D -- INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TOOLS (IT2) NETWORK SOLUTIONS SUPPLIER MARKET CATEGORY REQUEST FOR INFORMATION The following Request for Information is issued for purposes of conducting market research and encouraging commercial IT companies to provide suggestions about current commercial industry practices. All information submitted in response to this RFI will be used for planning purposes only. FAR Clause 52.215-3 applies. Headquarters Standard Systems Group (HQ SSG) is in the process of formulating the acquisition strategy for our Information Technology Tools (IT2) Block 2 acquisition of Network Solutions. The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to allow interested companies whose core business is networking services to provide insight into commercial business practices and common operating procedures and to allow them the opportunity to submit comments, ideas, and/or suggestions. All information received will be considered as the Network Solutions acquisition strategy is developed. This is not a formal solicitation under FAR Part 15 or a FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition, but a request for interested companies to provide information. In addition, you may submit product literature about your company_s ability to provide networking services. Specific information on the following topics is requested: 1. What range of network services do you currently provide? 2. What are the most commonly requested services? Are all these services on your GSA FSS? If no, what percentage and type of services are not on your GSA FSS? 3. What is your capability to provide network services worldwide? 4. Our current vision for the Network Solutions vehicle(s) is that they primarily focus on providing networking services. Any products needed to complete a solution (products and services) for a customer would be obtained through HQ SSG_s Commercial Information Technology Product Area Directorate_s (CIT-PAD) Network Products vehicles as a first choice. Any company submitting a proposal for the Network Solutions vehicle(s) would need to demonstrate a willingness to provide products from existing CIT-PAD vehicles at minimal cost to our customers. This will be an important part of our evaluation. Any comments or feedback on the above vision is welcome. Submittals may be made via e-mail to IT2@ssg.gunter.af.mil or hard copy to HQ SSG/PKS-5 (ATTN: Capt Karen Kenney), 490 East Moore Dr. Suite 270, MAFB-Gunter Annex AL 36114-3000 by 15 Feb 00. All information received will be safeguarded from unauthorized disclosure. Please ensure any sensitive information is clearly marked as such. This is not a solicitation announcement for proposals and no contract will be awarded from this announcement. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement and/or any follow-up information requests. No telephone calls will be accepted requesting a bid package or solicitation. There is no bid package or solicitation at this time. In order to protect the integrity of any future procurement, additional information will not be given and no appointments for presentations will be made in reference to this RFI. An Ombudsman has been appointed to address concerns from offerors or potential offerors. The Ombudsman does not diminish the authority of the program manager or contracting officer, but communicates contractor concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations to the appropriate Government personnel. When requested, the Ombudsman shall maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The Ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of vendor responses, proposals, or in the selection process, as appropriate. Interested parties are invited to call the Ombudsman, Mr. Melvin Carr, at (334) 416-5323. For specific questions concerning this RFI, please contact Capt Karen Kenney at karen.kenney@gunter.af.mil or phone (334) 416-3561. ***** WEB: Visit this URL for the latest information about this, http://www.eps.gov/cgi-bin/WebObjects/EPS?ACode=S&ProjID=Reference-Num ber-NSRFI&LocID=1082. E-MAIL: Karen Kenney, karen.kenney@gunter.af.mil. Posted 02/03/00 (D-SN421381).

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