EDS forms team to chase Air Force network deal

EDS Corp. has picked AT&T Inc., as well as several large and small businesses, to help it chase a potential $500 million contract with the Air Force Space Command.

EDS Corp. has picked AT&T Inc., as well as several large and small businesses, to help it chase a potential $500 million contract with the Air Force Space Command.

The Uniform Communications program (Uni-Comm) is an eight-year contract to build and run a network for 40,000 people working for the Space Command. Market research firm FedSources Inc. estimated the contract's value to be about $499 million.

A draft request for proposals is expected in the spring, with a final RFP this summer, according to FedSources.

AT&T would furnish information architecture and security support and insights into global communications services. Other large businesses on the team include ITT Corp., White Plains, N.Y.; RS Information Systems Inc., McLean, Va.; and ManTech International Corp., Fairfax, Va. They will provide communications operations and management services. ITT also will provide transformation architecture support.

Small businesses on the team include Bay Systems Consulting Inc., Oakland, Calif.; Intecon LLC, Centennial, Colo.; Keta Group LLC, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Knowledge Equity Partners Inc., Greenwood Village, Colo.; Redman Consulting Services Inc., Littleton, Colo.; and Telos Corp., Ashburn, Va.

EDS also will tap its Agility Alliance partners, which include technology companies such as Cisco Systems Inc., Microsoft Corp., Xerox Corp., EMC Corp., Sun Microsystems Inc. and Dell Inc. The alliance is a group EDS formed to quickly integrate disparate technologies.

EDS said it will use its experience on large projects such as the Navy-Marine Corps Intranet as it bids on Uni-Comm.