<s>
The	O
Global	O
Information	O
Grid	O
Bandwidth	O
Expansion	O
(	O
GIG-BE	B-Operating_System
)	O
Program	O
was	O
a	O
major	O
United	O
States	O
Department	O
of	O
Defense	O
(	O
DOD	O
)	O
net-centric	O
transformational	O
initiative	O
executed	O
by	O
DISA	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Part	O
of	O
the	O
Global	O
Information	O
Grid	O
project	O
,	O
GIG-BE	B-Operating_System
created	O
a	O
ubiquitous	O
"	O
bandwidth-available	O
"	O
environment	O
to	O
improve	O
national	O
security	O
intelligence	O
,	O
surveillance	O
and	O
reconnaissance	O
,	O
information	O
assurance	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
command	O
and	O
control	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Through	O
GIG-BE	B-Operating_System
,	O
DISA	O
leveraged	O
DOD	O
's	O
existing	O
end-to-end	O
information	O
transport	O
capabilities	O
,	O
significantly	O
expanding	O
capacity	O
and	O
reliability	O
to	O
select	O
Joint	O
Staff-approved	O
locations	O
worldwide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GIG-BE	B-Operating_System
achieved	O
Full	O
Operational	O
Capability	O
(	O
FOC	O
)	O
on	O
December	O
20	O
,	O
2005	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GIG-BE	B-Operating_System
provides	O
a	O
secure	O
,	O
robust	O
,	O
optical	O
terrestrial	O
network	O
that	O
delivers	O
very	O
high-speed	O
classified	O
and	O
unclassified	O
Internet	B-Protocol
Protocol	I-Protocol
(	O
IP	O
)	O
services	O
to	O
key	O
operating	O
locations	O
worldwide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Assistant	O
Secretary	O
of	O
Defense	O
for	O
Networks	O
and	O
Information	O
Integration	O
's	O
(	O
ASD/NII	O
)	O
vision	O
is	O
a	O
"	O
color	O
to	O
every	O
base	O
,	O
"	O
physically	O
diverse	O
network	O
access	O
,	O
optical	B-Protocol
mesh	I-Protocol
upgrades	O
for	O
the	O
backbone	B-General_Concept
network	I-General_Concept
,	O
and	O
regional/MAN	O
upgrades	O
,	O
where	O
needed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
GIG-BE	B-Operating_System
Program	O
Office	O
conducted	O
detailed	O
site	O
surveys	O
at	O
all	O
of	O
the	O
approximately	O
87	O
Joint	O
Staff-approved	O
locations	O
and	O
parallel	O
implementation	O
in	O
CONUS	O
and	O
overseas	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
GIG-BE	B-Operating_System
Program	O
Office	O
completed	O
the	O
Final	O
Operational	O
Test	O
and	O
Evaluation	O
(	O
FOT&E	O
)	O
at	O
54	O
operational	O
sites	O
on	O
October	O
7	O
,	O
2005	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
December	O
20	O
,	O
2005	O
,	O
the	O
GIG-BE	B-Operating_System
program	O
achieved	O
the	O
milestone	O
of	O
Full	O
Operational	O
Capability	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GIG-BE	B-Operating_System
was	O
awarded	O
to	O
SAIC	O
in	O
2001	O
for	O
$877	O
million	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
contract	O
was	O
for	O
the	O
development	O
,	O
instantiation	O
,	O
and	O
maintenance	O
of	O
the	O
GIG-BE	B-Operating_System
network	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Representatives	O
Marty	O
Meehan	O
(	O
D-Mass	O
)	O
and	O
Jim	O
Saxton	O
(	O
R-NJ	O
)	O
expressed	O
concern	O
in	O
the	O
selection	O
process	O
for	O
a	O
contractor	O
to	O
lead	O
the	O
GIG-BE	B-Operating_System
effort	O
.	O
</s>
