The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Acquisition Management Division, on behalf of the NIST Information Technology Library, intends to negotiate with Internet2; Ann Arbor; MI, on a sole source basis under the authority of FAR Subpart 13.106-1 (b), Soliciting from a Single Source, to provide the membership described below.

Background:
Internet2 is an advanced networking consortium comprising more than 200 U.S. universities in cooperation with 70 leading corporations, 45 government agencies, laboratories and other institutions of higher learning as well as over 50 international partner organizations.

Internet2 is the only experimental network in the U.S. for research in networking technologies. All major universities as well as U.S. Government agencies conducting research are connected to this network. In order to access the network, one must be a member of the Internet2 Consortium and have a physical high speed network connection to the backbone network of the Internet2, the Abilene Network, and pay membership and network connection fees. The proposed fiber connection is in place from the NIST Gaithersburg campus to the high speed network provider, Mid-Atlantic Crossroads (MAX), who will in turn connect NIST to the Abilene Network. As no other such network exists, Internet2 is the only alternative.

The NAICS Code is 813920. NIST anticipates negotiating and awarding a firm-fixed-price purchase order to Internet2 for this requirement.

Interested parties that believe they could satisfy the requirements listed above for NIST to provide these services may clearly and unambiguously identify their capability to do so in writing on or before January 6, 2011 at 4 pm EST. This notice of intent is not a solicitation. Information submitted in response to this notice will be used solely to determine whether competitive procedures could be used for this acquisition. Any questions regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via email to Divya Soni at [email protected] and Barbara Suhrie at [email protected].