FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                            
Monday, May 21, 2001                                                                    
Contact:  Bill Mosley
Tel.:  (202) 366-5571
DOT 51-01          

Small Business Awarded Major
Information Technology Management Contract  

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) have announced the award of a $65 million, five-year task order for information technology services to RS Information Systems, Inc. (RSIS), headquartered in McLean, Va. 

    This procurement was awarded through full and open competition under the auspices of DOT’s Information Technology Omnibus Procurement (ITOP) program. RSIS is certified as an 8(a) small business by the Small Business Administration.

     “This award highlights the importance the Department of Transportation places on its many partnerships with other federal agencies, especially when utilizing our streamlined and efficient procurement practices helps them to meet critical information technology challenges," said Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta.  "It is particularly satisfying that in meeting these needs, we are also able to continue our focused support of the small and disadvantaged business community."

  RSIS will provide information technology expert assistance, personal computer desktop workstations and network infrastructure support to DARPA in Arlington,Va.  This work includes providing and managing the full range of information technology service, support and infrastructure necessary to implement the DARPA information technology strategic direction and operational objectives.  The mission of DARPA is to maintain U.S. technological superiority by identifying and supporting breakthrough technologies of interest to the military.  The information technology services that support this responsibility require state-of-the-art tools and services, and rapid, flexible response to mission-essential and evolving customer requirements.

  “DARPA is pleased to be able to award a performance-based, information technology management contract to a local small disadvantaged company using DOT’s ITOP program,” observed Mark Schaeffer, DARPA’s Deputy Director for Management Operations.  “The RSIS contract provides DARPA with a wide range of information technology services that will allow the agency to efficiently and effectively accomplish its mission, while also contributing to DOD’s small business goals. 

      "This ITOP award is yet another demonstration of the capability and expertise that DOT has been able to tap from among America's small disadvantaged firms,” said George Fields, director of DOT’s Transportation Administrative Service Center (TASC).  “By leveling the playing field to include firms like RSIS in the fiercely competitive IT arena, TASC has been able to award contracts that represent more than $800 million in revenue to small, disadvantaged businesses under the ITOP program.” 

     "RS Information Systems, Inc. is proud and honored to be supporting DARPA on this important and challenging information technology initiative", said Rodney P. Hunt, RSIS President and CEO.  "This strategic partnership between DARPA, ITOP and RSIS sends a clear message that small business participation is valuable and important.  We commend ITOP for their continued support of small and disadvantaged businesses, and we thank DARPA for their demonstrated trust and confidence in RSIS to assist in the advancement of their mission, goals and objectives."

     ITOP is an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity government-wide contracting vehicle managed by the TASC, DOT’s fee-for-service administrative services organization.  It provides a wide range of information technology services to federal agencies within three functional areas:  information systems engineering, systems operation and management, and information systems security.

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