Cyber Command awards $50M threat intelligence contract to Recorded Future

Cybersecurity company Recorded Future is providing cyberthreat intelligence reporting for U.S. Cyber Command after winning a $50 million production contract late last year.

Cyber Command issued the production-other transaction agreement (OTA) with the help of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) in September 2019 after completing a successful prototype contract. Recorded Future announced its win this week. The company — known for tracking malicious hackers’ activities on the dark web — is based outside of Boston and has a Northern Virginia office.

An OTA allows the military to enter into a rapid prototype contract with nontraditional government customers. If successful, federal acquisition law allows the parties to scale work into a larger production-OTA. DIU has been the most notable military user of OTAs in recent years as it’s the unit’s mission to increase the Department of Defense’s work with innovative commercial companies.

The contract paves the way for Recorded Future to “provide real-time threat analysis to approved federal agencies on an expedited basis,” says a release. Cyber Command will use the company’s intelligence tools to support its operation and defense of the Department of Defense Information Networks (DODIN).

“We are grateful to be awarded this contract with USCYBERCOM and look forward to sharing our intelligence to better secure federal government infrastructure,” Christopher Ahlberg, co-founder and CEO of Recorded Future, said in a statement. “The DIU team was a true partner throughout this process, from prototype to production. They’ve helped to reinforce bridges between private and public organizations, empowering those on the front lines of cyber defense to act quickly with the context they need to make critical decisions.”

This production OTA is the first Cyber Command has awarded.