Contact: Jane Van Ryan

202/661-8903

(WASHINGTON) August 25, 1998 Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) has been named the lead systems integrator and program manager for the HUBS (Hospitals, Universities, Businesses and Schools) project to create the nations first wide-area "smart region."

The HUBS project is intended to enhance communications and improve the economic and intellectual climate for communities and governments in the four-state region of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. With the integration of common platforms and creation of virtual databases, users will be able to send, retrieve and share information, and collaborate by accessing common tools such as those used for data mining and data warehousing. Utilizing existing information technology (IT) infrastructures, SAIC will either develop directly or encourage the development and implementation of the projects software, middleware and hardware.

"This project will give our region a significant advantage by providing access to a multitude of information technologies including the Internet, distance learning, and virtual medicine," said Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.), a leading proponent of HUBS.

The HUBS project grew out of a working group established by Rep. Weldon, Dr. Robert Hollebeek of the University of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Da Hsuan Feng of SAIC (formerly of Drexel University).

"HUBS will be the catalyst which will help to create the smart regions telecommunications infrastructure," said Dr. Feng, general manager of HUBS for SAIC.

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"With the initial support of the federal government, HUBS will create a new economic and business landscape and will allow the four states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, to become a knowledge center in the 21^st century."

During fiscal year 1998, HUBS received funding from two federal agencies. In April, the Department of Defenses (DoD) Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded a contract to SAIC as part of the governments overall effort to develop the Next Generation Internet. Under the contract, expected to be valued at $2 million, SAIC is investigating the benefits of including defense-related applications and infrastructure in the HUBS project.

In June, the U.S. Department of Education awarded SAIC a $5 million grant to enhance educational opportunities in the HUBS project. SAIC will identify school districts for participation in HUBS. Then the company will improve the districts ability to work together on innovative educational programs such as professional training for teachers and home-to-school connectivity.

Officials in Anne Arundel County, Md., say that HUBS will help to revitalize the countys aging infrastructure and provide improved communications for its growing number of high-technology businesses and industries. HUBS focus on education will help to acquaint students with IT and expand the countys high-tech workforce.

"The future growth of Anne Arundel County will be directed into development of areas where infrastructure is in place and creative reuse opportunities exist," said Rick Morgan, president and CEO of the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation in Annapolis, Md. "Technology can play an important role in the State of Maryland and Anne Arundel Countys smart growth strategy. Workforce development is also a key issue in Anne Arundel County. In a full employment economy, we need to use information as an essential tool for developing our workforce into a highly competitive resource in this high-tech, global economy."

Several other members of Congress have been supportive of the HUBS initiative. In addition to Rep. Weldon, they include Sen. Arlen Specter (R- Pa.), Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Rep. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.), Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.),

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Rep. Michael Pappas (R- N.J.), Rep. Jon. D. Fox (R-Pa.), and Rep. Michael Castle (R-Del.).

"By working together to put state-of-the-art technologies in the hands of students, teachers, businesses and health care providers, we are giving them the tools to excel in the Information Age," Rep. Weldon said.

Employee-owned SAIC provides high-technology products and services to government and commercial customers in the areas of information technology, systems integration, telecommunications, national and international security, health systems and services, transportation, energy, and environmental systems and engineering. With the recent acquisition of Bellcore, SAIC and its subsidiaries have estimated annual revenues of $4 billion and more than 33,000 employees at offices in over 150 cities worldwide. More information about SAIC can be found on the Internet at www.saic.com. Information about Bellcore is available at www.bellcore.com.