DHS big projects offer opportunities for nimble contractors
Some of DHS’s big projects — EAGLE and non-EAGLE — are underway and they offer opportunities for specialists
DHS has several big projects underway, some falling under the Enterprise Acquisition Gateway for Leading Edge (EAGLE) solutions contract, while others will be separate. Some of these projects saw big integrators stumble a bit out of the gate — Boeing in SBInet, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman in Deepwater — which means that even though these large contractors will likely continue to do the bulk of the work, nimble specialists may well insinuate themsleves into contracts and teaming opportunities which otherwise appeared beyond reach. Washington Technology’s Alice Lipowicz offers this useful summary and pointers:
EAGLE TASK ORDERS
* Information Technology Network Operations Virtual Alliance (IT-NOVA)
Purpose: For operations, maintenance and program management of IT services and infrastructure through DHS’ Office of the Chief Information Officer
Expected value: $300 million to $600 million over five years
Comment: IT-NOVA will be a one-year contract with four one-year options; industry sources say the Homeland Secure Data Network is now part of IT-NOVA
* USCIS Business Transformation Initiative
Purpose: Updating U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ IT infrastructure
Estimated value: $235 million
* Immigration and Customs Enforcement Technology Enterprise Automation Management Support [/i]
Purpose: To support desktop PCs at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement bureau
Estimated value: $500 million over five years
* Second DHS Data Center
Purpose: To build a redundant data center to supplement the one DHS operates under an agreement with the Navy
Estimated value: $300 million to $500 million
* Resource Management Transformation Office’s Shared Baseline Initiative
Purpose: To integrate IT networks in the chief financial officer’s office
Estimated value: Not available
* TSA’s IT Managed Services
Purpose: To support and update airports’ IT infrastructure for the Transportation Security Administration
Estimated value: $1 billion
NON-EAGLE CONTRACTS
* Coast Guard’s Integrated Deepwater System
Estimated value: $24 billion
Comment: Deepwater extension contract offered to Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman in June, but the two companies’ performance has failed to impress the Coast Guard or Congress, so contractors with special expertise may be able to team with the prime contractors
* SBInet
Purpose: For the first phase of building an electronic border-surveillance system
Estimated value: $8 billion for a system on the southwestern U.S. border
Comment: Boeing has the initial contract and will likely do most of the work; its performance on the first 28-mile phase of the system in Arizona has been only so-so, opening opportunities for other comoanies, certainly as teaming partners
* Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
Purpose: For the People Access Security Service (PASS) card to be issued to people who frequently cross U.S. borders
Estimated value: Not available
Comment: DHS may place this one under EAGLE
