Verizon Wins GSA Contract to Provide Local Voice and Data Services to Federal Government in Norfolk, Virginia

NEW YORK -- The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has chosen Verizon to provide local voice and data communications services to federal agencies and offices in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, including the cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach.

The competitively bid contract, which was awarded under the Metropolitan Area Acquisition (MAA) program, has a maximum value of $350 million and includes four base years plus four one-year options.

The GSA-administered MAA program is the federal government's tool for achieving benefits from a competitive local communications market. The program's objective is to provide cost-competitive local communications services in selected metropolitan areas via a flexible contract that encourages agency cooperation and aggregation of requirements.

"The award of the Norfolk MAA contract, the fourth under this GSA program, signifies the credibility and success Verizon has built in the federal market," said Veronica Pellizzi, senior vice president, sales, Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group. "It also underscores the benefits that Verizon has to offer federal customers -- competitive pricing, 24x7 customer service and the financial strength and stability of a leading U.S. communications company."

Verizon initially will offer analog and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) circuit switched voice and data services, as well as dedicated transmission services. In addition, Verizon intends to offer a broad range of advanced communications products and services, including frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), packet switched services, Internet protocol (IP) services, synchronous optical network (SONET) rings, video teleconferencing and network management.

In order to ensure the timely update of technology, the contract also contains provisions to introduce commercially available, emerging technologies, such as voice over IP. In addition, Verizon will provide complete maintenance programs, customer premises equipment from a variety of leading vendors and related services, as required.

Since qualifying to compete in the MAA program in 1998, Verizon has been awarded four separate contracts. In January 2000, the company was awarded the Washington Interagency Telecommunications System (WITS 2001) contract to provide local communications services in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Subsequent awards were made for Buffalo, N.Y., in February 2000 and Boston in July 2000.

In April 2001, Verizon was awarded the first-ever crossover contract modification, thereby allowing the company to offer local service in the New York City metropolitan area through its Buffalo contract. The crossover provisions enable contract holders to propose a modification to extend service to any other city one year after the award of the original contract for that city.

Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group manages the design, operation and maintenance of end-to-end total network integrated solutions for large business and government customers across the United States. With 14,500 employees in 46 states, Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group offers a complete range of basic and advanced communications products and services to meet the voice, video, data and IP-related needs of its customers. For more information on products and services available through Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group, visit www.verizon.com/enterprisesolutions.

Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with 132.1 million access line equivalents and 29.4 million wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. A Fortune 10 company with more than $67 billion in annual revenues and approximately 247,000 employees, Verizon's global presence extends to more than 40 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

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