The General Services Administration’s strategy for its next-generation telecommunications services contract could exclude a huge segment of providers and duplicate some federal contract offerings, according to a procurement industry group.

GSA issued a request for information for Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) in April; comments are due by May 8.

The RFI is part of GSA’s effort to develop a comprehensive framework and acquisition strategy for Network Services 2020, which will become the federal government’s strategic sourcing center for network-based and network-enabled services. The agency plans to solicit bids for NS2020 in fiscal 2015.

According to Roger Waldron, president of the Coalition for Government Procurement, the plan sets up small and midsize suppliers to fail. The organization’s concerns relate to the scope of services envisioned under the RFI and the designation of mandatory versus optional services, he added.

Keep reading this article at: http://fcw.com/articles/2014/05/05/industry-group-gsa-telecom-strategy.aspx?admgarea=TC_Management