STOCK OPTION GRANT AGREEMENT

     The stock  option  represented  by this STOCK  OPTION  GRANT  AGREEMENT  is
granted as of the 6th day of March 2000,  by The  Network  Connection,  Inc.,  a
Georgia corporation (the "Company"), to Robert Pringle ("Grantee").

                                   BACKGROUND

     A. Grantee is President and Chief Operating Officer of Company.

     B.  Pursuant to the terms of an employment  agreement  entered into between
the Company and Grantee of even date herewith (the "Employment Agreement"),  and
in order to induce Grantee to enter into the Employment  Agreement,  incentivize
Grantee with respect to the future  success of the Company and to encourage  him
to perform at  increasing  levels of  effectiveness  and use his best efforts to
promote the growth and  profitability  of the Company,  and in  consideration of
services to be performed,  Company  desires to afford  Grantee an opportunity to
purchase  shares of its  common  stock,  par  value  $0.001  per share  ("Common
Stock"), as hereinafter provided.

     C.  Any  capitalized  terms  used but not  defined  herein  shall  have the
meanings attributed thereto in the Employment Agreement.

     NOW,  THEREFORE,  in consideration of the mutual covenants  hereinafter set
forth and for other good and valuable  consideration the receipt and adequacy of
which are hereby  acknowledged,  the  parties  hereto,  intending  to be legally
bound, agree as follows:

     1. Grant of Option.  In order to  incentivize  Grantee  with respect to the
future  success of the Company  and to  encourage  him to perform at  increasing
levels of  effectiveness  and use his best  efforts  to  promote  the growth and
profitability of the Company,  the Company hereby  irrevocably grants to Grantee
the right and option to purchase (the  "Option") all or any part of an aggregate
of Eight Hundred Thousand (800,000) shares of Common Stock (the "Option Shares")
at a price per share equal to $9.00,  which is the last sale price for shares of
Common  Stock on the day prior to the day  hereof  as  reported  by Nasdaq  (the
"Option Price"),  during the Option Period (as defined below) and subject to the
conditions hereinafter set forth.

     2.  Option  Period.  The Option may be  exercised  in  accordance  with the
provisions of Paragraphs 4 and 5 hereof  during the Option  Period,  which shall
begin on the date hereof and shall end on the Option  Expiration Date defined in
Paragraph 3 hereof.  All rights to exercise  the Option  shall  terminate on the
Option Expiration Date.

     3. Option  Expiration  Date. The Option  Expiration  Date shall be March 6,
2010.

     4. Exercise of Option.

          (a) The Option shall vest,  and shall be  exercisable  as set forth in
the  following  table,  provided  that any portion of this Option which  becomes
exercisable  in any year,  but is not  exercised  in such  year,  may be carried
<PAGE>
forward  and  exercised  in any future  year until the Option  Expiration  Date,
subject to earlier termination as provided in Paragraph 6 hereof:

         From and after:                    Number of Shares Exercisable
         ---------------                    ----------------------------

         June 6, 2000                                 160,000

         March 6, 2001                                160,000

         March 6, 2002                                160,000

         March 6, 2003                                160,000

         March 6, 2004                                160,000


          (b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Grantee
may  purchase  all or any  portion of the  unexercised  balance  of this  Option
immediately  prior to, or upon,  the  effective  date of a Change of Control (as
defined in the following  sentence).  A "Change of Control" of the Company shall
mean any transaction or series of related  transactions that results in a change
in the control of the Company, including, without limitation:

               (i) a merger or  consolidation  of the  Company  into or with any
other  entity  when the  Company is not the  surviving  entity of such merger or
consolidation;

               (ii) the acquisition,  directly or indirectly, by any individual,
entity or "group" (as defined in Section  13(d) of the  Securities  and Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended) (other than the Company,  any subsidiary  thereof,  any
employee  benefit plan of the  Company,  or any entity  holding  shares or other
securities  of the  Company  for or  pursuant  to the  terms of such a plan) (an
"Acquirer"),  of stock or options,  or any  combination  thereof,  entitling the
Acquirer to cast 50% or more of all votes (without  consideration  of the rights
of any class of stock to elect  directors by a separate  class vote) entitled to
be cast by all  stockholders  of the  Company  in an  election  of the  Board of
Directors of the Company;

               (iii) the acquisition,  directly or indirectly, by an Acquirer of
a majority of the total equity interest of the Company;

