By Calvin Biesecker
Northrop Grumman [NOC] yesterday said it has received a potential seven year, $1.1 billion task order from the General Services Administration to continue operating a secure data network that carries SECRET data for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other federal agencies and now add in a secure network for TOP SECRET data.
The initial value of the award is worth $60 million for the first year but that could grow depending on the outcome of the Continuing Resolution for the federal budget in FY ’11 and whether additional federal agencies decide to connect to the network, Ed Sturms, vice president for Civil Safety and Infrastructure at Northrop Grumman Information Systems, told Defense Daily.
The new task order for the Enterprise Networked Services Support (ENSS) builds on a contract Northrop Grumman won in 2004 to build and operate the Homeland Secure Data Network (HSDN) that carries SECRET data for DHS and federal agencies. At the time of the HSDN award, the potential contract value was pegged at $350 million (Defense Daily, April 15, 2004).
The new award was made under the GSA’s Alliant indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract. The ENSS will allow secure information sharing among federal government agencies and first responders nationwide. The contract has a base year and four one-year options.
In the first year of work, Northrop Grumman will build out the TOP SECRET secure data network, continue to operate the ENSS and sell services to various federal civilian agencies, Sturms said.
As part of the task order, Northrop Grumman said it will develop, deploy and operate a converged network and information technology (IT) infrastructure that will provide classified data, voice and video services to more than 15,000 fixed and mobile users nationwide. Services will be delivered using a virtual private cloud-based model for better computing efficiency and IT security. Contract scope includes design, engineering, architecture, integration, configuration, testing, deployment, sustainment, operations, and maintenance of the enterprise-wide secure data network.
With the HSDN award Northrop Grumman built a secure data network separate from the Internet so that DHS and other federal agencies could move classified information along securely. In addition, the company provides network and security operations centers to have operating awareness of the network.
Northrop Grumman said that its solution for ENSS incorporates environmentally friendly IT practices meant to reduce the energy and data center footprint.
Northrop Grumman’s teammates include Audio Video Systems, BruinWave Solutions, CACI International [CACI], Convergence Technology Consulting, Global Com, Inc., Lee Technologies, Lockheed Martin [LMT], Netcom Technologies, Quintech Security Consultants, Smartronix, Inc., SMS Data Products Group, Inc., and TWD & Associates.