A unit of ManTech International Corp. will provide independent verification and validation and security services to the Homeland Security Department’s Science and Technology Directorate under a new $9.7 million task order, ManTech has announced.

ManTech MBI Inc., formerly McDonald Bradley Inc., will perform the work on the four-year task order through the Enterprise Acquisition Gateway for Leading Edge Solutions program.

McDonald Bradley, which was acquired by ManTech in December 2007, became an Eagle contractor in the independent verification and validation area in 2006.

Under the new task order, ManTech MBI will handle information technology architecture and security compliance in addition to the verification and validation. The company will perform the work on the directorate’s applications and systems at DHS headquarters and at its numerous research laboratories, the company said Feb. 20.

The support will cover software applications, computers, networks, audio and video-teleconferencing, telecommunications both secure and insecure, and hardware acquisition and installation, the company said. The goal is to identify potential vulnerabilities and operational weaknesses.

ManTech MBI also will provide continuing IV&V services focusing specifically on identifying potential vulnerabilities and operational weaknesses for all of the Directorate’s applications. Advisory services will include recommendations on the design and architecture of future systems to ensure that those meet DHS security standards.

Missing Link Security Inc. will be a subcontractor on this project.

ManTech, based in Fairfax, Va., ranks No. 31 on Washington Technology’s 2007 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.