Six companies up for $25 million in USDA contracts

The Agriculture Department awarded six companies the chance to compete for contracts worth up to $25 million to enhance the security of technology and networks, several of the companies announced today.

Harris Corp., Unisys Corp., Mantech International Corp., Verizon Communications Inc., KLC Network Services, and Computer Sciences Corp. will compete for the work over the five-year contract.

The companies will compete to provide secure technology solutions to the 29 agencies that make up USDA. The potential services include security analysis and assessment, communications security support, designing secure infrastructures, network penetration testing, forensic support and others, according to Harris Corp.

"This contract, which will enhance information security for one of our country's most important agencies, is an excellent example of how cyber underpins virtually every aspect of our lives," said Dale Meyerrose, vice president and general manager for the Cyberspace Solutions business at Harris.

CSC ranks No. 9, Harris ranks No. 13, Verizon ranks No. 16, Unisys ranks No. 32 and Mantech ranks No. 48 on Washington Technology’s 2009 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.