Digital Government
Vendors tout cost of ownership in new wares
As the fiscal 1997 buying season kicks off this week with the FOSE show in Washington D.C. federal PC buyers can choose from a host of new desktop options designed to reduce the cost of maintaining and supporting standard PCs. On display at FOSE will be "network computers " or NCs one of several
Digital Government
1108th wears many hats serving as DSCS gatekeeper
Combine the functions of a worldwide satellite communications company with a local telephone company throw in a bunch of Spanish linguist radio operators and stir in the operation of the mythical WashingtonMoscow 'hot line ' and you begin to get a sense of the mission of the Army's 1108th Signal B
Digital Government
DISA preps own virtual IT store
Following in the footsteps of the National Institutes of Health the Defense Information Systems Agency plans to create a huge virtual computer store in which many vendors would offer hardware and maintenance services to agencies and offices throughout the Defense Department according to industry so
Digital Government
NIST issues standard for authentication
The National Institute of Standards and Technology last month published a new federal standard for authentication technology that is designed to extend agencies' use of digital signatures. The new Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 196 titled 'Entity Authentication Using Public Key Cryp
Digital Government
Netscape unveils its blueprint
Netscape Communications Corp. last week announced plans for its nextgeneration client and server software products the springboard for the company's leap into the networked enterprise market. The products could help federal agencies access applications across different hardware and operating syste
Digital Government
Use of electronic food stamps rises, but USDA faces tough challenges
An increasing number of states are moving to electronically issued food stamps but the lack of interoperable systems among states is challenging the widespread use of the debitlike cards. Mary Ann Keeffe acting undersecretary for food nutrition and consumer services at the Agriculture Department t
Digital Government
FEDWIRE
Army forms security team T he Army is expected to officially announce its Computer Emergency Response Team (ACERT) today at a ribboncutting ceremony at Fort Belvoir Va. ACERT which was activated last September will be managed by the Army's Land Information Warfare Activity office. The team will tr
Digital Government
Video tech aids VA health care
As part of its ongoing efforts to make its medical facilities more competitive with commercial health care providers the Department of Veterans Affairs has installed videoconferencing equipment at hundreds of its medical centers and clinics to run applications ranging from telemedicine to distance
Digital Government
Canvas targets feds with application-specific systems
Canvas Visual Communications a videoconferencing vendor once owned in part by British Telecom is taking aim at the federal market with a new federal office and a General Services Administration schedule awarded earlier this year. Canvas which opened its Federal Division in Herndon Va. plans to tack
Digital Government
Bill pumps funds to states to ease traffic
I n an effort to accelerate the use of technology on the nation's roadways the Clinton administration last week offered in its transportation reauthorization bill new incentives for state governments to deploy intelligent transportation systems. The Clinton administration is asking for nearly $1.3
Digital Government
How does one correct wage determinations?
A corporate official asked the following question: Many government solicitations use Labor Department wage determinations for certain personnel positions needed to complete work on a contract. If we believe a position is incorrectly classified is there a mechanism we can use to correct the determin
Digital Government
DOD asks buyers to use schedules
The Defense Department this month designated the General Services Administration's multipleaward schedule contracts as "preferred sources of supply" and encouraged DOD customers to take advantage of new program features such as blanket purchase agreements and teaming arrangements among schedule
Digital Government
ROSTER
Rear Adm. George Wagner commander of the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command picked up one of the Navy's most venerable awards last month the "Old Salt" title. The service bestows the moniker on its longestserving surface warfare officer. Wagner received the title upon the retirement of its
Digital Government
Marines test handheld computers for battle
CAMP PENDLETON Calif. The Marine Corps put some leadingedge technology through its paces during the last two weeks as part of a highprofile battle exercise conducted in the desert of Southern California. As part of the Advanced Warfighter Experiment "Hunter Warrior " the Marines deployed a nu
Digital Government
Intercepts
DISA goes green. 'Tis fitting to report on St. Patrick's Day that Army Maj. Gen. David Kelley a truly lucky Irishman who gets to wear green all year will take over as DISA's director from Air Force Lt. Gen. Al Edmonds. According to tidbits picked up by my wee folk on the Ering Kelley currently D
Digital Government
FDA lures 8(a)s to IT buy valued up to $200 million
The Food and Drug Administration issued a solicitation last week for networking services and products thought to be the largest 8(a) information technology buy ever launched by the FDA.The FDA Network Acquisition and Support contract a multipleaward indefinitedelivery indefinitequantity contract
Digital Government
Vendors compete for NIMA prototype
Vendors submitted proposals last week for a National Imagery and Mapping Agency prototype project that will let the agency evaluate rapidly maturing offtheshelf technology for geographic information systems. The project Geospatial Information Infrastructure (GII) 97 will likely see multiple award
Digital Government
Sprint to offer toll-free features on FTS 2000
ATLANTA Sprint last week unveiled some recent and upcoming modifications to its FTS 2000 contract that will offer users more sophisticated tollfree services and allow them to block calleridentification services. Diana Philbrick a senior program manager for FTS 2000 at Sprint said the company wi
Digital Government