Digital Government
CyberTrust builds PKI solutions package
GTE CyberTrust this week announced its Secure Extranets solution for agencies that are beginning to move past the pilot stage in bringing critical services securely to the Internet. Agencies over the past few years have been moving their services to the World Wide Web in response to legislation and
Digital Government
Microsoft ships Office 2000
Microsoft Corp. last week announced the official release of its Office 2000 desktop application suite, which company officials say will offer government users a substantial upgrade to a commercial offtheshelf product with new collaborative features and easier enterprisewide deployment. Government
Digital Government
Book disputes mythical benefits of downsizing
It has become a mantra for Washington, D.C., politicians: Downsizing is happening; downsizing is good; long live downsizing. The idea that smaller government is easier on the federal wallet and forces government to become more efficient is attractive to politicians, who can sell themselves as oppon
Digital Government
Rep. to focus on Y2K integration, contingency plans
Rep. Stephen Horn (RCalif.), the House's chief watchdog for the Year 2000 in the federal government, plans to begin grading agencies' success in integrating entire computer systems and developing contingency plans in case federal computer systems fail next year.
Digital Government
Set-Asides
Panel slices IT research funds The Senate Appropriations Committee has denied the Energy Department's $70 million budget request for its Scientific Simulation Initiative, a piece of the Clinton administration's proposed $366 million information technology research program that would pay for cuttin
Digital Government
DOD preps software mega-deals
The Defense Department is gearing up for another major round of DODwide software deals, with more database awards expected to come within the next 30 days and several more awards in other software categories due out by the end of the year. The new software plans, announced last week by senior DOD
Digital Government
Energy plans Internet tool for nuclear cleanup research
The Energy Department is planning a firstofitskind Internet resource to allow the public to monitor the $6 billionayear cleanup of the nation's nuclear research and weapons facilities. The Central Internet Database, slated for deployment in January, will integrate six DOE databases on nuclear
Digital Government
How fair is the FAIR Act?
A contractor asked the following questions: What does the FAIR Act require of government agencies? What is new in the act? How does it help contractors? How fair is it? The Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act (Pub. L. No. 105270, 112 Stat. 2382) was signed into law on Oct. 19, 1998. The act re
Digital Government
Intelligent Transportation System Standards to Be Tested
Intelligent transportation systems are improving for everyone, from the lone commuter on a rural highway to thousands of office workers taking trains to and from a city each day. The catch is that standards for ITSes are not completely compatible in different regions of the country, from town to town, or even state to state.
Digital Government
PTO gears up for small-biz acquisition
The Patent and Trademark Office earlier this month briefed vendors on a new followon acquisition specifically set aside for small businesses that will provide the agency with a variety of hardware including PCs and laptops. Through the $171 million Desktop Acquisition ReMap Team contract (DART), P
Digital Government
USIA opens Internet center to assist Kosovo refugees
INGELHEIM, Germany After five days of wandering through Kosovo's countryside with little food, water or shelter, Billi, a 17yearold from Pristina, Kosovo's capital, arrived here at one of Germany's largest refugee camps to a world of rumors and confusion. Yugoslavia's campaign of ethnic cleans
Digital Government
NSA nears approval of remote-access solution
A remoteaccess solution developed by Kasten Chase Applied Research Ltd., two other companies and the National Security Agency has passed NSA's technical and security tests, giving the companies the green light to begin marketing the solution to government. NSA initiated development of the solution
Digital Government
Treasury takes PC outsourcing leap
The Treasury Department last week gave a boost to the government's fledgling desktop outsourcing initiative, selecting Wang Government Services for a 10year, $88 million task order to manage the PCs of some 1,600 headquarters employees. The award, made through the General Services Administration's
Digital Government
Spatial data plan gets Interior boost
In an apparent aboutface on a proposal to revamp the way federal, state and local governments collect and share geographic data, Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt last week told a House subcommittee that it should consider key points of the plan. The proposal, issued by the National Academy of Publ
Digital Government
Interstate public benefits program launched
North Dakota Gov. Ed Schafer (R) yesterday formally unveiled Health Passport, a project to integrate multipleagency, multiprogram public benefits delivery across state lines.
Digital Government
DOE clamps down on whistleblower for security leaks
In the aftermath of what may be one of the most damaging cases of espionage in U.S. history, the Energy Department has placed a former director of security on administrative leave for blowing the whistle on lax security including failed computersecurity practices at a top nuclear weapons lab.
Digital Government
Feds Might Create a New GIS Master Group
In an apparent aboutface on a proposal to revamp the way federal, state and local governments collect and share geographic data, Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt this week told a House subcommittee that it should consider key points of a plan to create a new geographic information system coordinating group.
Digital Government
SAIC to acquire Boeing IT services group
Science Applications International Corp. ended months of speculation today when it announced plans to buy Boeing Information Services, the Boeing Co., subsidiary which provides the federal government with information technology and integration services.
Digital Government
DOD may use smart cards as ID
The Defense Department's Smart Card Office is expected to recommend later this summer that all military identification cards be replaced with smart cards.
Digital Government