Verizon unveiled on Wednesday a 10-year agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), worth $678.5 million, to serve as primary service provider of the DHS OneNet program and help unite the networks of DHS’s 22 agencies into one common and secure IP network, as well as manage and secure over 5,000 sites worldwide belonging to the agency.

As part of this program, Verizon Business will implement a Security Operations Center (SOC) for DHS, as well as employ Emergency Communications Services (ECS) available for all government agencies under Networx Universal, with the role of enabling fast emergency responses to any area struck by man-made or natural disasters.

John Killian, president of Verizon Business, said in a prepared statement that the advanced network they deploy will become a “vital springboard” for the department’s future step towards evolution.

The Department of Homeland Security has the responsibility to protect U.S. territory from both terrorist and natural disasters. The department was created after the 9/11 attacks, and includes several departments, such as the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Justice or the Department of Energy.

This deal in particular is part of the U.S. General Services Administration’s Networx Universal contract, which is the largest federal communications contract ever awarded by the GSA and the federal government, and offers federal agencies a common vehicle for a comprehensive set of networking, professional and technical services, Verizon said.

Verizon Business is a unit of Verizon Communications Inc. and delivers advanced IP, data, voice and wireless solutions for large businesses and government, reaching 75 countries on six continents.