Army automating personnel system

As part of a series of modernization initiatives focused on application and data consolidation, the Army's Civilian Personnel Policy (CPP) Office recently awarded an automation support services contract to SI International Inc.

Under the contract, McLean, Va.-based SI International will perform services that include:

* Network management and support.

* Systems and database administration.

* Client-server and Web applications software design, development, engineering and testing.

* System implementation.

* Mainframe support.

* Information security.

The contract, which was announced July 23, was competitively awarded June 26 under the Transportation Department's Specialized Technical and Technology User Services (STATUS) program office. The award, which consolidates activities from numerous federal government systems integration projects, includes one base year and four one-year options with a potential value of $36 million.

Brad Antle, president and chief operating officer of SI International, said the company has been forming its transition plan for the past month and will set it in motion Aug. 1 when contract work formally begins.

"Our goal is to make sure that nothing stops as we transition the existing contracts," Antle said. "Our job is to make it simpler for the Army to manage.... Instead of dealing with a dozen contractors, they only deal with" SI International.

Antle said he has been pleased with the response of employees that are not members of the SI International team who have been "eager and responsive to come on board...and we don't anticipate any hiccups going forward."