DISA pushes back circuit buy
The Defense Information Systems Agency has delayed a massive purchase for GIG-BE until mid-June.
The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has delayed the start of procurement for between 3,000 to 5,000 circuits to flush out the Defense Department’s Global Information Grid-Bandwidth Expansion (GIG-BE) fiber-optic backbone from this week to next month.
DISA had originally planned to kick off the Defense Information System Network Access Transport Services (DATS) procurement on May 25, but agency spokesman Michael Thiem said a "viable date" for release of the DATS request for proposal is now June 16. Thiem gave no reason for the delay.
Tony Montemarano has described DATS as "the tail" between 404 nodes on the current DISN and the GIG-BE, which should have between 85 and 88 nodes by September. The DATS circuits, ranging from narrowband to wideband will primarily connect military bases and facilities to the GIG-BE, Montemarano said.
Telecommunications company executives eyeing the DATS procuring estimated its value at between $200 million to $500 million over a ten-year period.
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