Verizon gets MAA crossover rights in Baltimore

Verizon Communications Inc. has won the right to offer local voice and data communications services to federal agencies in Baltimore under a Metropolitan Area Acquisition crossover contract modification recently approved by the General Services Administration.

Federal agencies in Baltimore are expected to spend more than $320 million on local communications services between 2000 and 2008.

The Baltimore MAA was awarded to Winstar Communications Inc. in March 2000. The company filed for bankruptcy in April 2001, clouding the fate of the contract.

Crossover provisions allow companies awarded an MAA contract in one city to submit a proposal to offer services in another MAA city. New York-based Verizon submitted a proposal to the GSA in late January to modify its MAA contract for Norfolk, Va., to offer local communications services to federal agencies in Baltimore.

The company holds several MAA contracts, in Buffalo, N.Y., Boston and New York, and the Washington Interagency Telecommunications System 2001 contract for the Washington metropolitan area.

"This crossover award underscores the power of competition and choice that the GSA's MAA program is fostering in the federal communications marketplace," said Veronica Pellizzi, senior vice president of sales in Verizon's Enterprise Solutions Group. "This is a positive step forward as Verizon seeks to regain access lines that were lost to competition."

Under the terms of the modification, Verizon initially will offer analog and integrated services and digital-network, circuit-switched voice and data services, as well as dedicated transmission services. It has plans to add a range of advanced communications products and services.

The contract also provides Verizon the opportunity to offer emerging communications products and services, such as voice over Internet protocol.