Digital Government
Bill pushes private sector for gear donations
Rep. Anna Eshoo (DCalif.) introduced legislation last week that is aimed at increasing the number of computers the private sector donates to public school systems and local and state government agencies. Eshoo's bill follows, though is not related to, an executive order that President Clinton sign
Digital Government
USGS, Caltech seismic data rocks the Internet
Here's a Java applet with a great name: the SeismoCam. Codeveloped by the California Institute of Technology and the U.S. Geological Survey, this applet emits realtime seismic data on the Internet. Point your browser to http://scec.gps.caltech.edu/seismocam/SeismoCam.html and watch the tremors (s
Digital Government
IC4I vendor addition protested
A recent Air Force decision to add a third vendor to a $929 million smallbusiness contract that provides security products and services surprised and upset the current contract holders and their industry partners. The Air Force announced its decision to add Systems Research and Applications Corp.
Digital Government
Radnet debuts low-cost,Web-based groupware
Targeting users who want a less expensive, easiertouse alternative to Lotus Development Corp.'s Notes, Radnet Inc. has introduced WebShare, a groupware product based on World Wide Web technology. "If people within your organization already have a network, then anyone with a standard Web browser
Digital Government
SGI slashes prices, targets wider market
Silicon Graphics Inc., a major player in the military simulation and imaging markets, is taking aim at a broader user base for highend graphics systems, slashing prices on two Onyx products by up to 45 percent. Effective immediately, SGI's Onyx RealityStation is priced at $59,900, a 45 percent red
Digital Government
ELVIS to tour with GCCS
The Defense Information Systems Agency plans to distribute World Wide Web browser software, dubbed "ELVIS," that will allow "almost ubiquitous access" to the common operational picture carried on the Global Command and Control System (GCCS). Unlike commercial Web browser software, which present
Digital Government
DISA buys $3M in licenses from Transarc and TriTeal
The Defense Information Systems Agency has purchased nearly $3 million in software licenses that it will distribute at no cost to Defense program managers developing command and control systems that comply with the agency's requirements for commercial software components. As part of its effort to b
Digital Government
Nexar picks GTSI as exclusive reseller
Nexar Technologies Inc., a new PC maker run by former Leading Edge Products Inc. executives, has tapped Government Technology Services Inc. as its exclusive federal reseller. The company's products are designed to make a PC's processor, memory and hard disk drive the most expensive elements of a
Digital Government
Interagency panel backs away from proprietary security policy
In a move seen as inevitable, the Clinton administration has dropped its demands for a proprietary federal encryption policy and has proposed allowing agencies greater latitude in choosing offtheshelf solutions from industry. The proposal was made by an interagency working group cochaired by the
Digital Government
Rules set limits on race-based methods
Newly proposed rules for contracting with minorityowned businesses would sharply limit setasides and other "race conscious" procurement methods agencies could use to hire such firms. Under the Justice Department plan released last week, statutory contracting goals would still apply, but agencie
Digital Government
INTERCEPTS
Army turn at J6? It looks like the Joint Chiefs of Staff will tap an Army general to replace Vice Adm. Arthur Cebrowski, who moves back to the Navy as director of Space and Electronic Warfare a job he once held not even long enough for the ink on his business cards to dry before zipping off to t
Digital Government
DOD nixes noncompliant-gear buys
The Defense Department plans to cancel the purchase of new computer equipment and software that is not Year 2000compliant, according to a recent directive. Saying the Year 2000 problem "requires immediate attention," Emmett Paige Jr., assistant secretary of Defense for command, control, communic
Digital Government
Current rules hamper states' FTS 2000 use
A representative from Maryland's House of Delegates last month contacted General Services Administration chief David Barram about the state's potential use of the FTS 2000 contract but was later told that GSA lacks the authority to offer longdistance services to state and local governments. Delega
Digital Government
INDUSTRY BRIEFS
Industry group proposes waiver of COTS laws The Council of Defense and Space Industry Associations (CODSIA) is proposing that the government waive more than four dozen procurement laws when purchasing commercial products. Under the newly enacted Federal Acquisition Reform Act, the Office of Federal
Digital Government
HP to broaden TAC-4 offerings
The Navy soon is expected to approve a broad technology refreshment of HewlettPackard Co.'s Tactical Advanced Computer4 (TAC4) workstation contract. In addition to offering price/performance increases with new workstations, servers and graphics technology, the contract update will give Navy user
Digital Government
GAO faults management of `best practices' at Customs
The Customs Service has not managed its systems modernization programs in accordance with "best practices" for deploying information technology, the General Accounting Office reported this month, but the agency still has time to correct its mistakes to ensure these projects succeed. In a letter t
Digital Government
CA tests Unicenter release
Computer Associates International Inc. last week began full field testing of CAUnicenter The Next Generation (TNG), a muchanticipated release of its systems management platform that is expected to be widely adopted by the Defense Department and other agencies. Although CA has not yet announced pr
Digital Government
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
A PTT Alternative This letter is in response to J. Timothy Sprehe's column, "Presidential Technology Team deserves everyone's attention" [FCW, March 4]. As reported in an earlier FCW and other news sources, the concept of the Presidential Technology Team includes civil servant information technol
Digital Government
TRW tool targets fed research community
TRW Inc. last week unveiled a new software package that allows researchbased organizations to quickly search and collate huge amounts of information stored in databases throughout the world. TRW's InfoWeb Architecture, which is based on similar technology TRW developed for an intelligence agency i
Digital Government