Digital Government
NIST announces accreditation program for IT labs
The National Institute of Standards and Technology today announced the creation of an accreditation program for laboratories that test commercial information technology security products for compliance with federal and international standards.
Digital Government
DOD: Encryption export troubling
To the dismay of various national security and industry experts, senior Defense and intelligence officials have drawn a line in the sand regarding the export of powerful encryption technology. Testifying this month before the House Armed Services Committee, John Hamre, deputy secretary of Defense,
Digital Government
DOD taps two vendors for technology advice
The Defense Department's Health Affairs office early this month tapped two small businesses to replace the department's homegrown computer systems with offtheshelf products under a potential $500 million program. The awards to Planned Systems International Inc. and Puma Systems Inc. are part of
Digital Government
Tools you can count on
How many PCs does your organization own? The question may not be as easy to answer as you might think. In one case, a federal agency believed that it owned 40,000 PCs, but an inventory found fewer than 25,000 machines, according to Martin Fredrickson, director of government sales for Tivoli Systems
Digital Government
Justice eases access to community programs
As the debate on school violence and possible solutions continues, the Justice Department recently unveiled a World Wide Web site that may prove useful to parents and educators trying to attack the problem at its roots. DOJ's Building Blocks for Safe and Healthy Communities site promotes itself as
Digital Government
FDC receives Cisco gold
Federal Data Corp. has joined a club of 118 companies worldwide that have received Cisco Systems Inc.'s gold certification, signifying that the Bethesda, Md.based company has achieved Cisco's highest rating in sales, support, network design and network management. Gold Partners provide a comprehen
Digital Government
Fedwire Briefs
Bell Atlantic gets WITS extension The General Services Administration last week awarded Bell Atlantic Federal a contract worth up to $33.5 million to continue service under the Washington Interagency Telecommunications Systems. A Bell Atlantic spokeswoman said the contract will extend from today, w
Digital Government
DOD, users meet on SPS
Top Defense Department and industry representatives this week are expected to chart the course of the $326 million computer system the Pentagon plans to use to buy everything from bandages to bullets in an electronic, paperless environment. Senior DOD officials, including Gen. Joseph W. Ralston, vi
Digital Government
GTE wins $400M net support deal
The Defense Information Systems Agency now has two support and engineering contracts to tap, thanks to the recent award of a $400 million contract to support the agency's worldwide networks. Awarded last month to GTE Corp., the new contract also will provide the agency with an integrated network ma
Digital Government
GSA unveils Millennia Lite draft
The General Services Administration last month released the draft of its midlevel information technology services contract, which will cover everything from IT investment planning to highend IT and engineering services. The contract, currently called Millennia Lite, will be a complement to the $25
Digital Government
DOD puts vast nets to Y2K test
The Defense Department this week will complete what it described as 'the largest simultaneous Year 2000 test of information systems in the world' as part of a series of endtoend tests of how the Pentagon's missioncritical systems will operate after Dec. 31. The current series of tests focuses on
Digital Government
How are vendors used in military conflicts?
The following topic is raised periodically by contracting professionals: Are there any restrictions on the use of contractors during war? Are there any rules on the employment of contractor personnel in military theaters? How are contractors used in military conflicts? Interest in this issue picks
Digital Government
Health plan edict won't help all feds
President Clinton has issued an executive order that will ensure that by 2001, federal workers, retirees and others covered by the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) will have the same coverage for mental health and substance abuse problems as they currently have for physical health
Digital Government
New Y2K Technology Tools Available to Smaller Localities
Some of the nation's smaller cities, counties and towns have new Year 2000 inventory tools at their disposal thanks to a program being made available by Public Technology Inc. PTI is the technology arm of the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties and the International City/County Management Association.
Digital Government
Balancing act
If the employees of Oracle Corp.'s federal division in Reston, Va., ever have to locate their boss after hours, they should check area swimming pools and soccer fields. And during certain times of the year, they may find him at the venue of the Special Olympics Games. Since taking the helm as senio
Digital Government
Industry Watch
MS software online from Beyond.com Beyond.com last week announced that government customers now can purchase Microsoft Corp. Select licenses directly from the Beyond.com online government store with a credit card or a purchase order. Microsoft's Select 4.0 licensing structure is designed for govern
Digital Government
Navy outlines $2B intranet program
Last week the Navy kicked off its plans to develop, acquire and deploy by the end of 2001 a highspeed intranet to serve 700,000 users at 300 onshore sites at a cost estimated as high as $2 billion. Joe Cipriano, the Navy's new program executive officer for information technology, said the Navy/Mar
Digital Government
Linux rallies with low-cost, common OS architecture
After years of relative obscurity, Linux, as well as opensource software in general, has hit the market in a big way in 1999. Enterprise users are waking up to the value of software developed by and for the people who use it. And vendors are realizing that even when they give away source code,
Digital Government
Roster Change
Dimensions International Inc., an information technology, engineering and logistics management company headquartered in Alexandria, Va., has named retired Army Gen. Johnnie Wilson, former head of the Army Materiel Command, as president. Company founder Robert Wright will continue as chairman and ch
Digital Government