CenturyLink Gets Massive Federal Contract

CenturyLink has won a contract worth $1.6 billion to provide secure network services and IT modernization solutions to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI).

It comes via the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) program. It covers two areas and has a combined maximum value of $1.6 billion, with 11 one-year options that run through 2032.

The DOI has more than 65,000 employees, 280,000 volunteers and 2,400 operating locations.

CenturyLink’s David Young

David Young, CenturyLink‘s senior vice president of public sector, tells Channel Partners his company will be working with strategic alliance partners that work with the federal government to provide these network services to the DOI.

“We just recently had our kick-off meeting with the customer and our first order of business is transitioning their legacy network to a modern IP network,” he said. “As we start building upon these network modernization efforts, I know we will be working with Cisco, among other vendors.”

The DOI made a big commitment to updating and upgrading its network, which is the foundation for all of its IT modernization efforts, Young said. The scope of the contract is larger than most because it includes not only providing network, cloud connectivity and related IT services, but also protecting it with cybersecurity, he said.

“It is a very forward-looking contract award that is aimed at future proofing and modernizing the department’s use of technology by capitalizing on advances in machine learning, software-defined networks and zero-trust networking,” he said.

CenturyLink was the first supplier to receive authority to operate under GSA’s 15-year, $50 billion EIS program last March. EIS is a multiple-award contract vehicle for federal government agencies to purchase IT and telecommunications infrastructure services. It gives federal agencies the flexibility and agility to migrate to modern communications and IT services that meet strict government security standards, according to CenturyLink.