DOD gets assistance with data protection

GTSI Corp. will help strengthen the Defense Department’s protection of sensitive data under a blanket purchase agreement worth $25 million.

The BPA award through the Enterprise Software Initiative calls for GTSI to protect sensitive data residing on government laptop PCs, mobile computing devices and removable storage devices, such as USB drives.

GTSI will provide a number of solutions and services to help minimize the risk associated with critical data loss or unauthorized access to sensitive data. They include assessing requirements for an enterprisewide rollout, reviewing and refining architecture and security policies based on best practices, and implementing those solutions.

In addition, GTSI will team with Credant Technologies to install Credant’s Mobile Guardian Shield for Windows on thousands of laptop PCs, personal digital assistants and other mobile devices. The product provides a single interface that enables organizations to detect, manage and secure devices while ensuring ongoing compliance with security policies, GTSI officials said.

“The risk and threat of data theft is real, and coupled with an increased number of portable devices [that] can be lost or stolen, the government needs to find measures to ensure that they close those gaps in security,” said Scott Friedlander, GTSI’s president and chief operating officer.

The contract covers all of DOD and federal, state and local agencies that buy software through the General Services Administration’s SmartBuy program. It will run for five years if all options are exercised.

GTSI, of Herndon, Va., ranks No. 45 on Washington Technology’s 2008 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.