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                                                                      EXHIBIT 99

             IMPORTANT FACTORS REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS


The following factors, among others, could cause the company's actual results
and performance to differ materially from those contained or implied in
forward-looking statements made in this report and presented elsewhere by or on
behalf of the company from time to time.

Uncertainties as to Department of Defense and Other Federal Agency Budgets

         In 1999, approximately 66% of the company's revenue was with the
U.S.Department of Defense. In the past, the company's defense business has been
adversely affected by significant changes in defense spending during periods of
declining U.S. defense budgets. Among the effects of this general decline has
been increased competition within a consolidating defense industry. It is not
possible for the company to predict whether defense budgets will increase or
decline in the future. Further, changing missions and priorities in the defense
budget may have adverse effects on the company's business. Funding limitations
could result in a reduction, delay, or cancellation of existing or emerging
programs. The company anticipates there will continue to be significant
competition when the company's defense contracts are rebid as well as
significant competitive pressure to lower prices, which may reduce profitability
in this area of the company's business. Any reduction in the level or
profitability of the company's defense business, if not offset by new commercial
business or other business, will adversely affect the company's business,
financial condition and results of operations.

Government Contracting Risks

         The company has historically derived a substantial portion of its
revenue from contracts and subcontracts with the U.S. Government. In recent
years, the company has entered into significant information technology services
contracts with various state governments. A significant portion of the company's
federal and state government contracts are of a time and materials nature, with
fixed hourly rates that are intended to cover salaries, benefits, other indirect
costs of operating the business and profit. The pricing of such contracts is
based upon estimates of future costs and assumptions as to the aggregate volume
of business that the company will perform in a certain business division or
other relevant unit. For long term contracts, the company must estimate the
costs necessary to complete the defined statement of work and recognize revenues
or losses in accordance with such estimates. Actual costs may vary materially
from the estimates made from time to time, necessitating adjustments to reported
revenue and net income. Underestimates of the costs associated with a project
could adversely affect the company's overall profitability and could have a
material adverse effect on the company's business, financial condition and
results of operations.

         A significant portion of the company's federal and state government
contracts are renewable on an annual basis, or are subject to the exercise of
contractual options. Multi-year contracts often require funding actions by the
U.S. Government, state legislature or others on an

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annual or more frequent basis. As a result, the company's business could
experience material adverse consequences should such funding actions or other
approvals not be taken.

         Governmental awards of contracts are subject to regulations and
procedures that permit formal protests by losing bidders. Such protests may
result in significant delays in the commencement of expected contractual effort,
or the reversal of a previous award decision, which could have a material
adverse effect on the company's business, financial condition and results of
operations.

         Because of the complexity and scheduling of contracting with government
agencies, from time to time costs are incurred in advance of contractual funding
by the Government. In some circumstances, such costs may not be recovered in
whole or in part under subsequent contractual actions. Failure to collect such
amounts may have material adverse consequences on the company's business,
financial condition and results of operations.

         As a defense contrator, the company is subject to many levels of audit
and review, including the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), the Inspector
General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the General Accounting
Office, the Department of Justice and Congressional Committees. These audits and
reviews may result in fines, penalties, the withholding of payments due to the
company or the prohibtion from participating in certain Government requests for
proposals.

         A substantial portion of the company's U.S. Government business is as a
subcontractor. In such circumstances, the company generally bears the risk that
the prime contractor will meet its performance obligations to the U.S.
Government under the prime contract and that the prime contractor will have the
financial capability to pay the company amounts due under the subcontract. The
inability of a prime contractor to perform or make required payments could have
a material adverse effect on the company's business, financial condition and
results of operations.

         The U.S. Government has the right to terminate contracts for
convenience. In such a termination, the company would generally recover costs
incurred up to termination, costs required to be incurred in connection with the
termination, and a portion of the fee earned commensurate with the work
performed to termination. However, significant adverse effects on the company's
indirect cost pools may not be recoverable in connection with a termination for
convenience. Contracts with state and other governmental entities are subject to
the same or similar risks.



