3.Sprint Corporate Transition Capabilities

3.1Sprint’s Transition Experience

Sprint has considerable experience in conducting large complex transition, migration and implementation of services for its commercial customers and for the Federal Government. Sprint transitioned FTS service to FTS2000 Network B, the Treasury Department’s Consolidated Data Network (CDN) from commercial to FTS2000, and the U.S. Customs Service Radio Networks, both point-to-point and multi-point, to FTS2000. All of these transitions were completed ahead of schedule and resulted in substantial savings to the Government. Recently, Sprint migrated the CDN network to the Treasury’s Communications Service (TCS) using FTS2000 circuits. In addition, Sprint has continually performed implementation of new services to its networks as it has consistently rolled out new services to its customers. These implementations have been performed transparently to the end users.

Successful transition, migration and implementation experience for some of Sprint's major Government contracts include:

FTS2000 - In six months, Sprint transitioned the old FTS network to the FTS2000 network and cut over 900 SDPs. Sprint currently provides FTS2000 with switched voice services and switched data services (includes switched digital integrated services, packet switched services, video transmission services, and dedicated transmission services). The Sprint FTS2000 network consists of more than 900 Service Delivery Points (SDPs), 600,000 users, 31,000 access circuits and 8,900 DTS circuits. FTS2000 provides the GSA with a variety of services including voice, data, and video services. Sprint was awarded 40 percent of FTS2000 services and has provided telecommunications services and features to 80 billable GSA agencies and sub-agencies for 10 years. More than 200 personnel support this project today.
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3.2Services

Sprint’s FTS2001 technical solution meets or exceeds GSA’s requirements, is an inherently low risk approach, and is backed by Sprint’s proven and superior past performance. In addition to providing many additional services to the Government for FTS2001, transition to the Sprint network X many of the existing and proposed service offerings especially for FTS2000 Network A users.

Sprint has many years of experience in providing services for large commercial as well as Government networks. The focus on supporting these networks is part of Sprint’s corporate culture, as evidenced by the significant number of times that Sprint has enhanced its services. Sprint is continually implementing significant network infrastructure changes to enhance the value of its telecommunications services. Sprint’s all-SONET backbone network supports all Sprint customers and will support FTS2001 users. On the local distribution side, Sprint has used its many decades of experience X formulate a network of interlocking fiber rings as part of its Sprint Metro SONET offering. This stable, fault tolerant design gives the Government an end-to-end solution that virtually eliminates the impact of fiber cuts.

Continuing in its tradition of leading the industry in technical innovation and sophistication, Sprint is in the process of moving all of its services to an ATM consolidated transport network. X information from the network detailing product performance, adherence to specifications, impact of network events, and measures of traffic volumes to a very detailed level.

Sprint’s ATM-based consolidated transport network is not the end of the evolution; it is the beginning. X While others tout their “Network for the 90s”, Sprint has been quietly building a network for the 21st Century and beyond.

As Sprint’s commercial network continues to evolve, FTS2001 users will derive the benefits of improved network services over the life of the contract. Details of specific service transition plans are contained in Section 5 of this document.

3.3Resources

In order to achieve a smooth and successful transition to FTS2001, Sprint will provide a centralized, vertically controlled organization to manage the customer interface for the transition process. This office is called the Office of Transition Management (OTM). The OTM is responsible for the coordination and successful completion of all transition activities. It is committed to provide high-quality service and a risk-free transition. Sprint has structured the OTM to provide close vertical control over the transition process so that a single chain of accountability is maintained for completing these tasks. However, the OTM will rely heavily on Sprint’s “core” organization. This is the same organization structure that services all Sprint’s commercial customers. Additionally, Sprint has a cadre of approved contractors available across the country to assist in the transition process. All together, Sprint has over 2,400 individuals available, including contract resources that provide surge capacity, to assure FTS2001 transition success.

3.3.1Sprint Organization Structure

The personnel Sprint has committed to transitioning the FTS2000 networks come primarily from Sprint’s commercial organization, as augmented by the direct FTS2001 user interface expertise of Sprint GSD’s FTS2000 personnel. These dedicated people have been selected by Sprint’s top-level management and represent a total commitment to FTS2001 by Sprint as a company.

Sprint has more than X individuals available in its core groups to transition FTS2000 sites to Sprint’s FTS2001 services. These include, but are not limited to, the following functional specialties:

Order Administrators (X)
Project Planners X
Provisioners X
Access Planners X
Implementors X
Testers X

A brief summary of those additional core organizations within Sprint that will be providing ongoing support to FTS2001 transition activities is provided in Section 3.3.2.

3.3.2GSD’s Office of Transition Management (OTM)

Figure 3-1 shows the Sprint Government Systems Division’s (GSD) overlaying organization with the OTM serving as the customer interface and the core commercial structure performing all the key implementation functions. Sprint GSD has a full complement of program managers, project managers and engineers who will be dedicated to making the FTS2001 transition a success. The figure also provides a description of the GSD Transition Team and its functions.

