DHS hires General Dynamics to support cybersecurity work

The Homeland Security Department’s U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team awarded General Dynamics a $48.2 million contract for support and analysis. U.S.-CERT awarded the one-year task order earlier this month under the agencywide Enterprise Acquisition Gateway for Leading Edge Solutions multiple-award contract. The award also includes four one-year options. The contract becomes yet another piece of the Bush administration’s push to improve cybersecurity. Along with this contract, the Office of Management and Budget mandated that agencies use U.S.-CERT’s Einstein Internet gateway monitoring system and limit the number of Internet connections to 50 governmentwide. The White House also requested to move $115 million in DHS to U.S.-CERT for Einstein implementation and named a new cybersecurity director. General Dynamics, which also held the previous contract, will provide situational awareness support, analysis, and technical and infrastructure support. Company and DHS officials would not comment on contract specifics.