MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING Department of Information Technology and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

 
The Virginia Department of Information Technology (DIT) and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VPI) are working together to develop state government information technology initiatives in ways to create advantages for all sectors of the state economy. At the core of efforts to meet this goal will be strategies to rapidly transfer technology from development to commodity service and to innovatively create universal access to advanced systems. Implementation will enhance the competitiveness of Virginia business and provide an effective lever for economic development.

The state's research universities, in particular VPI, have a strong track record for providing national leadership for research, development, and early deployment of advanced communications technologies. DIT provides leadership for state government for telecommunications services and has been nationally recognized for its innovative and cost effective deployment of telecommunications services in the Commonwealth. DIT and the universities recognize that communications technology and associated business models are changing incredibly fast The Commonwealth should position itself to take advantage of its long cultivated networking expertise by developing business models which speed deployment of new services. Plans and models for improved efficiencies could move the agencies and other entities to more state of the art technology by combining the strengths of DIT and the universities. Continuing to leverage the buying power of the Commonwealth and DIT’s knowledge of agency systems along with the universities’ leadership in research and development is a combination that will be a model of success across the nation.

We propose to implement a new model where DIT and the universities and other Virginia entities engaged in communications research and prototyping will work together to identify and deploy new, integrated, digital communications technology. DIT will leverage the state's considerable buying power to bring about rapid technology transfer and early commercial deployment of these advanced services. This new paradigm will improve the effectiveness of information technology in state government and enhance the competitiveness of Virginia's businesses and citizens by making new communications technology widely available while seeking the lowest possible cost for advanced telecommunications services for state agencies.

To begin deployment of this model, DIT proposes to utilize cutting edge services established under NET.WORK.VIRGINIA service agreements held by VPI to provide data communications services to state agencies. To accomplish this, DIT intends to become an "Ordering Officer" representing state agencies pursuant to the terms of the agreements with Verizon/Bell Atlantic and Sprint (respectively, VT-CC-0696-SPRINT and VT-CC-0696-BELLATL both dated June 12, 1996). VPI and DIT will work together in the spirit of cooperation to enact necessary contract amendments, network management structure, and other components to enable state agencies to fully benefit from the economy and advanced network services offered under the NWV service agreements.

The following Memorandum of Understanding is specific to the NET.WORK.VIRGINIA contracts. It is a result of cooperative efforts by VPI and DIT to develop responsibilities with regard to statewide implementation of NET.WORK.VIRGINIA in agencies, institutions, and localities. Future network services may be handled differently.
  Mutual Responsibilities

1. DIT will work with VPI to develop a detailed implementation plan.
2. DIT and VPI will work cooperatively on future modifications to NET.WORK.VIRGINIA contracts to accomplish the following:

• Alternatives for access and connectivity with guaranteed response time for maintenance and a mechanism for generating revenue returns to management and operations entities.
• Provision of detailed performance measurement data to DIT for analysis and customer reporting. DIT will define data variables, measurement intervals, file format and reporting periods.
• Ensure that NWV continues to scale effectively to meet the performance requirements of all ordering entities.
• Additional items as necessary.

3. DIT and VPI will develop procedures to ensure that state agencies and institutions follow applicable state policies and guidelines in ordering telecommunications services from the NET.WORK.VIRGINIA contracts.
4. DIT and VPI will establish escalation procedures for trouble management and resolution.
5. DIT and VPI will establish procedures for the NOC to keep DIT advised of trouble ticket status and resolution.
6. DIT and VPI will each have direct access to the service providers for problem escalation.
7. DIT and VPI will establish procedures for and coordinate advance notification of all scheduled maintenance and rapid notification of unscheduled maintenance.
8. DIT and VPI will work cooperatively with the service providers for all routine switch/service upgrades.
9. DIT and VPI will conduct regularly scheduled meetings to discuss implementation progress, new advancements and general issues.
10. DIT and VPI will work cooperatively to design, develop and implement access to hotsite services.
11. This Memorandum of Understanding shall be governed in all respects by laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia. DIT and VPI shall comply with applicable federal and state laws and regulations.

