Northrop teams with DHS to expand cybersecurity protections

Northrop Grumman has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Homeland Security Department to expand cybersecurity protections for the nation’s critical infrastructure.

The company is currently starting the security accreditation process required before approval to operate as a commercial services provider under the DHS Enhanced Cybersecurity Services program.

Three win Navy contracts to support shore networks

Three companies have won task order contracts with the U.S. Navy to support shore networks with sustainment services for the Base Level Information Infrastructure.

The winners and contract values are:

Booz Allen Hamilton -- $79.3 million
Science Applications International Corp. -- $73.2 million
Engility Corp. -- $67.8 million

Gnostech takes on Navy's global positioning, navigation facilities

Gnostech Inc. has won a $13 million task order contract to provide the U.S. Navy with services in support of the utilization and enhancement of Space and Naval Warfare System Center Pacific’s Global Positioning and Navigation Systems Division facilities.

The company will provide engineering, analysis and design efforts in support of the center’s facilities.

The cost-plus-fixed-fee contract has a base value of $7.7 million, and has two option years.

Work will be performed in San Diego, Los Angeles, and at Gnostech’s facility in Warminster, Pa., and is expected to be completed May 2016.

Northrop wins $555M Global Hawk contract

Northrop Grumman has won a $555.6 million contract with the U.S. Air Force to improve the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle.

The Global Hawk can carry a variety of surveillance and intelligence systems, including near real-time high resolution imagery and other reconnaissance capabilities.

Microsoft to combine Yammer, Office 365 sales teams

Microsoft will combine its Yammer sales team of about 100 representatives into its Office 365 sales team, according to Talkin’ Cloud .

This decision comes after the company announced in early March that it was going to offer Office 365 and Yammer together as part of enterprise agreements. Yammer is a web-based collaboration tool.

The company had been talking about moving the Yammer sales team into its Office 365 team since the Yammer acquisition last year, but hasn’t officially announced that it will do so until recently, likely to avoid alienating existing Yammer customers, Talkin’ Cloud reported.

Get ready. Furlough details starting to emerge

More details are emerging about furloughs at the Defense Department as the government figures out how to deal with sequestration budget targets.

DOD now expects to furlough 800,000 civilian employees this summer for 11 days, Politico is reporting.

When tech support goes global, are federal networks compromised?

Over the past decade, a majority of IT manufacturers have offshored their technical support, moving from the United States into countries all over the world.

This globalization allows manufacturers to take advantage of significant cost savings, expanded talent pools, and the 24-hour efficiency of a follow-the-sun business model.

New Tricare contract under development

The Army is looking for small businesses that can support the Tricare Management Activity’s enterprise infrastructure with acquisition and financial support services.

The value was not disclosed, but the work statement said that the government is looking for support as the Military Health Service Cyberinfrastructure Services evolves and incorporates more electronic health records, including integration with patient records at Veterans Affairs.

Harris nabs $45M contract for DHS tactical communications networks

Harris Corp. has won a $45 million contract to support the Homeland Security Department’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement tactical communications networks.

The contract was awarded through the department’s five-year, $3 billion Tactical Communications task order contract vehicle.

Exelis to run Army communications in Middle East

Exelis Systems Corp. has won a $127.2 million contract with the U.S. Army for the operation, maintenance and defense of Army communications in Southwest and Central Asia.

The contract is cost-plus-fixed-fee, the Defense Department said in a release. Work will be performed in Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq and Qatar.

Funds in the amount of $30 million will be obligated at the time of the award.

Five bids were received for this contract.