Integrator Insider

— Nick Wakeman

The Commerce Department wants to let an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to several 8(a) contractors. It will cover a broad range of services in information systems engineering, systems operations and management, and systems security services. Companies bidding on the contract will be evaluated on their business approach, including corporate experience, capabilities and teaming arrangements; past performance; qualifications of key personnel; oral presentation; and pricing.

Comments on the project are due Jan. 29. The Commerce Department expects to make awards by April 19.
American Management Systems Inc. of Fairfax, Va., is extending its systems integrator agreement with IBM Corp. to include a partnership with Tivoli Systems Inc., IBM's enterprise management software company. AMS will become a Global Tivoli Partner, Tivoli's highest partnership designation.

AMS will develop a Tivoli competency center in its Fairfax lab facilities to develop ways AMS can implement Tivoli products. AMS clients will be able to use the center to preview Tivoli software. Tivoli also will provide technical training to AMS staff and on-site technical support.

"As organizations develop a deeper appreciation of the critical nature of effective enterprisewide systems management, they're looking for the combination of consulting and information technology that will help them manage their disparate computing systems to expand successfully into next generation enterprises," said Wick Keating, director of AMS' distributed computing.
Epiphany of Palo Alto, Calif., has formed alliances with two of its investors. KPMG of New York and Cambridge Technology Partners of Cambridge, Mass., have formed separate alliances with Epiphany, which makes Web-based enterprise relationship management software.

KPMG and Cambridge also are investing in Epiphany. Epiphany's software can be used in developing systems for better interaction between an organization and its customers or constituents.