Veterans Affairs awards $725M EIS contract to AT&T
The Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded a $725 million task order to AT&T to modernize the agency’s data communications platform.
AT&T has already begun work improving the security, scalability, availability and resiliency of VA‘s Internet Protocol-based data network with cloud infrastructure.
VA made the maximum 12-year task order as part of the the $50 billion Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions contract for federal government enterprise telecommunications and networking solutions.
“VA is continuing to explore and innovate with advancing technologies to help us provide
exceptional customer service to our nations veterans,” said Daniel Mesimer, a director within the agency’s Office of Information and Technology.
AT&T is providing wide area networks (WANs), virtual private networks (VPNs) and managed network services as part of the deal. The VA says that WANs will allow care providers access veterans’ health-care records in near-realtime on connected devices to eliminate paper and save time.
VA needs a high-speed urban and rural data network to provide care and benefits to about 18 million veterans and their families out of 1,255 facilities comprising the largest integrated health-care system.
“We’re thrilled to complement our broad array of AT&T programs that benefit veterans with an advanced data communications platform and capabilities that will power VA’s mission for years to come,” said Chris Smith, vice president of civilian and shared services at AT&T Public Sector and FirstNet.