Sprint has the strongest transition management team in the telecommunications industry. Its experience in numerous network transitions has provided the basis for the structure and functional responsibilities of the OTM. Sprint will use a strong nucleus of its personnel, each with years of experience with FTS2000, to staff the OTM. These individuals have additional experience and background acquired from transitioning the Sprint network and large commercial VPN networks.

Moreover, GSD has a full complement program managers, project managers and engineers who will be dedicated to FTS2001 transition. These personnel are committed to FTS2001 and bring with them expertise in the following areas:

Project Management,
Carrier Relations,
Switch Engineering and Operations,
Customer Premise Equipment Engineering and Operations,
Network Planning,
Route Planning and Switch Translations,
Transition of CCSA, EPSCS and ETN Networks,
RBOC Training and Experience,

Interfacing with RBOCs/LECs,
Management, and
Government Systems.

Sprint has additional personnel available on its Life Cycle teams to work with government customers to develop appropriate plans for customer transition.

Sprint will establish its OTM within 15 calendar days following the FTS2001 contract awards. The OTM will be charged with overseeing all aspects of the activities related to the transition of existing FTS2000 agencies and networks onto Sprint’s network. During this period, Sprint will provide a single point of contact for the transition activities with the TCC and with agency users at locations where activities will occur. The OTM will administer all Sprint’s plans, policies, and specific transition schedules regarding Sprint’s services.

Sprint will provide a single point of contact for each LGC for transitioning services. Sprint’s responsibility for coordinating activities extends to any activity conducted by any subcontractor or vendor on behalf of Sprint. All requests for information or assistance directed to individual user locations for purposes of site preparation will come through Sprint and will be directed to the appropriate user location’s LGC.

Sprint will identify a representative for each site where transition activities are to occur. The representative will be available to communicate with the site’s representatives prior to, during, and immediately following cutover activities. The Sprint representative will be available to answer any questions related to transition.

The Sprint OTM will make available to the TCC via the X. This includes information related to the content of service orders and the status of service orders associated with the transition of services to Sprint’s network, as well as information on the removal of services from the FTS2000 networks. Sprint will update the information available from our SOTS each day. In addition, Sprint will:

Support the TCC, MCC, and ICC during transition, migration and implementation
Work with the TCC, MCC, and ICC in the conduct of transition, migration, and implementation activities. The TCC, MCC, and ICC will be Sprint’s principal points of contact within the PMO for the coordination of transition, migration, and implementation activities.
Recognize that the TCC, MCC, and ICC will represent the agencies when dealing with Sprint on strategic transition, migration and implementation issues.

Sprint understands that the MCC/ICC Director will manage all migration/ implementation activities with COR authority.

Sprint acknowledges that the Government will notify at the beginning of a migration/implementation whether the MCC/ICC duties and authority have been delegated to an agency.

Sprint acknowledges that the MCC/ICC has the authority to approve all Sprint plans and activities

The OTM acts as the single point-of-contact for the TCC to coordinate all transition activities, such as tracking FTS network and user inventories, establishing the transition databases, executing the transition of SDPs according to the Master Transition Schedule, and instituting management reporting procedures. The OTM will be located in Sprint’s Program Management Office (PMO) and its normal hours of operation will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Extended hours will be used during the transition period as required to meet the needs of cutovers. Cutover activities occur after normal working hours and require the OTM personnel to be present. As part of their normal procedures the OTM staff will coordinate with their appropriate contacts for after-hour operation. The above organizational structure carries out the OTM mission.

During the transition of services, Sprint’s OTM will be responsible for coordinating all aspects of the transitioning of traffic at user locations for which Sprint is responsible. Sprint understands that when the transitioning of traffic involves the simultaneous actions at a location of more than one contractor, the TCC may appoint, if it deems appropriate, one contractor as overall coordinator at a location. Sprint will work cooperatively with the other contractor regardless of if Sprint is the overall coordinator at that location or not. Sprint will be responsible for its own transition activities required at a location irrespective of the Government’s appointment of an overall coordinator.

The OTM will coordinate the development of transition procedures to facilitate the coordination of all activities with the TCC, LGC and other contractors. These procedures shall be utilized for transition preparations, schedules, required Government resources, and progress in all areas relating to the transition of traffic at user locations. The OTM will coordinate all requests to the LGC for disconnection of present FTS2000 services as a result of transition activities. The OTM will coordinate all information-gathering activities with the TCC, other contractors, and Government representatives at user locations in order to provide services and associated features. The OTM will coordinate all on-site visits to user locations with the LGC, the TCC, subcontractors, and any other involved parties during transition activities.

