Integrator Insider

— Nick Wakeman

Litton-PRC Inc. of McLean, Va., won the first task order under the General Services Administration's Seat Management contract, a vehicle that agencies can use to outsource their desktop computers and networks.

PRC will take over responsibility for computers for 2,500 GSA employees at the agency's headquarters in Washington and other offices in Fairfax and Falls Church, Va., and Lexington, Mass. The task order is valued at $114 million over 10 years, but GSA plans eventually to expand it to the entire agency, so its value could grow to $600 million.

GSA awarded the contract in July to eight companies that will compete for task orders from government agencies. So far, GSA is the first agency to issue a task order. Industry analysts and observers expect this task order to be watched closely before other agencies jump on board.

PRC's team includes NCI Information Systems Inc. of McLean, Va., and Inacom Corp. of Omaha, Neb.
Through the General Services Administration, the Navy Engineering Field Activity West in San Bruno, Calif., will be contracting for a variety of information technology services to support bases in northern California and Nevada.

The Navy's IT staff, which stands at 500 for Engineering Field Activity West, may face personnel reductions of one half in 1999, the Navy said. Proposals were due Dec. 31.

The contractor will provide specialized consulting services including design, implementation and repair of IT systems. The Navy is interested particularly in support for its Banyan and Microsoft Windows NT systems. Service and support must be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
L-3 Communications Inc. of New York closed a deal in late December to buy Electrodynamics Inc., a Chicago-based maker of electronic systems and components for defense, civilian and commercial customers.

L-3 bought the company from Carpenter Technology Corp. of Reading, Pa., for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition will help L-3's defense business, especially with aircraft systems such as the B-1, B-2 and the F-22, said Frank Lanza, chairman and chief executive of L-3.