Booz Allen Hamilton hired to support 5 billion CSTAT contract
The US Department of Defence has awarded Booz Allen Hamilton a five year contract as part of its wider $5 billion Cyber Security and Information Systems technical area task contract. The programme aims at garnering business, academic and external department expertise in an effort to research ways of mitigating cybercrime and protecting the US’ digital boarders.
Cybersecurity remains a key concern for government, business and citizens alike. Foreign as well as domestic adversaries are creating new and innovative ways of penetrating secure systems and leveraging vulnerabilities to collect personal information, disrupt businesses or gain monetary advantage. From ransomware to phishing attacks, cybercriminals are becoming ever more sophisticated. Hacking, while often portrayed as the acts of individual, misunderstood, genius, is more often performed by sophisticated organised criminal groups, stemming from a range a range of backgrounds, from common criminals to covert foreign government operations.
In a bid to research and inhibit cybercrime, the US Department of Defence (DoD) has created the Cyber Security and Information Systems technical area task contract (CSTAT). The contract aims at bundling expertise from industry, other government agencies, consultants and academia, in a bid to solve tough scientific quandaries and technical issues for the government. The CSTAT contract, which has a spending ceiling of $5 billion, was awarded to a range of companies and organisations that will maintain and develop analytical tools and techniques including databases, models and simulations and provide research and analysis services to customers with diverse, complex and challenging requirements.
Among the external providers brought in to support the CSTAT transformation is Booz Allen Hamilton. The consulting and technology firm has been awarded a five year contract to support the various activities in the areas of data management, modelling and simulation, security and software-related work. Booz Allen will also support the Program Management Office (PMO) of the organisation that oversees the transition, supporting with among others providing oversight, identifying and resolving policy issues, and monitoring deployment of initiatives.
“We are honoured to be a central component of this program, which will serve as an invaluable boost to the federal government’s cybersecurity research and development efforts,” comments Robin Portman, Executive Vice President at Booz Allen Hamilton. “Our team encompasses truly world-class cybersecurity analysis and management capabilities and looks forward to serving a lead role in improving the nation’s cyber defenses.”
This is not the first deal landed by Booz Allen Hamilton with the DoD, having secured a $1 billion dollar deal for the Global Threat Mitigation Program (GTMP) last year.
