Verizon Business has completed the design and implementation of a new, fully managed IP-based network for the U.S. Postal Service.

Under a 30-month, $60 million contract, Verizon Business is managing the USPS Postal Information Technology Network Upgrade Project, consolidating three previously distinct networks to control costs and reduce bandwidth requirements.

The project also includes the redesign, upgrade and management of network services for approximately 300 mail-processing facilities; upgrades to the existing information technology administrative network; and the design, implementation and management of new network services at 188 Postal Inspection Service locations.

Verizon Business also will help the Inspection Service upgrade its existing frame relay network to a next-generation IP network, which incorporates advanced security features to protect sensitive law enforcement communications. The features include push-to-talk radio over IP, live video multicast service and IT applications for background checks and incident response.

In addition, the telecommunications company is installing a new, more robust network for large USPS mail processing facilities and the Postal Service administrative network, which will include built-in layers of redundancy for business-critical mail processing systems.

Critical data traffic will be carried on Verizon Business’ Very High Performance Backbone Network Service network, dedicated primarily to government and educational institutions with high-performance network requirements.

With the PITN award, Verizon Business will manage more than 30,000 devices for the Postal Service and more than 17,000 wide-area network circuits, the company said.

Verizon Business is based in Basking Ridge, N.J. Its parent company, Verizon Communications Inc., ranks No. 19 on Washington Technology’s 2007 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.