CSC to supply new computer system to NOAA

Computer Sciences Corp. will build a new computing system for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under a contract that could be worth as much as $317 million.

Under the terms of the contract task orders, CSC will design and implement a new high-performance computing system to support NOAA’s environmental modeling program.

The new system will allow NOAA to improve the accuracy of its global and regional climate models and advance weather forecasting capabilities critical to the protection of life and property, according to a CSC announcement today.

NOAA is a scientific agency whose mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet our nation’s economic, social and environmental needs, CSC said in its announcement.

The Research and Development High Performance Computing System contract is an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract that has a four-year base period, one four-year option and one one-year transition option.

The first year will be funded at $49.3 million by NOAA using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, CSC said.

CSC, of Falls Church, Va., ranks No. 9 on Washington Technology’s 2009 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.