HYPERTEXT
Calling all Virtual Data Center Ideas A request for proposals for a Virtual Data Center Services Contract has been released. The General Services Administration's Federal Systems and Integration Management Center, or FEDSIM, and the Federal Computer Acquisition Center, or FEDCAC, are calling for proposals that would allow agencies to outsource data processing requirements to commercial companies. GSA estimates the value of the 10-year contr
Haute-Couture Counterfeiting
There's a new form of intellectual property being stolen via the Internet -- high-fashion clothing.
"Less than 24 hours after the fashion shows, photos from all the collections are made public around the world through the Internet,'' allowing easy replication of the clothes in sweatshops, according to a report by a French anti-counterfeiting task force.
The French task force is investigating two rings of fashion thieves, but does not have a clear idea how to stop the thefts. If they find the culprits, they can impose two-year jail terms and heavy fines.
Selling Out?
Netscape Communications Corp., Mountain View, Calif., has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission to offer 5 million shares of common stock.
The company itself is selling 2 million of the shares, and the remaining 3 million are being offered by current stockholders.
GSA and DoD Team Up on Telecom Contract
The General Services Administration and the Department of Defense will jointly administer the GSA's Federal Telecommunications Service International Direct Distance Dialing contract, known as ID3. This is the first partnership in which the two agencies have combined their telecommunications requirements in a single acquisition.
The contract is scheduled to be awarded in fiscal 1997 and will replace the current DoD International Switched Voice Services contract that expires that year.
Ingram Goes Public
Ingram Micro Inc., Santa Ana, Calif., began trading its common stock on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Nov. 1 to open the distributor's initial public offering.
Ingram (NYSE: IM) offered more than 20 million shares of Class A common stock, of which four million shares were offered internationally.
Proceeds from the sale will be used to help reduce debt. Ingram had $625 million in debt, $479 million of which is owed to its parent company, Ingram Industries, Nashville, Tenn., as of the end of the third quarter. Shares opened at $23.50 and by late afternoon around 11 million shares had been traded. After its first day of trading, the stock closed at 20 1/2.
CSC Anoints Honeycutt
Computer Sciences Corp., El Segundo, Calif., announced Nov. 4 that Van Honeycutt will succeed William Hoover as chairman. The appointment is effective March 28, 1997, which is the end of the company's fiscal year. Honeycutt will continue as president and chief executive, the company said. Hoover will remain on the board and serve as chairman of its executive committee.
Future Netpreneur Seeks Hits
The Potomac KnowledgeWay is publicizing the following request for online hits from a budding netpreneur: "I am an African American, 9th grade student at a D.C. public school, and along with two friends, created a Web page about Blacks honored by the U.S. Postal Service. We entered our Web page in a contest sponsored by Think Quest and have just been informed that we are finalists. College tuition money is included in the prizes for winning! Every time someone visits our Web page we get credit toward the contest. "I am writing to ask you and your friends to please visit our page, *Stamp on Black History* at: http://tqd.advanced.org/2667."
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