Lucent Technologies, Inc., B-285505, August 23, 2000

B-285505 Aug 23, 2000 Jump To VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights DIGEST Protest that requirement for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony system at new agency headquarters facilities is unduly restrictive of competition is denied where agency reasonably determined that a VoIP approach would permit a convergence of voice and data systems. NAVSEA is constructing new headquarters facilities at the Washington Navy Yard. That is. Is fragmented into multiple. The agency expects that adoption of a VoIP telephony system will permit a convergence of voice and data systems. According to the RFP: The objective of the VoIP system at the [Washington Navy Yard] is to provide basic telephony services with classic PBX features leveraging the planned data infrastructure without building a parallel voice infrastructure. View Decision Matter of: Lucent Technologies, Inc. File: B-285505 Date: August 23, 2000 DIGEST Attorneys DECISION Lucent Technologies, Inc. protests the terms of request for proposals (RFP) No. N00024-00-R-4105, issued by the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) (as a simplified acquisition under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 13.5) for a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony system at its new headquarters facilities at the Washington Navy Yard, District of Columbia. Lucent asserts that the requirement for a VoIP system exceeds the agency's needs and unduly restricts competition. We deny the protest. As a result of the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure process, which resulted in a determination that NAVSEA must vacate its leased space in Arlington, Virginia and move its headquarters functions to the Washington Navy Yard by July 13, 2001, NAVSEA is constructing new headquarters facilities at the Washington Navy Yard. Rather than install a classic circuit-switched telephone system in which a Private Branch eXchange (PBX) creates an end-to-end circuit or connection for a telephone call, the RFP requests proposals for a VoIP telephony system, that is, one using a packet-switched transmission model in which voice, like other data, is fragmented into multiple, discrete IP packets which flow independently over the network. The agency expects that adoption of a VoIP telephony system will permit a convergence of voice and data systems, avoiding the necessity for a comprehensive telephone system (with a parallel wiring system) separate from the data network, and thereby enhance its ability to conduct operations, lower its cost of operation and ease its administrative burden. According to the RFP: The objective of the VoIP system at the [Washington Navy Yard] is to provide basic telephony services with classic PBX features leveraging the planned data infrastructure without building a parallel voice infrastructure. Workstations gain access to the data infrastructure through a switch port integral to the phone that provides the same performance and security features and functions as if connected directly to the data network. . . . Significant cost reductions are expected through convergence of classic PBX and data support staffs, single information distribution infrastructures, ability to expand local system via [wide area network] links and simplified moves. VoIP Evaluation Plan (Revision 2) at 2. In order to meet the July 2001 completion date, NAVSEA has determined that the new facilities must be completed and ready to receive the first group of employees by January 2001; this in turn requires that the entire telephone system be operational by August 2000, thereby allowing four months for telephone set-up, installation and testing before the first group of employees arrives in January 2001. Agency Report at 2, 5. Accordingly, the RFP required the ability to deliver a fully functional IP PBX, unified messaging and the first 200 telephones within 20 days after award. VoIP Requirements Specification (Revision 2) Sec. 3.1; VoIP Evaluation Plan (Revision 2) at 5-6, 8. The solicitation estimate of the total requirement included 3,912 standard and 186 conference room/reception telephone sets. VoIP Evaluation Plan (Revision 2) at 1. Lucent generally asserts that specifying a VoIP telephony system exceeds the agency's needs because (1) a classic PBX system would satisfy the agency's need for basic telephony services with classic PBX features, and (2) even with a VoIP system, the agency will still require parallel telephone and data networks. Specifically, Lucent "does not dispute that VoIP is the technology to which the industry is migrating," and it "does not dispute that convergence of voice and data networks can result in tremendous efficiencies." Protester's Comments at 1-2.