Digital Government
Air Force communications feels budget pinch
An Air Force initiative to upgrade its global communications capabilities had a low priority during the fiscal 2000 budget process, because of the need to focus on broader concerns about maintaining the service's readiness, an Air Force official said Friday.
Digital Government
Taming Enterprise Data
In state and local governments, a consolidated view of all the data and records generated by individual constituents is a distant, idealized goal. Yet it is a service vision that holds a powerful grasp on government executives. Like corporations that have integrated large chunks of customer data, p
Digital Government
People Skills
Wendy Rayner knows firsthand what happens to states that let the technology skills of their employees languish. Ultimately, states that scrimp on technology training find that many of their workers just don't have the skills to do their jobs. 'We haven't kept up with bringing the skills along,' sai
Digital Government
Customs: User fees should fund modernization
For the second year in a row, President Clinton has proposed funding the U.S. Customs Service modernization program with user fees, and once again the plan faces an uphill battle in Congress.
Digital Government
Marketplace
For the EBuyer, EDI Getting Easier The key to California's plans to launch a system that state workers can use to purchase equipment and services via the Internet may be technology that Sunnyvale, Calif.based Ariba Technologies Inc. has developed to make electronic data interchange (EDI) applicat
Digital Government
News Feed
Moynihan Bill Injects Funding for State Y2K U.S. Sen. Daniel P. Moynihan (DN.Y.) introduced legislation to set up a matching grant to provide relief to state governments struggling to prepare computer systems for the Year 2000. The Y2K State and Local Government Assistance Programs Act of 1999 wou
Digital Government
DOE seeks increased funds for key research programs
The Energy Department has proposed spending more than $800 million on information technology programs in fiscal 2000, including $542.5 million?a 12 percent increase?for its Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative to simulate nuclear weapons tests.
Digital Government
Budget boosts key Navy IT initiatives
The Defense Department's proposed fiscal 2000 budget, being unveiled today, boosts funding for Navy initiatives to supply its forces with computers and advanced communications equipment.
Digital Government
SSG revamps IT acquisition
One of the Air Force's major procurement shops plans next week to begin a process of replacing its existing information technology products and services contracts with a series of blanket purchase agreements.
Digital Government
Study gives OK to satellite-based navigation
The Federal Aviation Administration today announced that an independent study confirmed that existing satellitebased technology would, if modified, be reliable enough to serve as the primary navigation service for aircraft.
Digital Government
DOD budget goes digital
The Pentagon has not yet reduced its annual budget to a simple computerized spreadsheet, but the Defense Department plans to use the World Wide Web as its preferred method of distribution for its fiscal 2000 budget, due for release on Monday.
Digital Government
Army awards IT training support pact
The Army Simulation Training and Instrumentation Command (Stricom) today announced it has awarded a $64 million training support contract to AAI Engineering Support Inc.
Digital Government
Web links forces with families, services
The Navy today launched a program that uses the World Wide Web to make it possible for Navy and Marine personnel deployed away from home to talk with family or to take advantage of counseling, training and other Defense Department human resources services.
Digital Government
Contract may lead to SSA bringing back controversial online program
The Social Security Administration has signed on to a governmentwide digital certificates contract that may lead to the resurrection of a controversial online program that allowed Americans to access their Social Security information over the Internet, the General Services Administration announced today at a preproposal conference.
Digital Government
IT problems lead GAO's high-risk list
The Year 2000 problem and information security practices leave the federal government susceptible to fraud, waste and abuse, according to a series of reports the General Accounting Office released yesterday.
Digital Government
Schedule sales dominate fed buying
The General Services Administration schedule has become the government's preferred vehicle for buying information technology products and services, with the top 30 vendors racking up more than $800 million in sales during the 1998 summer buying season
Digital Government
PBS picks Piatt as CIO
The General Services Administration Public Buildings Service has named William Piatt as chief information officer.
Digital Government
Federal Bytes
FUZZY LOGIC. The popularity of Furbys, the Gremlinlike toys that feature an evolving vocabulary and interpersonal skills, has had unexpected ramifications in the federal market. The National Security Agency this month banned Furbys from its premises because of security concerns. NSA was worried th
Digital Government
Clinton gives missile defense program boost
The Defense Department last week nearly tripled the budget for developing a national missile defense (NMD) system, but warned that the decision to go forward with such a system depends on whether the technology is capable of supporting it.
Digital Government