Energy taps 11 for support

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) Dec. 12 awarded 11 vendors task-order contracts to operate and maintain its mainframes and computer networks through 2002. Among the winners are incumbents Abacus Allied Technology Group Science Applications International Corp. Unisys Corp. and Z Inc.

The remaining vendors include BDM International Inc. Comprehensive Technologies International Inc. Management Systems Designers MIL Corp. Q Systems and Troy Systems. The pacts comprise one of three functional areas in the EIA Omnibus Procurement a package of contracts designed to support the agency's work collecting analyzing and distributing information about world energy resources to Congress executive branch agencies academic researchers industry and the general public.

Federal Sources Inc. a McLean Va. market research firm estimated the entire program which includes contracts for data integration and product production as well as support for the agency's forecasting work at $75 million. Several of the winning vendors reported however that the ceilings on the individual contracts ranged from $26 million to $44 million.

An SAIC spokesman said the company which won in all three areas had a contract worth up to $70 million. An official with the EIA Information Technology Group which manages the agency's information systems said Dec. 12 that he did not have any information about the awards and that no one familiar with the contracts was available for comment. The indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity contracts have a three-year base period with one two-year option.