ANAHEIM, Calif., Nov 04, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Willdan Group, Inc. ("Willdan") (NASDAQ: WLDN) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Willdan Homeland Solutions (WHS), was awarded a $1.8 million contract with GTSI, Inc. (GTSI) to provide public safety interoperable communications professional services to 11 California counties that comprise the California Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee (CALSIEC) Southern Planning Area (SPA). The initial contract work will start in the current quarter and be completed by August 2010.

"Public safety responders require interoperable communications to do their jobs," explains WHS President and CEO, Vic Thies. "We look forward to leveraging our expertise in support of the Southern Planning Area's interoperability project and to expanding the footprint of Willdan's communications and technology services."

One of the largest communications interoperability planning projects in the United States, the program's objective is to improve the ability of first responders to communicate across the CALSIEC Southern Planning Area, whose 500 public-safety agencies are currently using a variety of communications systems to serve a population of more than 22 million. In doing so, the program will be unifying the communications systems of an area larger than the State of New York.

As the technical lead on the project, WHS's responsibilities are to provide planning and training services in the development of the SPA's tactical interoperable communications plans (TICP). Jurisdictions use the TICP to clearly define: 1) governance structures and the breadth and scope of interoperable assets available in the area; 2) how those assets are shared and how their use is prioritized; and, 3) the steps individual agencies should follow to request, activate, use, and deactivate each asset. WHS's communications professionals will support each of the 11 counties with the goal of improving the SPA's interoperable communications through compliance with the California Statewide Communication Interoperable Plan and the National Emergency Communication Plan.

Willdan Homeland Solutions is a full-service, homeland security services provider to federal, state, and local clients across the United States.

About Willdan Group, Inc.

Founded over 40 years ago, Willdan Group, Inc. is a leading provider of outsourced and consulting services to public and private agencies and utilities located primarily in California and other western states. Willdan Group, Inc. assists cities and other government agencies and, to a lesser extent, private industry and public utilities with a broad range of services, including civil engineering, building and safety services, geotechnical engineering, energy efficiency, water conservation, renewable resource strategy, financial and economic consulting, and disaster preparedness and homeland security. For additional information visit Willdan's Web site at www.willdan.com

About GTSI

Since 1983, GTSI has provided technology products, professional services, and IT infrastructure solutions to Federal, state, and local government. GTSI's knowledge of government technology environments, policies, purchasing requirements, and business objectives enables agencies to meet the infrastructure demands and performance requirements of technology-supported government from program inception to end-of-life.

About the CALSIEC Southern Planning Area

The Southern Planning Area serves as an extension of the California Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee which is tasked with managing the state and federally designated interoperability spectrum, developing governance and plans on behalf of all California public safety first responders.

Forward-Looking Statements

Safe Harbor Statement:Statements in this press release which are not purely historical, including statements regarding Willdan Group's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations, representations, projections, estimates, plans or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risk that the Company will not be able to expand its services or meet the needs of customers in markets in which it operates. It is important to note that the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in any such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, a slowdown in the local and regional economies of the states where Willdan conducts business and the loss of or inability to hire additional qualified professionals. The Company's business could be affected by a number of other factors, including the risk factors listed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports including, but not limited to, the Form 10-K annual report for the year ended January 2, 2009 filed on April 2, 2009. The Company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Willdan Group, Inc. disclaims any obligation, and does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this press release.

SOURCE: Willdan Group, Inc.

Willdan Group, Inc.
Kimberly Gant
Chief Financial Officer
714-940-6329
kgant@willdan.com
or
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Moira Conlon
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