Digital Government
Security in numbers
After numerous, publicized cyberattacks, the Clinton administration is considering putting its money where its mouth is to protect key computer systems from hackers, cyberterrorists and criminals. It's high time that security claims its own piece of the president's budget request, but money is just
Digital Government
Federal Bytes
LOOK OUT, DAVID LETTERMAN. Talk about selfdeprecating. Officials at the Federal Aviation Administration's Nexcom program recently posted on the agency's Web page (www.faa.gov/nexcom/template.htm) a top 10 list that FAA managers might find, well, interesting. Under Joke of the Month is a list of 'T
Digital Government
Super Web tool rescues GILS
A group of federal agencies and vendors are creating a super World Wide Web crawler and search tool that would help agencies automatically index their electronic documents and make it easier for the public to find federal information. The software, called the Advanced Search Facility, is being deve
Digital Government
Air Force shows how to get more for less
A few issues ago I wrote about Terry Little, an innovative program manager at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., who used various principles of acquisition reform to achieve better than a 50 percent cost savings on a 'smart bomb' kit called joint direct attack munitions (JDAM) [FCW, Sept. 7]. Well, Terry
Digital Government
Center takes on cyberterrorism
The nonprofit Institute for Security and Defense this month opened a technology center to work with federal agencies to help them defend against the growing threat from cyberterrorists. The Center for Technology and Terrorism Studies, based in Los Angeles, will train employees from the Defense Depa
Digital Government
Navy, Lotus reach agreement
The Navy has reached an agreement with Lotus Development Corp. to purchase up to 500,000 seats of its entire suite of groupware as part of the Navy plan to build a massive, worldwide intranet that would support everything from electronic commerce to battlefield communications. The Navy has agreed t
Digital Government
Four nab infowar pact
The Air Force last week tagged four vendors under one of the Defense Department's most comprehensive information warfare contracts to begin building systems that will support the Pentagon's 21st century warfighting strategy. Under the fiveyear, $353 million Engineering and Technical Support Servic
Digital Government
Set-Asides
Next FMS sked detailed The General Services Administration and the CFO Council last month sent a memo to the Office of Management and Budget detailing plans for the next generation of the Financial Management System Software (FMSS) schedule and asking OMB to modify the Federal Acquisition Regulatio
Digital Government
Why are FEHBP costs up?
Average annual subscriber premiums for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) rose $132 in 1998 and will increase by $88 in 1999, a much higher increase than has been experienced by health care customers in the private sector. Unfortunately, no one seems able to come up with a satisf
Digital Government
Gaining speed
In the past year, the speed of the standard desktop system bought by federal agencies has more than doubled, paving the way for improved performance on applications such as 3D graphics and video teleconferencing for distance learning and training. Now, thanks to advances in PC chip manufacturing,
Digital Government
Airlines' efficiency set to soar
HONOLULU Airlines next month will be able to reduce flight time and save fuel on flights across the Pacific Ocean by using satellitebased data communications to file new flight plans electronically while en route. The Federal Aviation Administration has tested the procedure, known as Dynamic Air
Digital Government
Taking the high road to success
Kimberly Jenkins has been through some surreal experiences during her 15year career in information technology. For example, she recalls the time computer maverick Steve Jobs visited her home and skated around her living room. She has guided Sen. Bill Frist (RTenn.) on a virtual tour of the human
Digital Government
DOE seeks super CPU funding
The Clinton administration is considering an Energy Department proposal to invest up to 100 times more money over the next five years in highperformance computers to process complex computer models. DOE Undersecretary Ernest Moniz outlined the Scientific Simulation Initiative (SSI) last week at th
Digital Government
What are implied contracts?
A reader asked the following question: What are implied contracts? What rules are applicable to them? Any discussion of implied contracts must start with the idea of an express contract. An express contract is any binding agreement between two parties, both of whom understand and intend to enter in
Digital Government
NetWare 5.0 Proves Worth the Upgrade
With its recent release of NetWare 5.0, Novell Inc. delivered on its promise of a totally revamped network operating system, which government information technology shopslongtime NetWare mainstayswill find a worthwhile upgrade. Like its competitors,
People
Don't Let the Education Rate Perish
The fall of 1995 was a heady season for the education technology movement. Politicians from both sides of the aisle and the entire telecommunications industry worked feverishly to make a reality of a challenge issued that September by President Clinton:
Digital Government
Document management moves to the Web
In the past few years, the World Wide Web has become a standard means of outreach for federal agencies, a multimedia bulletin board for items ranging from public service announcements to tax forms.
Digital Government
News Feed
Pennsylvania Sets Stage for Data Center Outsourcing Pennsylvania awarded a $410 million data center outsourcing deal to Unisys Corp., Blue Bell, Pa.
Digital Government
New Jersey's Environmental Management Desktop
New Jersey may often bear the brunt of pollution jokes, but the state actually is far down on emissions lists, thanks to one of the most aggressive environmental programs in the United States.
Digital Government