Familiar faces populate pinnacle of the 'Top 100'

GSN’s annual "Top 100 DHS Contractors" roster demonstrates that old maxim: the more things change, the more they remain the same.

Six years after the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, a handful of familiar companies have settled into the positions at the top of this competitive list. In fact, nine out of the 10 companies which garnered the largest dollar amounts in total contracts awarded by DHS during fiscal year 2009 appeared in one of the Top 10 positions in last year’s list as well.

The only newcomer to this year’s Top 10 positions was Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., which wasn’t far off the pace in fiscal year 2008, finishing in the 11th position.

It is, perhaps, somewhat more surprising to discover that each of the Top 5 contractor’s on this year’s list – Integrated Coast Guard Systems, IBM, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and Unisys – all experienced increased revenues in fiscal year 2009 (which ran from October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009), when compared with their total DHS revenues during the preceding fiscal year. Despite the economic downturn which swept the country – and much of the world – in 2009, those Top 5 companies enjoyed increased total revenues from DHS in procurement, R&D and services contracts that averaged approximately 38 percent.

Government Security News compiled these rankings from contract award information made available by the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS), the government agency that monitors and archives data on millions of government contractual actions each year.

As in years past, GSN has taken pains to ensure the accuracy of its Top 100 rankings, but must acknowledge that the source for all data is the FPDS. One variable that inevitably creeps into these statistics is the fact that many of the largest vendors sign contracts with DHS – and other federal government customers -- in the name of their various divisions, departments and subsidiaries. GSN has taken steps to consolidate these various awards under the parent corporate name, but in some instances a relevant award or two may have escaped our attention.

1 Integrated Coast Guard Systems Rosslyn, VA 202-267-2116 www.teamdeepwater.com ICGS is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. ICGS was awarded the Deepwater program in June 2002 to modernize and replace the U.S. Coast Guard’s aging ships and aircraft. It is headquartered in Rosslyn, VA, but core leadership teams are located in Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey and Washington, DC. When complete, the $17 billion Deepwater system will include three classes of new cutters and their associated small boats, a new fixed-wing manned aircraft fleet, upgraded helicopters and new unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). In May 2008, the Coast Guard accepted delivery of the first Northrop Grumman-built National Security Cutter, the Bertholf (WMSL 750), the most technologically advanced ship in the Coast Guard’s history. Last May, the keel was laid on the third National Security Cutter, the Stratton, which will be sponsored for the first time by a First Lady, Michelle Obama. Total DHS Contracts (FY2009): $675,044,194

2 International Business Machines Corp. Armonk, NY 914-499-1900 www.ibm.com IBM is involved in the invention, development and manufacture of advanced information technologies, including computer systems, software, storage systems and microelectronics. In 2007, IBM received designation and certification under the SAFETY Act for its Global Name Scoring software, which recognizes and searches names from all major cultures, supporting users who must screen potential threats and perform background checks across multiple geographies and languages. IBM currently offers a wide variety of services that can enhance security, including an electronic framework for customs management that can transform a paper-based system into a digital customs environment; enterprise geographic information systems (GIS), in collaboration with ESRI; a global goods tracker; and a digital video surveillance solution that provides rapid video access and retrieval with intelligent analysis. Total DHS Contracts (FY2009): $511,290,777

3 Lockheed Martin Corp. Bethesda, MD 301-897-6000 www.lockheedmartin.com Lockheed Martin, a worldwide technology leader, employs about 146,000 people and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems. Its subsidiaries and components have supported the U.S. Coast Guard, Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and other governmental agencies. In December 2008, Lockheed Martin entered an agreement to acquire Universal Systems & Technology, Inc., a company that provides interactive training and simulations to DHS, the U.S. military and other federal and international government agencies. The acquired firm also specializes in three-dimensional weapons simulations, security strategies and IT services. Last July, Lockheed Martin was awarded an $821 million maintenance, repair, and overhaul contract from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to maintain the agency’s P-3 Orion fleet. In April 2008, CBP contracted with Lockheed Martin under the P-3 Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) to provide 14 all-new production wing life extension kits. Total DHS Contracts (FY2009): $374,750,050