FBI awards contract for technology upgrade - Lockheed/Martin $305/Million

[The Straight Story]

FBI awards contract for technology upgrade

By Michael Martinez, National Journal's Technology Daily
The FBI on Thursday awarded a $305 million contract to Lockheed Martin to modernize the bureau's information technology infrastructure.

Lockheed Martin of Bethesda, Md., has been tasked with managing the FBI's Sentinel project, an initiative to move the bureau away from its paper-based, case-focused system and build a comprehensive electronic network to share and store information. The FBI estimates the project will cost about $425 million to complete.

"Success is not an option," said Linda Gooden, Lockheed Martin's president of information technology at a press conference. "It is a mandate."

Under the contract, which is contingent on performance, Lockheed Martin will be awarded $305 million over six years to develop and deploy the Sentinel framework. FBI Chief Information Officer Zalmai Azmi said he expected the first phase of the project, which includes the construction of a "one-stop shop" Web portal providing access to the bureau's older systems, will be competed in the next year.

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