Old Dominion University's Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center (VMASC) has been awarded a contract worth up to $35.6 million to provide engineering and technical services, as well as faculty-student services to the Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) of the U.S. military.

For most of its 11-year existence, VMASC has provided these services to JFCOM, but the work was done under two different contractual arrangements. The work was rebid this year as one contract and VMASC, via the ODU Research Foundation, was awarded the overall job beginning Oct. 1, 2008.

"This is a very positive indication of the continued strong relationship between ODU/VMASC and JFCOM," said Michael McGinnis, the executive director of VMASC. "This contract, combined with the 'sole source' battlelab contract of $15.6 million over six years, awarded to VMASC earlier this year, puts us in a very good position to collaborate with JFCOM on a wide range of modeling and simulation initiatives for the years ahead."

The latest contract provides a ceiling of just over $11 million for services over the next two years, and includes dual, two-year options that, if exercised, could mean up to $35.6 million in work for VMASC over the next six years.

Much of the sophisticated modeling, simulation and visualization work and training that JFCOM requests under the contract will be done at VMASC's one-year-old, $12 million facility at the border of northern Suffolk and western Portsmouth. Some of the work also will be done at JFCOM's Joint Warfighting Center in northern Suffolk.

JFCOM employs numerous modeling, simulation and visualization technologies to accomplish its joint force trainer and experimentation missions. Among other uses, the command relies upon realistic computer-generated battlefield models and other types of simulation to support joint forces training. It uses these models to practice the movement or coordination of forces, to provide an operational background to a staff training event, and to augment live forces to simulate a larger operational environment.

Modeling, simulation and visualization are the bases for one of the fastest growing high technology sectors in Virginia. In southeastern Virginia, where VMASC has been providing training, research and business incubation for more than a decade, the sector now supports a workforce of more than 4,500 with an average annual salary of about $83,000.

In addition to its military applications, this field provides training and technologies for use in areas such as medicine, homeland security and public safety, transportation, serious gaming, product design and manufacturing strategies, and business planning.