amazonsignage2The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has signed a deal with Amazon for cloud computing services worth up to $600 million over 10 years, according to a report by the Federal Computer Week trade publication, citing anonymous sources.

FCW’s Frank Konkel reports that Amazon will help the CIA “build a private cloud infrastructure that helps the agency keep up with emerging technologies like big data in a cost-effective manner not possible under the CIA’s previous cloud efforts.”

Neither the agency nor the company would comment for the report, and given the traditions of secrecy at both organizations, that’s not likely to change. CIA officials have said publicly that they are seeking to benefit from commercial innovation in IT and online services.

Last year, Amazon scored a big win with a 5-year, $16.5 million contract to Amazon.com to put tens of thousands Kindles into educational centers around the world — but the U.S. State Department later pulled the plug on the deal and put the business back out to bid.

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