3.3.2.1Network Transition Planning Group of OTM

Transition Planning will have the responsibility of planning, scheduling and setting the direction of the overall transition plan. The specific responsibilities of this group includes:

Producing and maintaining the Interconnection Plan, which includes:

FTS2000 and FTS2001 switch locations to be used as interconnection points

The number of interconnection trunks to be used

The quantity of FTS20001 ports required

All traffic that should be routed to and from FTS2000 through each interconnection point with FTS2001

NPA/NXXs being cutover from FTS2000 to FTS2001

Total two-way busy-hour traffic carried in FTS2000 access or tie lines serving the service delivery point or nodal switches being cutover.

Total two-way traffic transferred/remaining to FTS2001 access facilities from FTS2000

FTS2000 access lines removed

FTS2001 dedicated-access access lines added

WATS circuits added/removed

Routing and other changes.

Analysis of traffic data received from GSA and the site surveys. Results of this analysis will produce accurate SDP requirements and augmentation requirements for the FTS2000 network.
Provide trunking information to Sprint's Network Modeling and Traffic Planning groups so that trunks and access facility information can be optimized and provisioned.

The Network Transition Planning Group will interface with the TCC and the appropriate Sprint core groups. This organization will be responsible to see that the dynamic management and control tools are updated regularly to maintain accurate data.

3.3.2.2Network Route Planning Group

The Network Route Planning Group will control routing changes on both the FTS2000 and FTS2001 networks. Before initiating transition, a routing coordination plan will be developed in tandem with the Network Transition Planning Group to coordinate with the TP. It must also be carefully coordinated with the other FTS2000 contractor and, if appropriate, the other FTS2001 contractor for transition of SDPs in these networks to ensure compatibility and cutover compliance. This plan will be a detailed procedure for providing continuity of service during transition. During the transition stages, route codes and pointers will be added to the FTS2001 network and then deleted or changed on the FTS2000 network. This function will be carefully controlled by this group to ensure continuity of service for each SDP. This group will work closely with the Switch Translation and Traffic Planning departments of Sprint’s core commercial business to insure routing changes are minimized and routing schedules are adhered to specific responsibilities of the Network Routing group include:

Develop Transition Routing Coordination Plan
Develop detailed routing plan for each phase of transition
Develop detailed routing plan for each SDP. This plan will be part of the SDP cutover plan
Direct routing changes within the FTS2001 network
Coordinate routing changes with the other FTS2001 vendors to ensure the continuity of traffic of both networks. This is especially important when addressing dual network locations.

3.3.2.3Test and Acceptance Function

This function is provided by Sprint because of the large number of vendors involved in a cutover and the need to coordinate their activities at the technical level. Prior to the cutover, pre-testing activities will be monitored and checked for compliance. During cutover, activities will be tracked; technical support will be provided; different vendor/carrier jurisdictions will be coordinated; test results will be verified and approved; and, when required, problems will be escalated for resolution. These activities will be at the direction of the Sprint Project Managers within the OTM. This approach to the control of cutover activities will ensure that sound practices are followed throughout the FTS2001 transition process.

3.3.3Sprint Core Resources

Sprint’s core Network Operations personnel are responsible for circuit installation as well as initial test and acceptance of the service. This is to be done under the direction and monitoring of the FTS2001 Network Operations and Management Section within the Transition Management and Network Operations Department. The Quality Assurance Department ensures that performance parameters for the access connection and the service are being met on an ongoing basis.

The following is a brief summary of additional core organizations within Sprint that will be providing ongoing support to FTS2001 transition activities:

Network Planning -- Plans and forecasts changes in Network Traffic based on historical traffic data, marketing forecasts and the integration of large VPN customers to the network. This group will provide network modeling and trend analysis for the integration of FTS2001 into the Sprint network. This group will provide direct support to the OTM.

Traffic Planning.-- Monitors traffic patterns on a real time basis. Initiates provisioning orders based on changes of real time traffic patterns. Constantly tunes the network to ensure the most efficient and economic methods of routing traffic. Provides historical data to the Network Modeling group. Traffic planning will provide direct support to the OTM.

Network Provisioning -- Provides facilities engineering functions. Produces detailed engineering for all facilities internal to the Sprint network. Determines most efficient routing of Sprint facilities. Engineering details include equipment assignments, switch port assignments, and DS-3 and DS-1 time slot assignments. Generates automated Design Layout Records (DLR) for all facilities internal to the Sprint network. This group will provide direct support to the OTM.

Access Engineering -- Provisions and engineers access facilities, issues facility orders or Access Service Requests (ASRs), to LECs, assigns entrance facilities and switch equipment to access facilities. This group will work closely with the OTM.

Switch Translations Administration -- Implements and maintains switch translations for the Sprint network. Implements signaling routing and subscriber features. Provides network management controls to compensate for overloads in the network. This group will have a close relationship with the OTM.

Carrier Relations -- Primary interface with RBOC/LECs. Provides high level interface with other carriers. Develops interface agreements and escalation procedures with RBOC/LECs and other carriers. This group will be used as a resource by the OTM Project Management sections.