Digital Government
GAO offers guidelines for contingency plans
The General Accounting Office last week released a draft report to guide federal agencies through developing Year 2000 contingency plans in case computer systems fail in the next millennium. Claiming many agencies 'may face major disruptions in their operations' because of Year 2000 problems that w
Digital Government
Legislation not Year 2000 solution
In what is beginning to look more and more like a highstakes game of 'Tag You're It,' the Clinton administration now is considering asking Congress for legislation that would make federal contractors more accountable for Year 2000 computer fixes. John Koskinen, chairman of the President's Year 2
Digital Government
Report shows how to creatively fund info tech projects
The Intergovernmental Advisory Board (IAB) of the Federation of Government Information Processing Councils last week issued a report designed to help federal, state and local government agencies develop innovative ways to fund information technology projects. The board, which consists of nine membe
Digital Government
Fedwire
NIH adds vendor to ECS II The National Institutes of Health settled the final protest against its Electronic Computer Store II procurement last week, awarding a contract to Coloradobased Native American Sales. Now 47 vendors are competing for business in the $2 billion program, which offers office
Digital Government
Agenda
23 State of the States. Fairview Park Marriott. Falls Church, Va. Sponsored by Federal Sources Inc. For information, call Susan Hernandez, (703) 6108700; Web, www.fedsources.com. 2325 Open Systems Security '98/ISSA Annual Conference. Hilton at Walt Disney World Village. Orlando, Fla. Cospo
Digital Government
Senators consider creating separate Y2K committee
Senate leaders are considering creating a special committee that would take a lead role in overseeing agencies' and industry's Year 2000 problem, according to sources familiar with the Senate plans.
Digital Government
Cyberattacks spur new DOD warning system
The Defense Department has created a new alert system to rate the level of threats to its information systems that mirrors the wellknown Defense Conditions (DEFCONs) ratings that mark the overall military status in response to traditional foreign threats.
Digital Government
Satellite launch marks 'new era for warfighter'
The Defense Department entered a new age of communications this week with the successful launch of a widebandwidth satellite that can zap a total of 96 megabits per second (megabits/sec) of data to small, deployable terminals that are part of a system modeled after commercial, directbroadcast TV systems.
Digital Government
Set-Asides
Bill gives CIO more funds The House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Department Operations, Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture this month sent a bill to the full committee that would transfer more information technology funds to the USDA's chief information officer. The USDA Year 2000 Complia
Digital Government
Lotus integrates voice, Internet in SmartSuite
Lotus Development Corp. has enhanced its SmartSuite office automation package with 100 new features and enhancements, including integrated Internet functionality and speech recognition as part of its spreadsheet. The Millennium Edition now in beta testing combines the Word Pro word processor, L
Digital Government
1998 Federal 100 Winners
(Organizations reflect positions held in 1997.) Albert E. Arnold Colonel, U.S. Army Donald J. Arnold GTE Government Systems Anthony L. Baggiano RobbinsGioia Inc. Alan P. Balutis Department of Commerce Craig Benson Cabletron Systems Inc. Mark A. Boster Department of Justice Lawrence Brachfeld Lieu
Digital Government
More Americans filing taxes electronically
With less than one month to go in the 1998 taxfiling season, the Internal Revenue Service reports that millions more Americans are filing their taxes electronically this year.
Digital Government
Davis plans to resurrect cooperative purchasing
Rep. Tom Davis (RVa.) last week said he will introduce legislation this year to allow state and local governments to purchase information technology products and services from the General Services Administration's federal supply schedule. Meanwhile, opponents of cooperative purchasing have vowed t
Digital Government
Maine Video System Eyes Small-Business Development
All over the country, small businesses struggle to compete with larger, better-funded competitors, but in parts of northern and eastern Maine, the challenges can seem as long and insurmountable as the winters.
Digital Government
Computer system abuse soars
More than half of federal agencies report they have been victims of unauthorized use of computer systems, and agencies' financial losses have risen by more than 3,000 percent from last year, according to a report issued this month. The report, conducted jointly by the San Franciscobased Computer S
Digital Government
FBI to expand computer intrusion reporting program
The FBI plans to roll out to more than 50 cities an intrusiondetection reporting program that will be one of the first largescale examples of private companies working with federal law enforcement agencies to fight computer crime. The FBI is testing the program, called InfraGuard, in Cleveland [F
Digital Government
White House mulls Year 2000 legislation
In the wake of a report showing most agencies still far behind in reprogramming computers for the Year 2000 problem, the Clinton administration said last week it may seek legislation that would give some agencies a stronger role in overseeing the millennium fix for service contractors, insurance co
Digital Government
Two reports urge feds and industry to cooperate on EC
A pair of recently released documents on electronic commerce provide agencies with a road map to speed up the rate at which EC is used in government. In a strategic plan sent to Congress this month, the Office of Management and Budget recommended that by 2001 all federal agencies use commercial off
Digital Government
Former professor lands at NTSB
Jumping into the Washington, D.C., political scene from academic life in rural South Dakota may sound like quite a culture shock. But Vernon Ellingstad, director of the Office of Research and Engineering at the National Transportation Safety Board, said the transition has gone smoothly for him. 'In
Digital Government