Lockheed Martin wins Postal Service reader system work

Lockheed Martin Corp won two contracts totaling $9 million to improve the U.S. Postal Service's mail processing system.

Under the contracts, Lockheed Martin of Bethesda, Md., will upgrade and increase the capacity of the Postal Service's Remote Computer Reader system to handle processing during peak periods.

The additional capacity will let the agency sort more mail and create more flexible mail processing options to use during the holiday season.

The system consists of arrays of computer servers with software that deciphers printed or handwritten addresses on letters. It accurately reads 86 percent of handwritten addresses and 93 percent of typed or printed addresses, Lockheed Martin said. The system is installed in about 350 Postal Service processing and distribution centers in major cities.

Lockheed Martin has worked with the Postal Service on the Remote Computer Reader system for more than 10 years.

Lockheed Martin has about 135,000 employees and had annual revenue of $37.2 billion in fiscal 2005. The company ranks No. 1 on Washington Technology's 2006 Top 100 list of federal IT prime contractors.