[9158] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
esnet vs nsfnet: contracts vs coop agreements
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Gordon Cook)
Sun Dec 19 18:36:55 1993
From: cook@path.net (Gordon Cook)
Date: Sun, 19 Dec 1993 23:35:50 GMT
To: com-priv@psi.com
Would someone please explain why ESnet can bid for a **contract** to connect
ESnet at rates of up to 622 mgb via ATM? ESnet primarily connects the
national laboratories which last thing I knew were supper computer centers.
Meanwhile NSF wants to connect five supercomputer centers with a slower
backbone and its office of general council staunchly maintains that this is a
research project and therefore must be bid as that old NSF favorite - the
loosey goosie COOPERATIVE Agreement. Why is it possible to use the fiscally
more responsible form of contract at DOE but not at NSF?
And who does congress hassle? DOE and Sprint. Who goes unquestioned? NSF.
Funny - I though we were supposed to be in a fiscal crunch with tight budgets.
:-(
