FIBER-OPTICS BASED TELECOMMUNICATIONS LINKAGE OF MILITARY INSTALLATIONS.

SEC. 2874. FIBER-OPTICS BASED TELECOMMUNICATIONS LINKAGE OF MILITARY INSTALLATIONS. (a) Installation Required.—In at least one metropolitan area of the United States containing multiple military installations of 111 STAT. 2016one or more military departments or Defense Agencies, the Secretary of Defense shall provide for the installation of fiber-optics based telecommunications technology to link as many of the installations in the area as practicable in a telecommunications network. The Secretary shall use a full and open competitive process, consistent with section 2304 of title 10, United States Code, to provide for the installation of the telecommunications network through one or more new contracts. (b) Features of Network.—The telecommunications network shall provide direct access to local and long distance telephone carriers, allow for transmission of both classified and unclassified information, and take advantage of the various capabilities of fiberoptics based telecommunications technology. (c) Time for Request for Bids or Proposals.—Not later than March 30, 1998, the Secretary of Defense shall release a final request for bids or proposals to provide the telecommunications network or networks described in subsection (a). (d) Report on Implementation.—Not later than December 31, 1998, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the implementation of subsection (c), including the metropolitan area or areas selected for the installation of a fiber-optics based telecommunications network, the current telecommunication costs for the Department of Defense in the selected area or areas, the estimated cost of the fiber-optics based network, and potential areas for the future use of fiber-optics based networks.