Lockheed wins DOD network deal

Lockheed Martin Information Support Services will manage the Pentagon's

communications backbone during a major network upgrade, the company announced

Monday.

The $378 million, 10-year task order was awarded under the General Services

Administration Federal Technology Service's Millennia contract. Lockheed

will manage the network that supports the Defense Department's Network Infrastructure

Services Agency-Pentagon, which serves 25,000 computer users at DOD.

The task order includes:

* Program and network management.

* Transition.

* Quality assurance planning.

* Security operations.

* Help-desk support and other professional services.

"The Pentagon is going through a big renovation," a Lockheed spokesman said.

"Being able to manage all that backbone is critical to the success of that."

The network infrastructure supports several systems, including administrative

desktop systems, and it connects mission-related systems for the Office

of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and each military

service, the spokesman said.