Dark Fiber

HHS/FDA has a requirement for lease, maintenance, and installation of new optical network fiber within the FDA Washington Area Network. (See attachment for existing Fiber) Fiber optic cabling required under this task shall consist of specified pair counts of single mode fiber and shall be "dark". No active electronics shall be provided to repeat the signal or provide network services. New install entails the installation of dark fiber from outside facilities into the Point-of-Entrance (POE). Existing fiber is currently being leased from the incumbent, Fibergate. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement which shall be considered by the agency. Capability statements are limited to address the sources ability to perform "activation of existing fiber", "re-activation of existing fiber", "termination" and new installations of dark fiber. Respondents should identify any constraints to maintaining fiber owned by a third party. The FDA intends to acquire these services competitively. The Government intends to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. Interested organizations may submit their capabilities statement to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 12 p.m. local time on April 28, 2011. Such statements will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. QUESTIONS OR INQUIRIES: No questions shall be accepted regarding this RFI. Responses to this notice will not be returned, nor will there be any ensuing discussions or debriefing of any responses. This notice is part of Government Market Research, a continuous process for obtaining the latest information on the commercial status of the industry. This RFI is for planning purposes, and does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement action will follow. FDA will use the information submitted in response to this notice at its discretion and will not provide comments to any submission