Digital Government
Microsoft taps NSA's expertise in federal SNA market
Network Software Associates Inc. wellknown among federal agencies as a leading provider of Systems Network Architecture connectivity products has struck an informal deal with Microsoft Corp. to lend NSA's federal marketing credibility to the software giant's SNA Server offering. Al Dekin product m
Digital Government
As financial management systems strain, agencies eye COTS relief
Recent legislation has forced federal agencies to examine their financial management systems (FMS) with an eye to producing more and increasingly detailed accounting reports. Faced with costly overhauls of systems developed inhouse many are turning to commercial offtheshelf products as the basis
Digital Government
DEIS II fees to fund training
The Defense Information Systems Agency is putting money and energy behind its stated commitment to train Defense Department users to carry out resultsoriented procurements. Under a plan announced last month DISA plans to use service fees from business booked on its Defense Enterprise Integration S
Digital Government
GSA adds IT policy division
In its latest round of reorganizations the General Services Administration last week announced the formation of an IT policy office and the consolidation of two other departments into the growing empire of telecom czar Bob Woods. The new Office of Information Technology which will operate within th
Digital Government
Money woes return FAA to square one
Fiscal pressures have forced the Federal Aviation Administration to scrap the more ambitious elements of its plans to modernize air traffic control in ocean airspace. The agency will look for more costeffective solutions in the global market. Less than a year ago the FAA awarded Hughes Aircraft Co
Digital Government
The customer's in the driver's seat
There are hopeful signs lately that agencies are undergoing the changes needed to make acquisition reform stick. Highprofile procurements are being awarded and managed with innovative approaches. Agencies and vendors are learning that dealing with each other more openly leads to fewer disputes and
Digital Government
Treasury flips switch on $425M communications system
The Treasury Department switched off its 12yearold Consolidated Data Network (CDN) telecommunications system Wednesday morning completing its cutover to the new Treasury Communications System (TCS) run by TRW Inc. Immediate changes to the Treasurywide network are limited to advanced network man
Digital Government
PLGR explosion injures one, prompts safety measures
An Army Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver manufactured by the Collins division of Rockwell International Corp. exploded during an exercise at Fort Irwin Calif. last month injuring one soldier who required hospitalization. The blast caused the triservice GPS Joint Program Office (JPO) to rec
Digital Government
GAO under the gun to deliver study on widespread contracts
Opening the General Services Administration's Federal Supply Service (FSS) contracts to state and local governments may not be as straightforward as it seems or at least so the General Accounting Office is finding. In eight short months as mandated under the Federal Acquisition Reform Act of 1996 G
Digital Government
System tracks time, attendance
The Commerce Department's Office of Computer Services (OCS) is using a biometric time and accounting system dubbed the Integrated Time and Accounting System that it plans to market to other agencies. ITAS integrates various systems developed by CDSI Business Applications Solutions Co. (CDSI BAS) a
Digital Government
Be careful with post-federal employment and annuities
Feds who retire on a disability annuity and then take a job in the private sector need to keep track of what they earn or the annuity could go out the window. Because the government lets retirees covered by a disability annuity earn up to 80 percent of their previous salaries it's also a good idea
Digital Government
FEDERAL BYTES
The Year 2000 Interagency Committee is looking for a logo to represent Year 2000 awareness. People with ideas are invited to submit their suggestions to the General Services Administration by Aug. 30.Fax your images of exploding calendars warped clocks or other Year 2000 icons to (202) 5014066. Yo
Digital Government
SCO offers Unix package
The Santa Cruz Operation which already has a stake in Internet computing entered the embryonic network computer market last week with a Unixbased software package tailored for Internet access devices. The Network Client Operating System (NC/OS) combines SCO Unix software Netscape Communications Co
Digital Government
GATEC: A view from the front line
FIRST INITIAL You raised good questions and points in your editorial 'What's the problem with GATEC?' [FCW July 29]. I was the deputy to the commander at the WrightPatterson Contracting Center when we with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) doing the engineering and systems development
Digital Government
Interim rules replace FIRMR; other guidance planned
The Clinton administration marked the first day of the postBrooks Act era last Thursday by issuing new regulations to replace the obsolete Federal Information Resources Management Regulation (FIRMR). The interim rules would carry out portions of the Information Technology Management Reform Act (IT
Digital Government
Acquisition guru plays alter ego
Fresh off the successful launch of the Federal Aviation Administration's acquisition system Dennis DeGaetano has taken up a new role: alter ego and deputy for George Donohue associate administrator for research and acquisitions (ARA). As deputy associate administrator DeGaetano moves from overseein
Digital Government
Army tests terminals, awaits award
FORT HUACHUCA Ariz. With the Army expecting to award a $300 million contract for a new generation of mobile satellite terminals this month soldiers here are giving rave reviews to the six prototype systems the Army has already received. The prototypes were built by GTE Corp. under a $10.2 million
Digital Government
Defense puts out CD-ROM deskbook
The Defense Department last week published the first official edition of its CDROMbased Defense Acquisition Deskbook a compendium of DOD and government acquisition policies and a store house for more discretionary guidelines that may assist program offices. DOD originally announced the deskbook i
Digital Government
A first-hand look at the value of oral proposals
Two years ago Steven Kelman raised one of his offthewall ideas for improving the acquisition process. He suggested to me that oral proposals would be a major part of future procurements and that I should get ready for it. I responded by explaining to him why that couldn't work in the indefinited
Digital Government