LIHU'E, Kaua'i— The Navy has awarded a contract worth $52.9 million per year to a small Hawai'i-based company to provide base operations and support services for Pacific Missile Range Facility.

Manu Kai LLC received the one-year contract with nine one-year options which, if exercised, bring the total estimated value of the contract to $737.9 million, according to a Department of Defense Web site posting yesterday.

Defense contractor ITT has the current $31.7 million per year contract to provide services to support the West Kaua'i facility, ranging from building and grounds maintenance to high-tech assistance with the range's missile testing and other military training, Navy spokesman Jim Murray said yesterday.

ITT's 10-year contract expired at the end of September, but it will continue to be involved at the base in a "mentor-protege relationship (with Manu Kai) ... and joint venture for this contract," Murray said.

Manu Kai will employ 550 people to run range support operations, with a "mixture" of former ITT employees and others, Murray said. The transition has begun and will run until January, he said.

"Manu Kai was the winner because they were the best-value offeror, including technical factors and price," Murray said.

Manu Kai is a joint venture between Akimeka Technologies and ITT and is a participant in a U.S. Small Business Administration program, which funnels military contracts to small minority-owned or disadvantaged businesses, Murray said.

The Navy is not releasing the names of the three other companies that competed for the contract, Murray said.

The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center at Pearl Harbor is the contracting agent for the Navy.

"I look forward to working with Manu Kai and continuing PMRF's status as a premier Navy base and as a world-class test and training range," Pacific Missile Range Facility Capt. Aaron Cudnohufsky said in a prepared statement.

ITT and Manu Kai representatives didn't respond to requests for comment yesterday.

State Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs online records indicate that Manu Kai is an information technology company, formed in 2006, and managed by Akimeka Technologies LLC.

Akimeka's Web site describes it as a Native Hawaiian Organization-owned company, whose majority owner is the Alaka'ina Foundation, a Native Hawaiian nonprofit corporation whose activities principally benefit Native Hawaiians.

Akimeka Technologies provides information technology services, program management and technology products, services, and solutions to Department of Defense clients in Hawai'i and abroad.

Philip Kahue, who is listed as a contact for Akimeka Technologies, was Manu Kai's representative at a contract signing ceremony yesterday on O'ahu, Murray said.