Northrop team builds $1.1B DHS classified communications system

Northrop Grumman Corp. will lead a team to operate, maintain and enhance the classified networks for the Homeland Security Department under a follow-on task order from the General Services Administration with a total potential value of $1.1 billion.

The Enterprise Networked Services Support (ENSS) seven-year task order, which allows secure information sharing among federal agencies and first responders nationwide, is a single award under the Alliant indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract, Northrop said in an announcement today.

Northrop Grumman’s Information Systems business unit will lead the work to sustain and modernize classified enterprise IT services for DHS.

As part of the task order, the defense contractor will develop, deploy and operate a converged network and IT infrastructure that will provide classified data, voice and video services using a virtual private cloud-based model to more than 15,000 fixed and mobile users nationwide, the Northrop announcement said.

The ENSS system is designed to support up to 1,100 locations nationwide that include DHS, other federal agencies, state and local governments, and law enforcement agencies.

Northrop Grumman’s team includes Audio Video Systems, BruinWave Solutions, CACI International Inc., Convergence Technology Consulting, Global Com Inc., Lee Technologies, Lockheed Martin Corp., Netcom Technologies, Quintech Security Consultants, Smartronix Inc., SMS Data Products Group Inc., and TWD & Associates. Northrop Grumman was awarded the original task order to build and operate the department’s secret classified network infrastructure in 2004.

Northrop Grumman Corp., of Los Angeles, ranks No. 2 on Washington Technology’s 2010 Top 100 list of the largest federal government contractors.