Pentagon buys $1.2 billion worth of Cisco software

In mid-June 2021, the US Department of Defense announced that the Office of Defense Information Systems (DISA) signed a $1.2 billion contract with Cisco for the supply of software. The scope and timing of deliveries are not specified.

According to the agency, three proposals were received at the request of the Ministry of Defense, which were evaluated on a competitive basis. According to the public version of the contract, Cisco will provide the defense department with the services of the Cisco Smart Net Total Care software support system. The estimated period will begin from one year, but can be extended to three years if the parties remain satisfied.

Pentagon Information Systems Department buys Cisco software for $1.2 billion

Cisco Smart Net software is designed to solve IT problems and update enterprise software for large organizations, according to the company's website. As stated in the advertising video, this is a technology that "ensures the smooth operation of the IT infrastructure."

It is known that DISA consolidates the networks of defense agencies and takes responsibility for the work of their support services, but it is not yet clear whether the contract with Cisco is directly related to this initiative.

In addition, DISA signed a contract with Comcast Government Services, which should provide partners with access to the US Department of Defense information network through Ethernet connections, as well as the ability to replace outdated circuits based on time division multiplexing. The maximum contract value is $84 million. The main work will be carried out at the contractor's site in Reston, Virginia. The contract covers six years of basic cooperation with the possibility of extension to ten years, from June 23, 2021 to June 22, 2031.^[1]

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