News Releases
GOVNET Planned to Protect Critical Government IT Functions from Cyber AttacksGSA to Lead Effort for President's Cyberspace Security AdvisorGSA # 9890 October 10, 2001 Washington, DC --At the request of the President's Cyberspace Security Advisor, the U.S. General Services Administration today released a Request for Information (RFI) to the U.S. telecommunications industry seeking information and suggestions for the development of a special telecommunications network. A key feature of this network, called GOVNET, is that it must be able to perform its functions with no risk of penetration or disruption from users on other networks, such as the Internet. GOVNET is planned to be a private voice and data network based on the Internet Protocol (IP), but with no connectivity with commercial or public networks. "Planning for this network has been going on for several months," said Richard Clarke, Special Advisor to the President for Cyberspace Security: "Since there is a very significant body of telecommunications engineering and acquisition expertise at the GSA Federal Technology Service, I have asked GSA Administrator Steve Perry, for his support. We need the combination of skills GSA has to establish this network quickly." Clarke said that next steps for this effort would be based on the results of the input from industry. "We are pleased to offer our support for this important endeavor, the safeguarding of critical government functions," said Administrator Perry. "We look forward to working with industry to develop services for our customers that affords them the assurance of protection for their critical assets." For more information contact Jack Braun, (703) 306-6423, jack.braun@gsa.gov. For a copy of the RFI, visit the GSA website at http://www.fts.gsa.gov/govnet/govnet.doc. Responses to the RFI are due November 21, 2001.
Last Reviewed 8/30/2006
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