The GSA’s two predecessor contracts – FTS 2000 and FTS 2001 - affected the overall telecommunications market in the United States. Why should anyone outside the federal government care about Networx? Networx has been in the planning and procurement process for nearly four years. How long has the Networx program been in the works? Other carriers including SBC and Qwest were added to the FTS 2001 program later through FTS 2001 Crossover contracts. Networx replaces the FTS 2001 contracts, which were awarded to Sprint in December 1998 and MCI in January 1999. The three Networx Universal teams won Networx Enterprise along with teams led by Sprint Nextel and Level 3 Communications. The Verizon Business team includes Accenture, CSC, Fiber Tower, General Dynamics, HP, IntelSat General, Level 3 communications, Mindbank, SkyTel, TeleTech, Verizon Wireless and Viack.Qwest’s team includes Akamai Technologies, Bearing Point, Hawaiian Telecom Services, Lucent Technologies (now Alcatel-Lucent), Science Applications International Corp and Wire One Communications.AT&T's team includes Bechtel, Cingular Wireless, Electronic Data Systems, Global Crossing, GTSI, Northrop Grumman and SRA International.Carriers may offer a wide range of optional services. Networx Enterprise requires secure, IP and managed network services. Networx Universal provides 48 services including: traditional voice, toll-free, frame-relay, asynchronous transfer mode, VPNs, VoIP, video teleconferencing, call center, Web hosting, managed firewalls, antivirus, managed e-mail and cellular. Networx Universal provides comprehensive telecommunications services globally, while Networx Enterprise provides emerging IP and wireless services nationally. Networx is divided into two parts: Networx Universal and Networx Enterprise. All federal agencies, including military and civilian agencies, can purchase services from the Networx contracts.

The networx team