Acquisition
Dell's domination grows
Dell Computer Corp.'s dominance of the General Services Administration information technology schedule in fiscal 1999 reflects how procurement reform has brought about good and bad changes to the way government buys IT products and services. While the government is paying lower prices than ever for some technology, some experts question whether new buying practices carry hidden costs for agencies.
Acquisition
The scope of a contract
The following question was raised by a contractor: In deciding whether an existing contract may be modified to include a new item, government contracting officers like to talk about the contract's 'scope.' What makes up the scope of a contract?
Acquisition
Serving up higher IT sales
First listed on the schedule just two years ago, information technology services have become a powerful engine driving the growth of the General Services Administration IT schedule.
Acquisition
NASA issues ultimatum to software vendor
Tivoli Systems Inc., a subsidiary of IBM Corp., this week at the RSA Data Security Conference announced the creation of a new division that will control and develop all of IBM's information security products and services.
Acquisition
Survivor benefits: Do you have enough coverage?
Broaching the subject of personal finances can be a delicate task, but there is no time like the present to make sure your family is appropriately covered after your death.
Acquisition
NIH awards ACES task order for digital grant system
The National Institutes of Health this week awarded the first task order under the General Services Administration's Access Certificates for Electronic Services digital signature contract for an online grant application system.
Acquisition
FAA project hits snag, but on target overall, officials say
Despite a onemonth delay in the early part of the procurement process for a major aircraft tracking system, Federal Aviation Administration officials claim the project will remain on schedule.
Acquisition
Lockheed wins DOD integration contract
Lockheed Martin Federal Systems nabbed a $46 million blanket purchase agreement to provide systems integration services for the Defense Finance and Accounting Service Corporate Information Infrastructure, the company announced Thursday.
Acquisition
Federal union questions price tag of Army logistics pact
Official documents delivered to Congress just days before the Army awarded a $681 million contract to Computer Sciences Corp. for the Wholesale Logistics Modernization Program (WLMP) place the total cost of the program at $533 million $148 million less than CSC's winning bid.
Acquisition
GSA releases smart card solicitation
The General Services Administration released the longawaited solicitation for the governmentwide Smart Access Common ID Card program that will provide a single vehicle for agencies to buy smart card products and services.
Acquisition
NASA headquarters selects SAIC to provide desktop services
NASA has awarded Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) Information Services, Vienna, Va., a threeyear $20.1 million contract to provide information technology services to NASA headquarters under the Outsourcing Desktop Initiative for NASA (ODIN).
Acquisition
Revolution or evolution?
I recently ran across an article in The Financial Times with the headline 'Revolution? What Revolution?'
Acquisition
Hamre announces departure from Pentagon
John Hamre, who put the clout of his office behind information technology policies, issues and causes during his term as deputy secretary of Defense, will leave the Pentagon March 31 to become president and chief executive officer of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington, D.C., think tank.
Acquisition
11 vendors win call center contracts
The General Services Administration has signed agreements with 11 vendors to offer call center management services to federal agencies.
Acquisition
AMS, Ariba team for e-procurement
In what may be the first of many deals like it, integrator American Management Systems Inc. and Internet commerce vendor Ariba Inc. have teamed up to provide a complete electronic procurement solution to federal government users.
Acquisition
Desktop outsourcer brings help desk in-house
Bucking a trend that is key to its own business livelihood, an outsourcing contractor on NASA's seat management contract is bringing its helpdesk operation back inhouse to improve service for its federal customers.
Acquisition
Financial Software: Adding up the Cost of Public Services
Providing a true picture of the cost of government services has long been the holy grail of state and local government finance departments.
Acquisition
Future Shop
If desktop information technology is becoming a commodity, then there's one golden rule: The more you buy, the less expensive it gets. Individual states are finding that out by combining agency procurements.
Acquisition
Blizzard of awards in 30-day forecast
Although the holiday season traditionally is a quiet one in the nation's capital the next month could be busy for information technology procurement offices with agencies scheduled to award more than a dozen large IT contracts with a combined value approaching $10 billion.
Acquisition