               (iv) the sale or other disposition of assets of the Company equal
to 33.33% or more of the value of the Company's  assets at the time of such sale
or disposition,  unless the  stockholders of the Company,  immediately  prior to
such sale or  disposition,  hold at least a majority of the voting power of each
surviving,  resulting or acquiring corporation which,  immediately following the
transaction, holds any of such sold or disposed assets;

               (v) the  election  to the Board of  Directors  of the  Company of
individuals who would  constitute a majority of the members of the Board elected
at any meeting of stockholders or by written consent  (without  consideration of
the rights of any class of stock to elect  directors by a separate  class vote),
where the election or the nomination for election by the Company's  stockholders
of such  directors  was not  approved  by a vote of at least a  majority  of the
directors in office immediately prior to such election or nomination; or

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<PAGE>
               (vi) the  formation of a joint  venture or  partnership  with the
Company  for the  purpose of  effecting  a transfer of control of, or a material
interest in, the Company (such merger, consolidation,  sale or other transaction
listed in  subparagraphs  (i) through  (vi) being  hereinafter  referred to as a
"Transaction").

     There shall be excluded from the foregoing any  Transaction  as a result of
which (A) the holders of Common Stock prior to the Transaction retain or acquire
securities constituting a majority of the outstanding voting common stock of the
acquiring or surviving  corporation  or other entity in  substantially  the same
proportions   that  they  owned  Common  Stock  in  the  Company  prior  to  the
Transaction,  and (B) no  single  person  or  entity  owns more than half of the
outstanding  voting  common stock of the acquiring or surviving  corporation  or
other  entity.  For  purposes of this  Paragraph  4, voting  common stock of the
acquiring  or  surviving  corporation  or other  entity  that is  issuable  upon
conversion  of  convertible  securities  or upon exercise of warrants or options
shall be considered outstanding, and all securities that vote in the election of
directors  (other  than  solely as the  result of a default in the making of any
dividend or other payment)  shall be deemed to constitute  that number of shares
of voting  common stock which is equivalent to the number of such votes that may
be cast by the holders of such securities.

     5. Manner of  Exercise.  Exercise of the  Option,  or any portion  thereof,
shall be by written notice to the Company  pursuant to Paragraph 12 hereof.  The
notice shall be accompanied by payment in full in cash, stock of the Company, or
other property  (including notes or other contractual  obligations of Grantee to
make  payment  on  a  deferred   basis,   and/or  through   "cashless   exercise
arrangements,"  to the extent  permitted by  applicable  law),  or a combination
thereof, in an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying the number of
Option  Shares with  respect to which the Option is then being  exercised by the
Option Price.  Upon receipt of such notice and payment,  the Company  shall,  as
soon  as  practicable   thereafter,   deliver  a  certificate  or   certificates
representing the Option Shares purchased.  The certificate or certificates shall
be delivered to or upon the written order of the Grantee. Upon such exercise and
regardless  of the fact that a  certificate  or  certificates  representing  the
Option  Shares  purchased  shall not yet have been issued,  Grantee or his legal
representative, legatees or distributees, as the case may be, shall be deemed to
be a holder of any shares  subject to this  Option,  provided  that the  written
notice and payment  required by this Paragraph 5 have been delivered to Company.
The Option  Shares that shall be  purchased  upon the  exercise of the Option as
provided herein shall be fully paid and non-assessable.

     6. Rights in Event of Death, Disability or Termination of Employment.

          (a) DEATH.  If Grantee's  employment  is  terminated  because of death
while employed by the Company,  then the  installment of Options that would have
been the next to vest at the time of such termination shall  automatically  vest
as of the date immediately prior to such termination  (without any action on the
part of the Company or the Grantee). After such a termination,  Grantee's estate
or legal  representatives  shall  have  through  the Option  Expiration  Date to
exercise any vested but  unexercised  Options.  Subject to the first sentence of
this paragraph (a), any Options that remain  unvested at the time of termination
shall  automatically  terminate and be cancelled (without any action on the part
of the Company).

          (b) DISABILITY.  If Grantee is terminated from his employment with the
Company by reason of  disability in accordance  with the  Employment  Agreement,
then the  installment  of  Options  that would have been the next to vest at the

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<PAGE>
time of such  termination  shall  automatically  vest as of the date immediately
prior to such termination  (without any action on the part of the Company or the
Grantee).  After  such a  termination,  Grantee  shall have  through  the Option
Expiration Date to exercise any vested but unexercised  Options.  Subject to the
first sentence of this  paragraph  (b), any Options that remain  unvested at the
time of termination shall automatically  terminate and be cancelled (without any
action on the part of the Company).

