Air Force issues $1B RFP

The Air Force Pentagon Communications Agency (AFPCA) last week released a $1 billion request for proposals (RFP) for a range of classified and unclassified information technology services to be used by Defense Department workers in the Washington, D.C., area.

The customer base for the 10-year, fixed-price outsourcing award is 7,500 users at Air Force headquarters, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the National Military Command Center and the leadership offices of other agencies working with DOD.

The RFP was released June 20, proposals are due by July 28 and an award is expected in December, according to a contract specialist working on the program. He added that the $1 billion anticipated award "could vary by $100 million either way."

IT services included in the RFP are e-mail, databases, Web services, an antivirus program, account and domain management, communication security, and configuration management of the common operating environment integrating more than 1,050 software applications.

AFPCA also provides voice services, video teleconferencing, cable installation, software consultation and planning, commercial off-the-shelf integration, custom software development, lifecycle support services, and a 24-hour help desk.

Most of the offices supported are in the Pentagon, but others are scattered throughout the Washington, D.C., area.

IBM Business Consulting Services is the only confirmed potential prime contractor, but numerous other firms are potential primes, including Verizon Communications, Raytheon Systems Co. and Harris Corp., according to Federal Sources Inc.