D--GRUcom Fiber Optic Services (numerous locations) 1 base year/4 option years contract

The contract involves a sole source negotiation between the Department of Veterans Affairs, located at 1601 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL, and GRU-Gainesville Regional Utilities for private fiber optic Metropolitan Area Network services. The agreement covers one base year from October 1, 2010, through September 30, 2011, with four additional option years extending the service period to September 30, 2015. The notice clarifies that this is not a solicitation for competitive proposals but rather an informational announcement to facilitate planning. Any responses submitted are not considered offers and will not result in a binding contract; they must be sent within 10 days of the notice posting and will be treated confidentially if marked proprietary. The contract, identified under solicitation number VA24810RI0578, relates to NAICS code 334290, covering communications equipment and services. It is managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs' Network Contract Office 8, based in Tampa, FL. The point of contact for this notice is Carol McNeill, the Contract Specialist, who can be reached via email. The government retains full discretion on whether to compete the requirement based on responses received, and interested parties bear their own costs in responding. This arrangement ensures continuity of fiber optic services for multiple locations served by GRUcom, emphasizing streamlined communication infrastructure for the VA.