          (c) CAUSE OR RESIGNATION. If Grantee is terminated from his employment
with  the  Company  for  Cause  (as  defined  in the  Employment  Agreement)  in
accordance with the Employment Agreement or voluntarily leaves the employ of the
Company  other than for Good  Reason (as  defined in the  Employment  Agreement)
prior to expiration of the Employment Agreement, then all unvested Options shall
automatically  terminate and be cancelled (without any action on the part of the
Company) on the effective date of termination.  In addition,  Grantee shall have
the  opportunity  on the  date  of  such  termination  for  Cause  or  Grantee's
voluntarily  leaving  the  employ of the  Company  to  exercise  all  vested but
unexercised  Options.  All  vested  Options  not  exercised  on such date  shall
thereafter automatically expire (without any action on the part of the Company).

          (d)  WITHOUT  CAUSE.  If Grantee  is  terminated  from his  employment
without  Cause or  terminates  his  employment  with Company for Good Reason (as
defined  in  the  Employment   Agreement)  in  accordance  with  the  Employment
Agreement, then the installment of Options that would have been the next to vest
at the  time  of  such  termination  shall  automatically  vest  as of the  date
immediately  prior to such  termination  (without  any action on the part of the
Company or the Grantee).  After such a  termination,  Grantee shall have through
the Option  Expiration  Date to  exercise  any vested but  unexercised  Options.
Subject to the first sentence of this  subparagraph (d), any Options that remain
unvested  at the  time  of  termination  shall  automatically  terminate  and be
cancelled (without any action on the part of the Company).

     7.  Option  Shares to be  Purchased  for  Investment.  Unless  Company  has
notified Grantee  pursuant to Paragraph 12 hereof that a registration  statement
covering the Option  Shares has become  effective  under the  Securities  Act of
1933,  as amended  (the  "Act"),  it shall be a condition to the exercise of the
Option that the Option  Shares  acquired  upon such  exercise  be  acquired  for
investment and not with a view to distribution. If requested by the Company upon
advice of its  counsel  that the same is  necessary  or  desirable,  the Grantee
shall,  at the time of  purchase  of the Option  Shares,  deliver to the Company
Grantee's  written  representation  that  Grantee (a) is  purchasing  the Option
Shares  for his own  account  for  investment,  and  not  with a view to  public
distribution or with any present intention of reselling any of the Option Shares
(other  than  a  distribution  or  resale  which,  in  the  opinion  of  counsel
satisfactory  to the Company,  may be made without  violating  the  registration
provisions of the Act); (b) has been advised and understands that (i) the Option
Shares have not been registered under the Act and are subject to restrictions on
transfer  and (ii) the Company is under no  obligation  to  register  the Option
Shares  under the Act or to take any action  which would make  available  to the
Grantee any exemption  from such  registration  except as may be provided in the
Registration  Rights  Agreement  of even date  herewith  between the Company and
certain  shareholders,  including  the  Grantee;  and (c) has been  advised  and
understands  that such Option Shares may not be transferred  without  compliance
with all applicable federal and state securities laws.

                                       4
<PAGE>
8. Changes in Capital  Structure.  The number of Option  Shares  covered by this
Option and the Option Price shall automatically  (without any action on the part
of the  Company) be  equitably  adjusted  in the event (the  "Event") of (i) the
payment of any dividend payable in, or the making of any distribution of, Common
Stock to holders of record of Common  Stock,  which  increases  the  outstanding
Common Stock; (ii) any stock split,  combination of shares,  recapitalization or
other similar change;  (iii) the merger or  consolidation of the Company into or
with any other entity; or (iv) the reorganization,  dissolution,  liquidation or
winding up of the Company.  Grantee shall be entitled,  upon the exercise of the
Option,  to receive such new,  additional or other shares of stock of any class,
or other property (including,  without limitation, cash and/or securities of any
successor entity), as Grantee would have been entitled to receive as a matter of
law in  connection  with such Event had  Grantee  held the Option  Shares on the
record  date set for such  Event.  The  Company  shall  have  the  authority  to
reasonably  determine the  adjustments to be made under this Paragraph 8 and any
such reasonable determination shall be final, binding and conclusive.

