Security consultants and technicians see a windfall from the Bush Administration's interest in securing the country's physical and digital borders, but it may take years to see the results. . . .

Security consultants and technicians see a windfall from the Bush Administration's interest in securing the country's physical and digital borders, but it may take years to see the results.

For companies used to competing in the go-go world of commercial business dealings, selling to the government requires an entirely different timeframe. The victor is usually the turtle rather than the hare, the contractor with the most staying power.

"There's a built-in history" with U.S. agencies, said Ron Knode, a director security services at Computer Sciences Corp. (CSC) (CSC.N), one of the bigger contractors, which got its start working for the U.S. space agency NASA 40 years ago.

"It governs how fast money can hit the public contractor base," Knode said. "Budgets are budgets. They are often set five years in advance."

The Sept. 11 terror attacks have sparked a move to boost the physical and digital security of the federal government, which has technology companies scrambling for work to offset sluggish corporate spending on information technology.

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