DHS improves internet security with EIS award to MetTel

The Department of Homeland Security awarded a $3 million information technology task order to MetTel, giving it real-time visibility into internet access and security across all its offices nationwide.

The Internet Protocol Service-Primary Network task order covers network bandwidth capacity of up to 10 gigabits per second, managed security services and access to a portal for monitoring performance.

Awarded under the $50 billion Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions contract, the task order represents movement by DHS to update its IT and telecommunications infrastructure ahead of the Networx contract’s expiration on March 31, 2023. DHS was only 26% of the way toward transitioning off Networx in August, according to the most recent Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act scorecard.

Unlike most civilian agencies, which are transitioning with only a few EIS task orders, DHS is expected to award upward of five.

“The U.S. Department of Homeland Security had stringent requirements for this internet requirement contractually managed by the Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization,” Robert Dapkiewicz, general manager of MetTel Federal, said in Tuesday’s announcement. “MetTel was the lowest cost to the government with a fully compliant technical proposal, which is especially important because the government has an ever-growing need to secure high performing communications technology at the best price.”

New York City-based MetTel is one of three small business primes on the EIS contract.

DHS’s task order represents MetTel’s third EIS award from a cabinet-level agency and fifth overall.