Harris gets first option year for State IT support

Harris Corp. will continue to support the State Department’s efforts to upgrade IT services having secured the first option year of the Department’s Consular Affairs Support Services contract.

The first-year CASS contract option is worth $40 million, bringing the overall current value of the award to an estimated $76 million. The contract is worth a potential $196.5 million if all options are exercised, according to a Harris announcement today.

Under the CASS contract, originally awarded in September 2009, the Harris team is providing IT installation, training and operational services to support the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ ability to delivery critical services to U.S. citizens domestically and overseas, and facilitate foreign visitor travel to the United States.

Harris’ IT services include shipping and installing equipment and applications; on-site system administration and repair; training; technology upgrades; and help desk support to over 270 domestic and international consular operations, the statement said.

The Harris team includes CGI Group Inc., Apptis Inc., System Sciences Corporation International, Access Systems Inc., Acuity Inc., Array Information Technology Inc., Electronic Consulting Services Inc. and TJ Westlake LLC.

The government contractor has been providing IT support to the Bureau of Consular Affairs for 15 years, according to Wayne Lucernoni, vice president of Intel and Civil Programs at Harris IT Services.

Harris Corp. of Melbourne, Fla., ranks No. 13 on Washington Technology’s 2010 Top 100 list of the largest federal government contractors.