The U.S. Bureau of Census will count on a team led by Lockheed Martin to develop and operate an information processing system for the nation's 2010 Census. Under the six-year contract valued at approximately $500 million, the Lockheed Martin team will develop and deploy the Decennial Response Integration System (DRIS) for the Bureau, which will include a publicized option for filing census surveys via the Internet.

The Census Bureau, as part of the Department of Commerce, serves as a leading source of quality data, measuring change about the nation's people and economy. In addition to several population, economic and housing surveys it does annually, the Constitution requires the Census Bureau to conduct a national census every ten years. The Census Bureau will use the integrated response system to provide respondent assistance as well as data capture for the 2010 Census.

"A vital step in ensuring success is the choice of a mission partner to collaborate with the stakeholders and have them accept responsibility for developing, deploying and operating a processing system that produces the information while meeting the schedule, quality and completeness goals set by the Bureau," said Preston Waite, associate director for the 2010 U.S. Census.

As the prime contractor who developed the information processing system used during Census 2000, Lockheed Martin has the proven experience and expertise for the DRIS program. In 2000, it was the first time the Bureau used scanned image optical character recognition technology for its information processing system. Census 2000 was the largest, most sophisticated -- and most accurate -- census undertaken, encompassing 120 million forms with 98 percent accuracy.

"Incorporating an Internet-based option for responding to the decennial count helps the Bureau make the census process even more responsive and inclusive," Waite said.

"Our previous work for the U.S. Census Bureau, coupled with the fact our team has spent the past five years working similar programs in other countries, gives us the depth and breadth to understand the census environment very well," said Executive Vice President Judy Marks, who will become president of Lockheed Martin Transportation and Security Solutions on October 1. "We will use proven management approaches and tools to leverage the lessons learned from our previous successes."

"Lockheed Martin is proud to apply its world-class systems and information technology capabilities to help the Census Bureau count our nation's population," Marks said. "We are committed to our role as the government's trusted partner for the census project, which requires reliable and accurate data management to support government operations."

Although similar to Census 2000, program requirements for the 2010 Census include a more complex, multiple channel response program. "For example, the DRIS program will integrate our data capture capabilities with our operations for the first time," noted Andy Patrichuk, Lockheed Martin's vice president of Civil Mission Solutions.

"Our new system must anticipate the risks and challenges of the future and still achieve the highest data accuracy," emphasized Julie Dunlap, Lockheed Martin's 2010 DRIS program director. "Our team offers the leadership, experience and commitment to meet the diverse security challenges created when a nation counts and analyzes its population."

As the prime contractor, Lockheed Martin will integrate and manage a premier team of companies unique in their qualifications and capabilities. The team includes: Cardinal Technologies Inc., Bethesda, MD; Computer Sciences Corporation, El Segundo, CA; Evolver Inc., Reston, VA; IBM, Bethesda, MD; Metier Ltd., Washington, DC; Nortel PEC Solutions, Fairfax, VA; and Pearson Government Solutions, Arlington, VA.

An advocate of small, disadvantaged, veteran-owned and women-owned businesses, "Lockheed Martin is committed to exceeding the Census Bureau's 30 percent small business requirements on this program," said Dunlap.

"A thorough and proven appreciation and understanding of data accuracy and integrity issues were important to our customer, and we provided a world-class team with census-specific and data security credentials," Patrichuk added. "We're proud to be the Census Bureau's choice for this essential information processing program."

Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin