Sprint, Qwest get TIC Enterprise greenlight
Networx Enterprise contract holders Qwest Government Services and Sprint Solutions Inc. won Managed Trusted IP Service (MTIPS) contracts from the General Services Administration.
The Networx contract modification lets agencies order the services that protect their connections to the Internet.
Qwest had already won an MTIPS contract under Networx Universal and joins AT&T as one of only two companies to win such awards under both Networx Universal and Enterprise. Neither Level 3 Communications, which holds a Networx Enterprise contract, nor Verizon Business, which holds both Universal and Enterprise contracts, has earned an MTIPS award.
AT&T was the first out of the gate with an MTIPS award, winning one under its Universal contract in December 2008. The awards to the others followed March 11 and April 7, 2009.
AT&T’s early award has given the company a head start selling MTIPS to agencies under Networx. “We’ve already contracted for one [system] and are in the middle of deploying it in solution form,” said Don Herring, president of AT&T Government Solutions. “We’re in discussions with many different agencies.”
MTIPS helps agencies comply with the Office of Management and Budget’s Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) initiative, which requires them to reduce the number of Internet gateways and improve cybersecurity. MTIPS solutions include an Einstein Enclave computer network intrusion-detection system and the following components:
- A security operations center.
- Transport from the agency wide-area network to the TIC portal.
- Redundant Internet access service.
- Features to meet requirements for supply chain risk management.
- Other optional features to accommodate agency-specific requirements.
About the Author
Sami Lais is a special contributor to Washington Technology.