Get ready to pitch for JHITS

The Defense Information Systems Agency today issued a request for proposals for the $300 million, Joint Hawaii Information Transfer Service contract for telecommunications services in the state.

The program will provide voice and data communications services for the Defense Department and other authorized users in Hawaii via an end-to-end, common-user switched and dedicated transmission services.

Known as JHITS, the contract replaces the Hawaii Information Transfer Systems program that provides inter- and intrabase switched services, dedicated transmission services, network management, administrative operations and maintenance of a leased-switch network. More than 28,000 users on 60 military installations throughout Hawaii use HITS.

The scope of JHITS is essentially the same as HITS, but the new contract will differ in structure and methodology for the provision of services.

AT&T Corp. is the incumbent on HITS, which expires in February 2007. The company won the $291 million contract in February 1997.

Proposals for JHITS are due Aug. 3. DISA plans to award the contract in January 2006.