Digital Government
Small vendors thrive on ECS
The National Institutes of Health's Electronic Computer Store (ECS) spread millions of dollars worth of firstquarter computer sales among its 17 vendors, defying at least for now earlier predictions that larger companies would dominate sales. Between Jan. 3 and April 5, ECS rang up total sal
Digital Government
Oral presentations ease buying process
The administration is pushing the use of oral presentations as a major element of the federal procurement process, and it has published its first extensive guidelines on the issue. Oral presentations are meant to substitute for traditional written material presented in an offeror's proposal and to
Digital Government
Change rating system, not `rule of three'
The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) recently proposed eliminating its longstanding "rule of three" hiring guidelines in favor of a new process that would allow selection from as large a pool of candidates as possible. This recommendation follows an intensive review of the rule of three and
Digital Government
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
In Defense of the District I take issue with the editorial opinion stated in the April 1 issue of FCW. The District of Columbia's government culture is not the culture that sees devolution as a good thing. Mayor Marion Barry is not trying to advance the conservative cause of devolution by refusing
Digital Government
Desktop V award date slips
If you were waiting for the award of the giant Air Force Desktop V PC contract, you will have to wait a while longer. The Air Force Standard Systems Group, with little advance notice, announced late last week it would not make the award Friday as planned. Bidders, who have had to face a number of o
Digital Government
Fields tapped as DISA's first CIO
The Defense Information Systems Agency appointed Shirley L. Fields as its first chief information officer. Fields most recently served as head of DISA's Defense Information Infrastructure Hardware/Software Department. In her new role, Fields intends to bring to DISA a much greater focus on performa
Digital Government
ACE, Sunrise Project, mad cows vie for cyber attention
Americans Communicating Electronically sponsors a World Wide Web page to support its mission: to encourage interactive communication between members of the public and their governments. Point your browser to http://www.sbaonline.sba.gov/ace. The organization, with a membership of 5,000, offers a wa
Digital Government
Internet access available on MAS
Federal agencies now have an easy way to buy Internet services. BBN Planet, MCI, STMS, BTG Inc. and Erol's late last month became the first companies to offer basic Internet services on the General Services Administration's Schedule E. AT&T and Netcom Communications have proposals pending before GS
Digital Government
Do contract employees count in company size determinations?
The following question was asked by a company official: Offerors on government contracts are required to certify whether they are small or large under the Small Business Administration's regulations. For many types of contracts, those size standards reference the number of employees employed by the
Digital Government
Spending cuts spur feds to mull capital budgeting
Whether the White House or Congress prevails in the fight over the federal budget, funds for information technology programs will likely shrink over the next six years as cuts in discretionary programs continue. So how will agencies find the money for information systems? According to administratio
Digital Government
GAO comes down hard on Cyberfile; doubts system will work
The Internal Revenue Service has spent millions of dollars on Cyberfile, a system that allows taxpayers to file tax returns over the Internet, but has planned and managed its development so sloppily that there is "little assurance" the system will work as intended, the General Accounting Office r
Digital Government
NIH considers early follow-on pact
A largerthanexpected volume of sales has prompted the National Institutes of Health to begin early development of a followon contract for its governmentwide virtual computer store. Since appearing on the Internet in January, the 17 vendors who offer PCs, software and peripherals on the NIH Elect
Digital Government
Six data centers enough, says study
The Defense Department could save more than $2 billion in lifecycle costs by consolidating from 16 to six data centers and contracting out all but "inherently governmental functions," according to a study by consultants Coopers & Lybrand. The report, now circulating among senior officials at the
Digital Government
Frank keeps DARPA on cutting edge
About 25 years ago, Howard Frank wanted to use the communications technology of the time to collaborate on a paper about ARPAnet (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), the precursor to the Internet. He and his colleague, located in another city, decided to use teletype machines to exchange id
Digital Government
Rival OSes experience market ups and downs
The past 15 months have been interesting for OS/2 rivals IBM Corp. and Microsoft Corp. Last year began with an aggressive marketing campaign by IBM designed to take advantage of the lack of competition from Microsoft Corp. due to its continuous delays in getting Windows 95 to market. The OS/2 Warp
Digital Government
70 B/C renewals move quickly for most firms
The General Services Administration has wrapped up negotiations for its 70 B/C microcomputer schedules earlier than usual, with most vendors having already signed new contracts by late last week. "Normally it can be difficult negotiating, but it wasn't like that at all," said Kim Bradbury, Compaq
Digital Government
Fed redress system needs overhaul, GAO finds
The General Accounting Office recently reviewed the actions feds can take if they believe they have been the victims of arbitrary and prohibited personnel practices such as discrimination or retaliation for whistleblowing. Simply put, GAO concluded that the system needs reform. According to GAO, t
Digital Government
Rule changes signal new freedom for FAA
Today the Federal Aviation Administration sweeps away layers of procurement and personnel management regulations that have developed over half a century and replaces them with fewer, and what it hopes are more flexible and easiertofollow, rules that will help it keep pace with rapid advancements
Digital Government
OFPP plan would offer one source for agency data
The Office of Federal Procurement Policy wants agencies to link their acquisition home pages to ARNet, a World Wide Web clearinghouse for information on federal purchasing reform, and tie these sites together through a text retrieval system that would allow vendor searches. The service would offer
Digital Government