99 -- NOTIFICATION OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE

The U.S. Department of State's Office of Acquisition plans to procure various Land Mobile Radio (LMR) equipment and related accessories exclusively from Motorola, Inc., located in Hanover, Maryland. This procurement addresses the Department's critical radio communications needs for diplomatic security, protection of life and property, regional operations, and support for United Nations General Assembly functions, among other uses. The contract will be structured as an Indefinite Quantity/Indefinite Delivery (IDIQ) agreement, featuring a one-year base period followed by four option years, enabling flexibility in ordering equipment as needed over several years. The LMR equipment to be acquired includes base stations, repeaters, mobile radios, and handheld devices, all of which must support Mobile Data Communication 1200 (MDC1200) signaling and both Digital Encryption Standard (DES) and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption capabilities. The radios must operate on UHF/VHF frequencies with programmable narrow bandwidths of 12.5/25 kHz and be compatible with Project 25/Common Air Interface protocols, featuring Over the Air Rekeying (OTAR) capabilities. This new contract continues the Department's existing wireless infrastructure, primarily Motorola-manufactured, that supports secure and reliable communications domestically and overseas. The procurement is a follow-on activity to an existing contract and aims to enhance and expand the current equipment inventory, with a solicitation planned to be issued around June 9, 2006. Contract specialists Lily M. Savic and Donna Pat Herriott serve as primary points of contact.