     9. Legal Requirements. If the listing, registration or qualification of the
Option Shares upon any securities exchange or under any federal or state law, or
the consent or approval of any  governmental  regulatory  body is necessary as a
condition  of or in  connection  with the  purchase  of the Option  Shares,  the
Company shall not be obligated to issue or deliver the certificates representing
the Option  Shares as to which the Option  has been  exercised  unless and until
such listing, registration,  qualification,  consent or approval shall have been
effected or obtained.  This Option does not hereby  impose on the Company a duty
to so list,  register,  qualify,  or effect or obtain  consent or  approval.  If
registration  is  considered  unnecessary  by the  Company or its  counsel,  the
Company  may  cause a legend to be placed  on the  certificates  for the  Option
Shares being issued  calling  attention to the fact that they have been acquired
for investment and have not been registered, such legend to read as follows:

         "THE SECURITIES  REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN
         REGISTERED  UNDER THE SECURITIES  ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED,  OR
         ANY STATE  SECURITIES  LAWS,  AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE,
         SOLD OR OTHERWISE  TRANSFERRED  UNLESS THERE IS A REGISTRATION
         STATEMENT  IN  EFFECT  COVERING  SUCH  SECURITIES  OR THERE IS
         AVAILABLE AN EXEMPTION FROM THE  REGISTRATION  REQUIREMENTS OF
         THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED,  AND APPLICABLE  STATE
         SECURITIES LAWS."

     10.  No  Obligation  to  Exercise  Option.  The  Grantee  shall be under no
obligation to exercise the Option.

     11. Transfer.  The Option is not transferable by Grantee other than by will
or by the laws of descent and  distribution in the event of the Grantee's death,
in which event the Option may be exercised by the heirs or legal representatives
of the  Grantee as  provided  herein.  The Option  may be  exercised  during the
lifetime  of the  Grantee  only  by the  Grantee.  Any  attempt  at  assignment,
transfer,  pledge or disposition of the Option contrary to the provisions hereof

                                       5
<PAGE>
or the levy of any  execution,  attachment  or similar  process  upon the Option
shall be null and void and  without  effect.  Any  exercise  of the  Option by a
person other than the Grantee shall be accompanied by appropriate  proofs of the
right of such person to exercise the Option.

     12.  Notices.  All notices  required  or  permitted  hereunder  shall be in
writing and shall be deemed to be properly  given when  personally  delivered to
the party entitled to receive the notice or when sent by certified or registered
mail, postage prepaid,  properly addressed to the party entitled to receive such
notice at the address stated below; or when sent via facsimile transmission with
confirmation of transmission  or via electronic  mail,  provided that in both of
the  foregoing  situations  a copy of the notice so  transmitted  is sent to the
party entitled to receive such notice via first-class  mail,  postage prepaid at
the address stated below:

            If to Company: The Network Connection, Inc.
                           1811 Chestnut Street, Suite 120
                           Philadelphia, PA  19103
                           Attention:  Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
                           Facsimile: (215) 972-8183
                           E-mail: oceancastle@erols.com

            If to Grantee: Robert Pringle

                           --------------------------------------

                           --------------------------------------

                           --------------------------------------

     Either party hereto may change such party's  address,  facsimile  number or
e-mail  address  by  sending  notice  thereof  to the other  party by any of the
methods set out above,  provided that such change shall not be deemed  effective
as against the party to whom it is sent until the notice  containing such change
is actually received by such party.

     13. Administration. This Option has been granted pursuant to the Employment
Agreement and is subject to the terms and provisions  thereof.  All questions of
interpretation  and  application  of this  Option  shall  be  determined  by the
Company, and such determination shall be final, binding and conclusive.

     14. Not an Employment or Service Contract.  Nothing in this Option shall be
construed as an agreement by the Company,  express or implied, to employ Grantee
or contract  for  Grantee's  services,  to restrict  the right of the Company to
discharge  Grantee or cease  contracting  for  Grantee's  services or to modify,
extend or otherwise affect in any manner whatsoever, the terms of any employment
agreement or contract for services  which may exist  between the Grantee and the
Company.

     15. Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure
to the  benefit  of the  parties  hereto  and their  respective  successors  and
assigns.

     16.  Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed under
the  laws  of the  State  of  Delaware  without  regard  to  conflicts  of  laws
principles.

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<PAGE>
     17.   Counterparts.   This  Agreement  may  be  executed  in  two  or  more
counterparts,  each of  which  shall be  deemed  an  original,  but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

     18. Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in
writing signed by the parties.

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<PAGE>
     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have hereunto set their hands as of the
date first above written.


                                       THE NETWORK CONNECTION, INC.


                                       By: /s/ Irwin L. Gross
                                           ------------------------------------
                                           Irwin L. Gross
                                           Chairman and Chief Executive Officer


                                           /s/ Robert Pringle
                                           ------------------------------------
                                           Robert Pringle

                                       8