Army Awards ManTech $68 Million Afghan Cellular Contract

The Army has awarded ManTech a $68 million contract to provide cell phone coverage to U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

The Fairfax, Va.-based company will design, build and maintain the Expeditionary Cellular Communications Service (ECCS), an integrated system of permanent and mobile cell towers on operational Army bases in the region.

The towers will allow for "continuous" cell phone service to forces taking part in operations there, according to a press statement.

The contract is not the first time the Army has tapped ManTech to support troops in Afghanistan. The company was awarded a $300 million contract in 2006 as a subcontractor to VSE Corp. to provide a variety of services -- including logistics and repairs management, systems training and resource management -- in both Afghanistan and Iraq. ManTech also received a separate contract that year to support mine-clearing activities, among other things, in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait.

ManTech recently has won several other notable contracts from the federal government, including a nearly $100 million contract for cybersecurity outsourcing for the FBI. It also was named as one of 29 potential contractors for the federal government's $50 billion IT Alliant contract.

ManTech posted financial results for its fiscal third quarter last week, attributing year-over-year growth to some of its recent government awards.

Revenue for the quarter totaled $657 million, up 28 percent from $514.6 million for the same period last year. Operating income also was up, growing 17 percent from $46.4 million last year to $54.5 million this year, according to the company.