Fast 50 call for nominations

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2013 Fast 50. The deadline for submitting applications is July 1.

Our annual list ranks the 50 fastest growing small-business contractors in the government market.

Any small business in the government market can nominate itself. To be considered, companies need to submit five years of government contracting revenue data, which will be used to calculate their compound annual growth rate. Companies are ranked by their growth rate, not by their overall revenue.

EPA IG kicks off audit of Lockheed cloud project

The inspector general for the Environmental Protection Agency has kicked off an audit of the agency’s recently completed migration of its email and collaboration software to the cloud.

EPA migrated to the cloud earlier this year via a contract with Lockheed Martin Corp. Lockheed and Microsoft worked together on the $9.8 million project. When Lockheed won the contract in October, it claimed that EPA would save $12 million over the life of the four-year contract.

Honeywell wins $26M contract for cyber-related support services

Honeywell Technology Solutions has won a $25.9 million task order contract to continue providing the U.S. Navy with technical and analytical support services for the Office of Compliance and Assessment.

The contract has a $14.2 million base.

The company will provide cyber-related services, including command cyber readiness inspections, cybersecurity inspections and command assessments/trainings.

Lockheed wins $112M contract for undersea warfare systems

Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training has won a $111.5 million contract with the U.S. Navy for the development, integration and production of undersea warfare systems.

Under the cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-only, firm-fixed-price contract, the company will develop, integrate and produce AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 Surface Ship Undersea Warfare Systems.

Microsoft to expand cloud service into Australia

Microsoft is building two new cloud computing centers in Australia in a move to expand its Windows Azure business into the country, Yahoo News is reporting.

The data centers will be built in the states of New South Wales and Victoria.

Windows Azure has around 200,000 customers, but Microsoft has not released any revenue numbers, Yahoo News reported.

Metron wins $18.3M research contract for unmanned submarine

Metron Inc. has won a $18.3 million contract for research and development of a large displacement unmanned undersea vehicle.

This cost-plus-fixed-fee contract has a base value of $7.3 million, and has two option years.

Under this cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, Metron will conduct in-lab integration and testing of autonomy and mission planning software with bench test hardware selected for deployment on the undersea vehicle.

Three contractors win $200M VA contract for mobile technologies

Three companies have won a $200 million task order contract with the Veterans Affairs Department to provide mobile devices and cellular wireless services including voice, text and data services.

The winners of the contracts are:

• Cellco Partnership
• AT&T Mobility
• A&T Systems Inc.

Northrop Grumman taps two new VPs

Northrop Grumman has named Christine McGlade and Andrew W. Reynolds vice presidents of manufacturing operations.

The two will also be site managers for the company’s aircraft integration centers of excellence in St. Augustine, Fla., and Palmdale, Calif.

As vice president, McGlade will be responsible for managing and integrating all manufacturing and support operations at the St. Augustine site in coordination with the company’s various aircraft programs and other functional organizations, the company said.

15 small-biz teams win $22B DHS Eagle 2 awards

The Homeland Security Department has made 15 small-business awards under its $22 billion Eagle II contract.

The companies will be competing with each other in the small business track of functional category 2, which covers IT program support. The contract has a five-year base with a two-year option.

Lockheed wins $24M contract mod for Aegis Combat Systems

Lockheed Martin has won a $24 million contract modification to exercise an option for its Aegis Combat System Engineering Agent efforts.

This modification calls for the design, development, integration, test and delivery of computer program baselines and associated technology insertion hardware design support for the next advanced capability build, the Defense Department said.

Work will take place in Moorestown, N.J., and in Pittsfield, Mass., and is expected to be completed by December 2013.

Funds in the amount of $95,400 were obligated at the time of the award.