The Department of Homeland Security has announced it has
awarded a contract to begin implementing its Homeland Secure
Data Network, intended as a modern IT infrastructure to
securely communicate classified information.
It said Northrop Grumman, selected by the General Services
Administration for the approximately $350 million contract,
would design, implement and operate the “private, certified,
and accredited network.”
“The HSDN lays the foundation to consolidate five legacy
wide-area networks down to one network for both classified
and unclassified information, leading to one infrastructure
–the first phase of which will be completed by the end
of this year,” said Secretary Tom Ridge.
DHS says the HSDN will enable it interact with other
classified networks while eliminating its dependence external
ones.