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Dependence on Key Personnel

         The company is dependent on its key technical personnel. In addition,
certain technical contributors may have specific knowledge and experience
related to various government customer operations that would be difficult to
replace in a timely fashion. The loss of the services of key personnel could
have a material adverse effect on the company's ability to perform required
services under certain contracts, or to retain such business after the
expiration of the current contract, or to win new business where certain
personnel have been identified as key personnel in the proposal, any of which
could have a material adverse effect on the company's business, financial
condition and results of operations.

Competition

         The government contracting business is subject to intense competition,
both technical and pricing, from numerous companies, many of which have
significantly greater financial, technical and marketing resources than the
company.

         Competition in the market for the company's commercial products is also
intense. There is a significant lead time for developing such business, and it
involves significant capital investment including development of prototypes and
investment in manufacturing equipment. The company's precision products business
has a number of competitors, many of which have significantly greater financial,
technical and marketing resources than the company.

Risks Associated with New Markets and New Products

         In its efforts to enter new markets, including Government agencies
other than the DoD and commercial markets, the company faces significant
competition from other companies that have prior experience with such potential
customers as well as significantly greater financial, technical and marketing
resources than the company. As a result, the company's efforts to enter such new
markets may not achieve the level of success sought by the company, if any.

Concentration of Customers

         Within the DoD, individual services and program offices account for a
significant portion of the company's Government business. Two customers account
for a significant portion of the revenue of the company's commercial
manufacturing divisions. No assurance can be provided that any of these
customers will continue as such or will continue at current levels. A decrease
in orders from any of these customers would have an adverse effect on the
company's profitability, and the loss of any large customer could have a
material adverse effect on the company's business, financial condition and
results of operations.



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Risk of Product Claims

         The company's precision manufactured products are generally designed to
operate as important components of complex systems or products and defects in
DRC products could cause the customer's product or systems to fail or perform
below expectations. Like other manufacturing companies, the company may be
subject to claims for alleged performance issues related to its products. There
can be no assurance any such claims, if made, will not have a material adverse
effect on the company's business, financial conditions or results of operations.

Risk of Economic Events Effecting the Company's Business Segments

         Certain of the company's precision products are components of
commercial products. Factors that affect the production and demand for such
products, including economic events both domestically and in other regions of
the world, competition, technological change and production disruption, could
adversely affect demand for the company's products. Certain of the company's
products are incorporated into capital equipment, such as machine tools and
other automated production equipment, used in the manufacture of other products.
As a result, this portion of the company's business may be subject to
fluctuations in the manufacturing sector of the overall economy. An economic
recession, either in the U.S. or elsewhere in the world, could have a material
adverse effect on the rate of orders received by the commercial divisions.
Significantly lower production volumes resulting in under-utilization of the
company's manufacturing would adversely affect the company's business financial
condition and results of operations.

Technological Change

         The company's knowledge base and skills in the systems and services
segment area are sophisticated and involve areas in which there have been and
are expected to continue to be significant technological change. There is no
assurance that the company will continue to be able to offer services that
satisfy its customers' requirements at a competitive price. Many of the
company's products are incorporated into sophisticated machinery, equipment or
electronic systems. Technological changes may be incorporated into competitors'
products that may adversely affect the market for the company's products.
Further, there can be no assurance that the company's research and product
development efforts will be successful or result in new or improved products
that may be required to sustain the company's market position.

Financing Requirements and Access to Capital Markets

         While the company believes that its current resources and access to
capital markets is adequate to support operations over the near term and
foreseeable future, there can be no assurance that these circumstances will
remain unchanged. The company's need for capital is dependent on operating
results and may be greater than expected. The company's ability to maintain its
current sources of debt financing is dependent on the company remaining in
compliance with certain covenants included in the financing agreements. Changes
in capital markets may restrict the availability of funds or increase the cost
of funds.