  DIT Responsibilities

1. DIT will assume responsibility for providing a customer interface between state agencies and other administrative entities and the network service providers. Localities and local schools have the option of working through DIT if they so desire.
2. DIT will provide expertise and services to state agencies for design and operation of effective customer premises equipment solutions.
3. DIT will coordinate with administrative state agencies already using NET.WORK.VIRGINIA to facilitate their re-incorporation into the DIT service base.
4. DIT will bill all agencies and other administrative entities for which they provide a customer interface under the full cost recovery method.
5. DIT will provide logical virtual circuit configuration specifications and interact with service providers to implement and manage virtual circuits for state agencies.
6. DIT will provide first level support to state agencies for implementation of IP and other virtual network applications.
7. DIT will obtain a "view" into the network for performance monitoring and problem resolution purposes.
8. DIT will be the primary contact for network troubles reported by DIT customers and will have direct access to the service providers for problem escalation.
9. Under the terms of the NET.WORK.VIRGINIA contracts, DIT is an authorized "ordering officer" for all NET.WORK.VIRGINIA services.

  VPI Responsibilities

1. Institutions of Higher Education including the community college system, public and private primary and secondary schools and non-governmental agencies at their option may order directly from the contracts (VT-CC-0696-SPRINT and VT-CC-0696-BELLATL). VPI will provide a customer interface for these entities.
2. VPI will provide logical virtual circuit configuration specifications and interact with service providers to implement and manage virtual circuits for public and private educational entities, localities that wish to order directly from the contracts, non-governmental entities and those wishing to take advantage of USF program discounts. VPI will coordinate all activities with non-governmental entities.
3. Ordering entities shall be responsible for all penalties associated with services obtained through NET.WORK.VIRGINIA.
4. VPI will provide second level support for IP logical network design and management for all parties eligible to participate with NET.WORK.VIRGINIA. VPI will continue to provide those network configuration services presently provided to NET.WORK.VIRGINIA customers until such time as they are moved to the public switched network. Applicable fees will be negotiated by DIT and VPI.
5. VPI will continue to provide a NOC service, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. The VPI NOC will coordinate with the DIT NCC to resolve problems. VPI and DIT will each have direct access to the service providers for problem escalation.
6. VPI will provide representation to Internet2 and coordinate efforts with the Southern University Research Association, the National Science Foundation, the University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development, the Southern Crossroads, the East Coast gigaPOP Consortium, and others to implement the Mid-Atlantic metaPOP. VPI will ensure that the metaPOP will provide access for all NET.WORK.VIRGINIA participants in addition to Virginia industrial and other entities.
7. VPI will continue to develop and deploy new communications technologies and cooperate with DIT for rapid deployment. VPI will work with service providers and DIT to ensure timely implementation of network/system upgrades.

  Service Providers Responsibilities

DIT and VPI will cooperate to ensure that:

1. Service providers will work cooperatively with DIT and VPI in the effective implementation of NET.WORK.VIRGINIA. Service providers will follow an implementation plan cooperatively developed by DIT, VPI, the service providers and state agencies for initial implementation of ATM and frame relay service. Consistent with the implementation plan, service providers will notify DIT of marketing efforts to state agencies for frame relay and ATM services.
2. Service providers will work cooperatively with DIT and VPI to develop network designs for the requirements of state agencies.
3. Service providers will provide all physical layer network configuration and management. It will be necessary to coordinate configuration with DIT for state agencies and with VPI for education and research entities.
4. Service providers will continue to deploy advanced communications services for the commercial sector utilizing expertise and collaboration gained through DIT and VPI.

[This Memorandum was signed on August 29, 1998 by Michael E. Thomas, Director, Department of Information Technology and on September 3, 1998 by Minnis E. Ridenour, Executive Vice President, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.]