Digital Government
Former NSA exec Crowell joins Cylink battles on for public private encryption
As deputy director and lead cryptographer at the National Security Agency William Crowell had a unique vantage point from which to observe the federal government's evolving needs to secure data communications. At the same time he was keenly aware of the demands from the private sector for technolog
Digital Government
Christoph heeds a call for help
There is something about public service that sparks the soul of Gary Christoph chief information officer at the Health Care Financing Administration. Christoph wearing a rustbrown suit a striped shirt and a silk multicolored bow tie explained that following a philosophy of helping others can help
Digital Government
Few view Web docs as records
Despite recent highprofile court battles over the preservation of electronic records most federal and state officials have limited awareness of the possibility that information posted to World Wide Web sites may qualify as records according to a study released last week. The study 'Guidelines for
Digital Government
Katzen to leave OIRA post
Sally Katzen administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Management and Budget announced last week that she will leave the agency for a White House job as the deputy director of the National Economic Council. Although Katzen has served in her current position
Digital Government
Millennium bug reshapes tool market
With federal agencies intensifying their efforts to find and fix Year 2000 software problems the tools market has expanded dramatically in the sheer number of tools available and in the range of capabilities they offer. Just a year or so ago most of the tools were aimed at Cobol the standard progra
Digital Government
Downsizing drains IT work force
'Doing more with less' has become more than just a cliche for the federal procurement work force. Over a fiveyear period buyouts hiring freezes and other downsizing initiatives have pared the ranks of government acquisition professionals by about 12 percent. While new buying rules and increased au
Digital Government
Watery wonders await on NOAA's Web site
Wellcrafted 'kids' sites'' on the World Wide Web showcase the medium at its best. While TV with the exception of the Public Broadcasting Service rarely uses its power to inform enlighten and educate numerous Web sites have heartily embraced this mission. Tune into the National Oceanic and Atmosphe
Digital Government
GSA tests Internet-based buying system
The General Services Administration's Pacific Rim regional office expects to conclude tests this month of an Internetbased system that will electronically funnel information technology requirements from agencies to vendors holding contracts with the region. Joe Ilagan former acquisition service di
Digital Government
GTE expands offerings to spur sluggish sales
In response to sluggish sales on its Federal Wireless Telecommunications Services contract GTE Government Systems this month modified the pact to give customers more options. The new contract modifications which went into effect this past November will allow GTE to sell off the contract in much the
Digital Government
Agencies tackle nuts and bolts of Year 2000 problem
With just more than a year before the federal government is expected to finish fixing its Year 2000 computer glitches agencies now are delving into the gritty details of data interfaces staff shortages and backup plans for systems that fail. Agencies have been aware of these underlying problems but
Digital Government
Marines choose Ancor for a few good switches
Ancor Communications Inc. this month announced a deal with Litton Systems Inc. to introduce fibre channel communications technology into the Defense Department's command and control systems. The Marine Corps awarded a contract to Litton to upgrade the Marines' militaryspecification equipment for t
Digital Government
Reforms help field C2 system faster
SAN DIEGO Acquisition streamlining combined with the cost benefits of substituting commercial PCs for highend Unix workstations will allow the Navy to field its major command and control system four years earlier than anticipated. Capt. Roger Hull program manager for Navy command and control sys
Digital Government
FEDWIRE
FAA dispute goes to outside arbiter A protest filed last month by the losing bidder on a billiondollar Federal Aviation Administration services contract has been sent to a General Services Administration arbitrator for a decision. The Washington Consulting Group protested the award of the FAA Nati
Digital Government
Hill mulls new guidelines
The staffs of House and Senate oversight committees began work this month on legislation that would set guidelines for competition between government agencies and industry for federal contracts. A staff member on the Senate Committee for Governmental Affairs said members hope to produce language th
Digital Government
INTERCEPTS
* C3I pinchhitter. Jacques Gansler the new deputy secretary of Defense has tapped former ASD/C3I Duane Andrews now laboring in the rarefied heights of SAIC to help him come up with a new game plan for the office Andrews once headed. No hard intell on what Andrews will suggest but my Tysons Corner
Digital Government
Records Web site goes public
The National Archives and Records Administration has made public its prototype of a World Wide Web page that describes federal agencies' records and their plans for preserving them. Although the application called the Agency Records Disposition Online Resource (ARDOR) is designed primarily as a ref
Digital Government
Rossotti weighs in on Prime
Charles Rossotti commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service may change his agency's approach to its 15year modernization effort so that the IRS would have more flexibility in dealing with vendors and choosing information systems. In a Dec. 21 memo obtained by FCW Rossotti outlined his 'observati
Digital Government
Pacific Ocean air traffic system fails
A newly installed Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control system that helps controllers track and separate planes flying over the Pacific Ocean went down for almost 16 hours earlier this month forcing controllers to rely on other techniques to track aircraft. The system that broke down
Digital Government
Software delays satellite navigation program
The Federal Aviation Administration announced today it will delay by more than a year the rollout of its major satellitebased navigation system.
Digital Government