SAIC safeguards USDA Forest Service information

Science Applications International Corp. will help the Agriculture Department deploy a secure information program for the Forest Service under a three-year contract valued at $21 million, according to a May 2 SAIC announcement.

The prime contract calls for SAIC to provide the expertise, technical knowledge and staff support for a Comprehensive Robust Information Security (CRIS) program designed to safeguard information entrusted to USDA's Forest Service.

SAIC also will perform analysis to ensure security controls are consistently implemented; provide governance and strategic planning assistance for the Forest Service IT security program; integrate new technology with IT security standards; develop and execute plans for monitoring, assessing and verifying security controls; and develop, execute and exercise IT systems resiliency.

The CRIS program will strengthen information security, dealing with the challenges presented by a large and diverse set of applications on a variety of platforms across the agency, the statement said.

The work will take place in the Washington, D.C., National Capital Region, Denver and Milwaukee.

SAIC, of McLean, Va., ranks No. 5 on Washington Technology’s 2010 Top 100 list of the largest federal government contractors.