U.S. Military Recruits IBM in War on Terror

The U.S. Special Operations Command has awarded IBM a contract worth up to $20 million "to modernize the planning, programming, budgeting and execution functions within the command," IBM announced in an Oct. 14 news release.

"USSOCOM and IBM will work together to design, develop and integrate the Special Operations Resource Business Information System (SORBIS) using advanced analytics and reporting capabilities to speed access to information to improve the command's business enterprise. The award has an estimated contract value not to exceed $20 million over the five-year indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract," the release said.

"IBM is very pleased to support this important initiative," Charles Prow, managing partner of IBM Global Business Services' public sector team, said in the statement. "Through the SORBIS system, we believe USSOCOM will be able to leverage advanced analytics to gain better insights into data resources and improve decision making."

According to the statement:

"USSOCOM is the combatant command responsible for providing fully functional Special Operations Forces to defend the U.S. and its interests, and planning and synchronizing operations against terrorist networks.

"IBM will develop a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS), turnkey enterprise-wide resource data management application for USSOCOM's headquarters and component commands and integrate the command's legacy resource management systems with the new SORBIS system. This effort is being supported by IBM's subcontractors, CACI International, Inc. and National Interest Security Company, LLC (NISC), both specialists in IT solutions and services for defense, intelligence and homeland security."

The IBM statement concluded, "The use of analytics and optimization technologies is accelerating in the government market, as agencies and departments seek to deploy 'smarter' systems that can analyze data and enable faster, more accurate decision making.

IBM has established a Business Analytics and Optimization Services practice for government and other public sector clients that includes experts with deep knowledge in such areas as defense, logistics, cyber-security, transportation, public safety, and customs and border management. These professionals also collaborate with IBM researchers and tap into mathematics and information management capabilities across IBM."