Barco receives 23 million dollar expanded contract from the United States Coast Guard & Department of Homeland Security
Kuurne, Belgium – September 14, 2004 - After receiving an $8 million Blanket Purchase Agreement in August of 2003, Barco has been awarded an expanded purchase agreement from the United States Coast Guard for the delivery of large display wall solutions that will play a central role in the Command Centers of the US Coast Guard. The expanded BPA brings the total purchase authority of the contract to $23 million over the next four years. With this new contract, Barco further strengthens its position as the leading supplier of large screen display solutions for Homeland Security requirements.
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has recently completed the first installations of Barco's large screen visualization platform at each of its Area, District, and Section Command Centers, providing operators with a robust Command and Control Display System. To meet increased Homeland Security responsibilities and traditional CG missions, the system will facilitate overall awareness, mission planning and execution, and decision-making. The system is a large-scale display that provides 24/7 operational capability with multiple inputs and adjustable screen layout functionalities ideally suited for Common-Operating-Picture and scenario building and dissemination."Barco is pleased to be a major contributor to the Homeland Security effort here in the United States," says Patrick Sweeney, Market Manager at the Barco Control Rooms division. "We're looking forward to working with the United States Coast Guard and other agencies within the newly created Department of Homeland Security, as well as our valued partners, to bring the latest in situational awareness capabilities to the Coast Guard"
Barco partnered with Allied Technology Group (ATG) to provide installation, integration, and support of its Large Screen Visualization Platform. ATG provided the necessary network systems integration, engineering services, project management, and clearance capabilities to insure the initial phase went smoothly.
Since the mid nineties, Barco has been recognized as the leading expert in control room solutions for broadcasting, telecommunications, public utilities, process control, and traffic control. After 9/11, its expertise in these crucial domains of interconnected infrastructures in transport, energy and information combined with Barco's expertise in defense and command & control applications, placed Barco in the forefront of technology providers for Homeland Security.
In Europe and in the US, Barco has reference applications in border and port security, transportation security, aviation and airport security (Airport, Rail and Highway Authorities), incident preparedness and response (both state and local responders Police/Fire Department/National Disaster Teams and National Incident Management Systems), critical infrastructure protection (public water systems, oil & natural gas production facilities, off-shore platforms, natural gas pipelines) and protection, access control and surveillance of production or commercial sites and IT networks (telecom companies, banks, financial institutions/resorts, hotels, shopping malls).
The US FY 2005 budget request for the Department of Homeland Security of $40.2 billion represents a 10% increase in funding over the comparable FY 2004 budget and reflects the Administration’s strong and continued commitment. The $3.6 billion increase over FY 2004 includes increased funding for new and expanded programs in domains on which Barco is strongly focusing, e.g. border and port security, transportation security and incident preparedness and response. Barco’s efforts are gaining momentum in Europe also. Apart from its ongoing projects with and reference sites at a number of European federal agencies in the domain of Homeland Security (esp. France, UK and Italy), Barco is further looking for active involvement in the Preparatory Action launched by the European Commission entitled ‘Enhancement of the European industrial potential in the field of security research 2004-2006’ that will prepare the basis for a fully-fledged European Security Research program in 2007.
“Barco is bringing together all its know-how and expertise to serve this market with best-of-breed technology solutions,” Carl Peeters, President Barco Control Rooms explains. “Not only have we set up dedicated R&D, application engineering and market task forces, but we are increasing our efforts to streamline our best technology offer towards the major integrators in this domain”.
About Barco
Barco, an international company headquartered in Kortrijk, Belgium, provides visualization and display solutions for professional markets. Barco designs and develops solutions for large screen visualization, display solutions for life-critical applications, and systems for visual inspection. Barco has a network of subsidiaries, distributors and agents in almost 100 countries. Barco is quoted on Euronext Brussels and is a BEL 20 and a Next 150 company.
About the United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a military, multi-mission, maritime service and one of the nation’s five Armed Services. Its mission is to protect the public, the environment, and U.S. economic interests – in the nation’s ports and waterways, along the coast, on international waters, or in any maritime region as required to support national security.
About Allied Technology Group
Allied Technology Group, Inc. is an information technology and engineering company that is dedicated to customer satisfaction by offering quality services and innovative solutions on time and within budget. Founded in 1986, ATG has achieved sustained growth and profitability by maintaining professional excellence, personal integrity and alliances with large and small firms to provide clients a broad spectrum of the highest quality services available.
ATG has a staff of 500 IT professionals, engineers, scientists and support personnel and annual revenues of $50 million. The annual staff retention rate is well above the industry average. ATG is committed to keeping and growing their workforce and have developed an employee enrichment program that promotes personnel productivity, excellence-in-performance, and stability.
