DISA picks 3 for enterprise antivirus

The Defense Information Systems Agency last week awarded contracts to a trio of vendor teams for a Defense Department and Coast Guard enterprise antivirus software initiative.

The following companies were awarded contracts Sept. 13 to help protect more than 3 million DOD computers from viruses for users at work and at home:

* Network Associates Inc.

* Northrop Grumman Information Technology, with partner Symantec Corp.

* Government Technology Solutions Inc. (gTech) with partner Trend Micro Inc.

All three awards are for one base year with four, one-year options. The Network Associates and Northrop Grumman IT deals are valued at $16.5 million, and the gTech award is potentially worth $4.6 million if all options are exercised.

Under terms of its contract, Network Associates will provide DOD users with multitiered protection at all four layers of the network by deploying:

* McAfee Security's VirusScan software for desktop protection.

* McAfee's NetShield software for file server protection.

* McAfee's GroupShield software for e-mail servers.

* McAfee's WebShield software for Internet gateway protection.

DISA has also selected McAfee's VirusScan Wireless, which protects handheld devices from viruses locally and during synchronization with a PC, according to the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company.

The new contract replaces the current DOD Anti-Virus Software Initiative license agreement with Network Associates, but unlike the previous license agreement, this award offers DOD home users comprehensive coverage, including desktop firewall protection.

McAfee Security is a product division of Network Associates.