testing of the complex back-office systems that vendors will use to support the federal government's massive telecommunications service contract is moving along, according to the latest report from the General Services Administration.

An April 4 update on Business Support Systems Testing (BSST) for GSA's $50 billion, 15-year Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) contract showed most contractors, including non-traditional carriers, making at least some progress.

According to the report, AT&T has completed 54 percent of testing. Verizon Federal has completed 42.5 percent, while MetTel and Level 3 have completed 28.5 percent and 13 percent, respectively.   All were significant increases from the previous BSST report, which GSA issued in early February. 

CenturyLink’s testing remained unchanged from the previous report at 7 percent.

The non-traditional carriers on the EIS contract had registered zero percent completion across the board in the February report; all but one showed some level of progress in the latest statement.

Core Technologies registered 26 percent completion, while BT Federal reported 4.5 percent and Harris Corp. showed 3 percent.  Granite Telecommunications registered 2.5 percent completion, while MicroTech remained at zero.

Although all the EIS contractors all have until next fall to complete their testing, some have bridled at the completion schedule. CenturyLink and MetTel have called for an extension of the EIS transition, because contractors can’t cut contracts with agencies without an authority to operate. ATOs are awarded only after BSS testing is complete.