DHS cans Spirit contract

The Homeland Security Department and the U.S. Coast Guard have cancelled the five-year $5 billion Security Planning and Integrated Resources for Information Technology procurement, Greg Rothwell, chief procurement officer for the Homeland Security Department, told Washington Technology today.

DHS and the Coast Guard decided two days ago not to proceed with the contract known Spirit, Rothwell said. The procurement would have covered a full range of information technology solutions needed for DHS. The contract would have had multiple winners, who would compete for task orders.

"As we took time to look at it, we decided that there are plenty of contract vehicles out there," Rothwell said.

Rothwell said that DHS now will develop a department-wide information technology strategy and create an office to focus on IT acquisitions in order to consolidate its procurement policies and save money.

The program was originally called the Coast Guard Information technology Services Solutions contract, but was expanded to include all of DHS. The Coast Guard's procurement office had been managing Spirit until DHS temporarily put the acquisition on hold in May to reassess the department's need for the program. DHS is in the process of reviewing all its other major technology contracts, Rothwell said.