D -- Temporary Extension of Pooling Administrator Services

This synopsis is for a Thousands-Blocks Pooling Administration requirement. This synopsis is prepared in accordance with FAR Subparts 5.2 and 6.3. The synopsis serves to give notice of the Government's intent to negotiate and issue a sole source bridge contract in accordance with 41 U.S.C. 253(c) (1) and Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 6.302-1 entitled "Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services will Satisfy Agency Requirements." This bridge contract is necessary to provide a continuation of critical services until the ongoing recompetition of the pooling administration services requirement is completed. Pooling administration services are critical to preventing the exhaustion of numbering resources in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) and must therefore be provided without interruption. Interruption of pooling administration services would result in a more rapid depletion of numbering resources nationwide and a return to the near-crisis state of the NANP that existed prior to implementation of pooling administration. The requirement obligates the contractor to serve as an independent designated entity responsible for administering Thousands-Block number pools by assigning, managing, forecasting, reporting and processing data that will allow service providers in rate areas designated for Thousands-Block number pooling to receive telephone numbers in blocks of 1,000. Thousands-Block number pooling is a resource optimization strategy which enables carriers to receive telephone numbers in blocks of 1,000, rather than 10,000, thereby promoting a more efficient and effective use of numbering resources. The Government intends to award a sole source bridge contract to NeuStar, Inc., the incumbent contractor. NeuStar, Inc. has been providing the critical, highly specialized services described above to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) since 2001. The existing contract is scheduled to expire on November 14, 2006. The transition period from the incumbent to a new service provider is anticipated to last several months. Due to the considerable transition period anticipated, the FCC has determined that only one contractor - NeuStar, Inc. - is capable of meeting the critical need for uninterrupted continuation of the pooling administration services for an interim period until completion of the ongoing recompetition. Accordingly, award to any other source other than NeuStar, Inc. would result in an unacceptable interruption in fulfilling FCC mission requirements and could severely jeopardize the success of continuing to generate and implement the program as required by statute. While it may be technically possible for other companies to provide the required services after a considerable transition period, the FCC believes that no contractor other than NeuStar, Inc. is capable of providing interim services beginning November 15, 2006 until the ongoing recompetition is completed. Pooling Administration must continue to be provided without interruption. Services are to cover a three-month period of performance with options for two, one-month periods of performance. Award is anticipated prior to November 10, 2006. Interested vendors may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement by addressing how it would be able to perform the interim services from November 15, 2006 until the ongoing recompetition is completed. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, all capability statements received within 15 calendar days after the date of publication of this notice will be considered by the FCC. A determination by the FCC not to compete this proposed contract action based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the FCC. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. A presolicitation announcement of the recompetition requirement was publicized on May 8, 2006. Interested vendors must contact Tony Wimbush, Contract Specialist, FCC/Contracts & Purchasing Center, @ 202-418-0932 or via email @ anthony.wimbush@fcc.gov.