NASA adds video as part of Networx progress

NASA has begun transition of its teleconferencing services onto Networx and anticipates a further Networx award by May 9 of a contract for core and regional circuits.

For that award, a target date of Dec. 9 has been set for transition from FTS2001 to Networx, Greg Oden, Unified NASA IT Services Networx transition project lead, said in the agency’s quarterly NASA Integrated Services Network customer update. The current FTS2001 contract expires mid-2010.

NASA last year issued a request for quotes for core and regional circuits, which include a Web-based collaborative application for meetings; Web conferencing; video multiparty and point-to-point calls for meetings, including instant video meet-me; videoconferencing; audio multiparty calls for meetings, including operator-assisted and meet-me; audioconferencing; other conferencing services; mission-critical network for human spaceflight and science mission telemetry, command, and data handling; mission managed network service and other mission services.

The agency, which is using the Federal Acquisition Regulation Fair Opportunity Procurement Process to select carriers for each NISN service type, as of Jan. 26, has issued statements of work to the General Services Administration and issued three RFQs to Networx vendors.