ECS Wins a $38 Million Contract to Secure FBI Networks

The FBI on Wednesday announced it would reboot a nearly $38 million deal with ECS Federal to strengthen the bureau’s cyber defenses.

Under the contract, the company will be responsible for standing up and running two initiatives within the FBI Cybersecurity Operations Unit—the Cybersecurity Red and Blue Team program, or REBL, and the Enterprise Compliance and Continuous Monitoring Support program. Both efforts aim to build teams of cyber experts to bolster the bureau’s networks against internal and external threats.

The six-year contract was originally awarded in September, but Guidehouse filed a bid protest soon after. The Government Accountability Office eventually dismissed the claim.

“We are proud to provide the skills, knowledge, and creativity needed to secure the systems and networks of the FBI,” ECS President and CEO George Wilson said in a statement.

For the REBL program, ECS will deploy a team of cyber specialists to scour FBI networks for vulnerabilities and respond to threats. One group—the red team—will hammer the networks with the different digital weapons to uncover weaknesses, and another—the blue team—will proactively scan for vulnerabilities and fight back against potential attackers. Both teams will have broad access to the FBI’s digital ecosystem.

Under the Enterprise Compliance and Continuous Monitoring Support program, the company will staff and support a group to regularly assess the latest threats to FBI networks and manage the bureau’s cyber infrastructure and operations.

Previously, ECS has been involved in cybersecurity efforts within the Homeland Security and Energy departments, Army and Navy.