Alion Awarded Federal Railroad Administration Contract Valued at $10 Million to Study Human Performance in Rail Operations and Maintenance

Technology Solutions Company to Assess Effect of Human Factors on Train, Trespasser and Crossing Accidents

MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To enhance safety and improve railroad operations, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has awarded Alion Science and Technology a contract with a ceiling of $10 million to conduct research that gauges human performance in rail operations and maintenance. The global engineering, R&D, IT and operational solutions company will provide technical expertise to FRA’s Human Factors Research Division, which aims to reduce human factors that cause train, trespasser and grade crossing accidents.

“With all the technology onboard current passenger and freight trains, as well as at control centers, people still play a critical role in preventing accidents”

Under the five-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, Alion will assess equipment and technology, organizational culture and behavior, policies and system performance, then provide technical assistance and recommendations to continue the FRA’s record of accident reduction. The division has already reduced human factor-related accidents by more than 50 percent since 2005.

“With all the technology onboard current passenger and freight trains, as well as at control centers, people still play a critical role in preventing accidents,” said Terri Spoonhour, Alion Senior Vice President and Manager of the Distributed Simulation Group. “People can get distracted or need to make quick decisions based on the unexpected, from weather to track conditions to trespassers or cars approaching crossings. Alion’s expertise in human-systems interaction will help us determine where improvements can be made, both in technology and in employee training and performance.”

The Alion team incorporates proficiency in human performance modeling, human-in-the-loop simulation, cognitive engineering, human attention and workload, organization assessment and safety culture and industrial ergonomics, Spoonhour explained, adding, “By measuring how people work in their real-world environment, cost-effective changes can be made to improve both performance and safety.”

The multiple-award contract runs until May 14, 2017.

About Alion Science and Technology

Alion Science and Technology delivers advanced engineering and technology solutions to strengthen national defense, homeland security, energy generation and the environment. Building on 75 years of R&D experience, Alion combines engineering expertise with operational experience and unique technologies to bring insight to multiple business areas: Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering; Defense Operations; Modeling & Simulation; and Engineering Design & Integration. Based in McLean, Virginia, Alion employee-owners are located at major offices, customer sites and laboratories worldwide. For more information, visit Alion online at www.alionscience.com.

This press release contains information about management’s view of Alion’s future expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of risk factors and uncertainties discussed in documents periodically filed by Alion with the SEC. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.