Professional Support Services - WAN Optical Services (Optional Circuits)

1.0 DESCRIPTION:

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Center for Information Technology (CIT), intends to procure contractor support to move two new Wide Area Network (WAN) 10GIG- E LAN circuits (NIH NIDDK (PBC) Phoenix 2 x 10Gbp). The two circuits are required for the purpose of providing high-speed data communication between remote site Phoenix (850 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004), NIH NCCS and the commodity Internet. The facility will support research labs and administrative staff that will support the Phoenix Bioscience Core. The new links will support the other Phoenix location Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGEN) in the event of a service interruption in TGEN. Secondly, five additional circuits are to be added to support new and existing cross-site connectivity supporting critical research facilities for the NIH ensuring adequate bandwidth, redundancy, diversity, and failover capability. Lastly, to accommodate anticipated future projects, optional quantities/services will be procured. The full list of added circuits and optional quantities are included in Attachment A.

The Contractor shall provide WAN optical services to the listed circuits which are required to ensure continuity of mission critical service in support of the NIH WAN Optical Services.  This includes the delivery, installation and maintenance of optical services, program and project management, change management, communications, community outreach, and technical support services.

The publicizing of this notice is in accordance with Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation (RFO) 5.101(a). This will be done as a modification under the current contract GS-35F-070CA/75N97022F00043, based on the Contracting Officer’s determination that only one source is available to meet the Government’s requirements due to the urgent need for operational continuity and the operational risks associated with transitioning to a provider within the required timeframe.

The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 515210 – Cable and Other Subscription Programming, and the associated small business size standard is $41.5 million.

2.0 UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE CONTRACTOR

Zayo Group, LLC (Zayo) is the incumbent contractor supporting NIH CIT under Contract No. GS-35F-070CA/75N97022F0004.  Zayo is uniquely qualified to do the work as it is the only provider with the necessary circuit conduit pathways already constructed, actively functioning, and fully integrated with NIH’s network infrastructure.  Zayo uniquely can ensure seamless continuity of service while avoiding the severe risks of disruption, network downtime, physical fiber damage, costly rebuilds, and long implementation timelines. Transitioning to another contractor at this time would cause a break in service, jeopardizing NIH’s essential operations, threatening the integrity and accuracy of sensitive medical information exchanged with governmental and external partners, and compromising trusted communication channels.

Having successfully delivered these services for several years, Zayo has gained specialized technical expertise and possesses certifications that directly align with the requirements. Given these operational, technical, and security imperatives, it has been determined that only Zayo can provide uninterrupted services at this time, which is vital to NIH’s ongoing mission, ensuring the reliability, protection, and integrity of all communications.

3.0 RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS

This notice is not a request for competitive quotations. However, if your organization is capable of doing the work as stated above, please submit a capability statement, which will be considered by the agency. The response and any other information furnished must be in writing and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow the Office of Mission Acquisition Solutions (OMAS) to determine if the party can fulfill the requirement. All responses must be sent via email to Whitney Monkam, Contracting Officer at whitney.monkam@hhs.gov by no later than 9:00AM EDT on August 27, 2026. A determination by the Government to not limit competition is based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. To receive an award, contractors must be registered and have valid certification through SAM.gov. Reference HHS-OMAS-2026-08 on all correspondence.