Science Applications International Corp. will provide financial management tools to the Defense Department under a five-year contract that could be worth more than $13 million if all options are exercised.

Under terms of the award, SAIC will support the Defense Finance and Accounting Service’s (DFAS) Financial Management Education and Training program. The company will design, develop and maintain a customized financial management education and training curriculum that meets the needs of DFAS and DOD’s financial management workforce. SAIC will also provide instruction in the new system.

This contract has a one-year base and four one-year options. Work will be performed primarily in Southbridge, Mass.

DFAS is the largest finance and accounting operation in the world, responsible for all DOD expenditures. Each business day it pays out more than $1 billion.

To improve financial performance, DFAS is automating its manual processes, eliminating redundancies and integrating technological advances in its finance and accounting practices, according to an SAIC news release.

The agency is also expanding its electronic-commerce capability by replacing its paper-based systems with electronic processing to provide single-source entry and the electronic transmission and storage of data.

SAIC, of San Diego, ranks No. 5 on Washington Technology’s 2008 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.