White House calls, GD answers

General Dynamics Corp.'s IT business will help complete the transition of the White House's external communications system to an Internet protocol-based infrastructure.

Under a $7 million contract from the White House Communications Agency, General Dynamics of Falls Church, Va., will use a Synchronous Optical Network backbone for connections between the White House and the outside world.

General Dynamics has been working with the White House Communications Agency for more than four years on various communications projects doing analysis, design and infrastructure upgrade work, said company spokesman Mark Meudt.

"This is just the next phase of that work," he said.

The work at the White House, including the most recent win, has been under contracts awarded by the Army Information Systems Engineering Command, which is tasked with supporting the White House Communications Agency, Meudt said.

"The communications capabilities for the White House must sustain critical day-to-day and crisis operations communications without fail," said Zannie Smith, senior vice president of Army solutions for General Dynamics IT, in a statement.

The White House Communications Agency provides the systems for the president, vice president, presidential emissaries, White House staffers and Secret Service. The systems include audiovisual, voice and data capabilities. The White House Communications Agency also supports the president when he travels.

General Dynamics has about 81,100 employees and expects 2006 revenue of about $24 billion. The company ranks No. 4 on Washington Technology's 2006 Top 100 list the largest government IT contractors.