Digital Government
Rockwell snares $1.3B GPS satellite contract
The Air Force last week ensured the viability of the Global Positioning System well into the next century by awarding Rockwell a $1.3 billion contract for 33 improved GPS satellites. Donald Beall, Rockwell's chairman and chief executive officer, called the award "a significant milestone" for the
Digital Government
GPRA not a cure-all for federal problems
Comptroller General of the United States Charles A. Bowsher recently testified before Congress on the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). For those of you who are not familiar with it, GPRA requires agencies to set strategic goals, measure performance against those goals and report progr
Digital Government
Maps Employ Remote-Sensing Images
SPOT Image Corp. is providing the Defense Department with satellite image coverage of Bosnia. The Reston, Va., company operates three satellites offering images with 10meter resolution. The Air Force receives SPOT imagery through a portable satellite receiving station called Eagle Vision. Eagle Vi
Digital Government
Labor exec makes most of resources
When Shirley Malia took over as director of the Labor Department's Information Technology Center (ITC) at the beginning of the year, she found that even small departments such as Labor can pose challenging IT problems. Malia's primary challenge at Labor is to make the most of the limited resources
Digital Government
In-Theater Support
A number of information technology vendors have followed their products into Bosnia, providing support and maintenance. GTE Corp. has created a regional support center for its Mobile Subscriber Equipment in Bosnia. The center is located in Lukavac, about 20 kilometers west of Tuzla, and is colocat
Digital Government
What is the doctrine of substantial performance?
The following topic was raised by a government official: When a government contractor fails to perform completely as required by the contract, in many cases the government is still required to pay for work that was performed under the "substantial performance" rules. Is this consistent with comme
Digital Government
Linking Logistics
In addition to the "big picture" systems such as the Joint Total Asset Visibility system and Intransit, the military services have deployed numerous asset visibility databases and logistics systems. To make it easier for military users to navigate these logistics systems, the Defense Logistics Ag
Digital Government
POP Goes the Internet
The Army overcame significant technical challenges to provide Internet service over the narrowbandwidth tactical command and control networks supporting the Bosnian peacekeeping mission. The digital field switches and tactical satellites used by the Army's Tactical Packet Network (TPN) were desig
Digital Government
GSA threatens to yank Sprint's FTS 2000 traffic
General Services Administration officials last week informally notified Sprint of plans to move all agencies to AT&T's portion of the FTS 2000 network if Sprint does not decrease its prices to a level comparable with AT&T's. John Okay, deputy commissioner of GSA's Federal Telecommunications Servic
Digital Government
Bosnia Special Report
Mines. Mud. Mountains. In the former Yugoslavia, the shooting has stopped at least temporarily but there are still many ways for NATO peacekeepers to fall into harm's way. As they crossed a makeshift bridge over the Sava River into Bosnia, U.S. commanders in Operation Joint Endeavor turned to
Digital Government
Bell Atlantic eases fed concerns in wake of Nynex merger
The president of Bell Atlantic's Federal Systems Division last week contacted the organization's top customers to answer questions about the proposed merger of Bell Atlantic Corp. and Nynex Corp. and to assure customers the deal would have no negative impact on their operations. Division president
Digital Government
Four to share $20M NOAA pact
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has selected four minorityowned firms to receive awards under a $20 million program for scientific workstations. NOAA's scientific workstation contract (SCIWOC II) is modeled after NASA's successful Scientific and Engineering Workstation Procurem
Digital Government
Standards to ease product deployment
Leading vendors of workflow management software are developing products that will conform to new and proposed interoperability standards, which aim to make it easier for federal users to deploy the technology. Workflow companies said they hope standards will expand the market for their wares. Vendo
Digital Government
Troops at Home With COTS Hardware, Software
Visit practically any U.S. unit in Bosnia, Croatia or Hungary whether it's doing business out of a tent, a trailer or a shotup office building and in one quick glance you'll see anything from a handful to a roomful of commercial offtheshelf computers and workstations. From the NATO Combine
Digital Government
Notes From the Field
Although technology takes center stage in the drama of keeping peace in Bosnia, the real heroes are frequently unsung regular folks who find themselves in irregular times. If there is a common thread, it is ingenuity and determination. The following excerpts from a reporter's notebook provide so
Digital Government
Bosnian Mission Demands Most Complex Network Ever
Top U.S. and NATO command and control chiefs for Operation Joint Endeavor did not set out to build the most complex communications network ever fielded, but they ended up doing just that. Tactical, geographic and political factors all contributed to the building of this complicated pipeline that li
Digital Government
Army Fields Advanced Telemedicine Network
LANDSTUHL, Germany The Army is fielding the most advanced telemedicine system in history to provide medical care to U.S. forces deployed in Bosnia and Hungary for Operation Joint Endeavor. According to Lt. Col. Tom Semarge, biomedical information systems officer for Landstuhl Regional Medical Ce
Digital Government
AWARDS
Chrysler Technologies. An $11.4 million award for a Global Positioning System. WrAlc/Pkxoa, 235 Byron St., Robins Air Force Base, Ga. 310981611. ECS Technologies Inc. A $3.5 million award for computerintegrated systems design. Navy, NAWCAD Contracts Competency Division, MS32, 22541 Millstone Rd.
Digital Government
Intercepts
Downsizing in the desert. A massive Army reorganization due for announcement in the next two weeks calls for the transfer of the HQ of the Army Information Systems Command, headed by Maj. Gen. Charles Sutten, from Fort Huachuca, Ariz., to Fort McPherson, Ga. The "Force XXI Reorganization" plan al
Digital Government