Infotech and the Law: Public rules are good for private companies

In the regulatory fallout from Enron, WorldCom and other business scandals, owners and officers of privately held IT companies may find reason to be thankful they missed the booming initial public offering market.

Buy Lines: Professional exchange program helps govt. and industry

Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.), chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform, has introduced the Acquisition System Improvement Act, H.R. 4228, which would create an Acquisition Professional Exchange Program for the federal government and industry, among other things.

Satellite firms think long term

The Defense Department, which relies heavily on commercial satellite services to carry communications around the world, is drafting a plan to change the way it buys satellite services.

GAO: Patch management needs help

The government should consider providing centralized patch management services to help agencies protect their IT systems, according to a new General Accounting Office report.

GSA proposes buying services rule

	The General Services Administration will publish an advance notice of proposed rulemaking before year's end to get input on how to address the buying of services in the Federal Acquisition Regulation, according to David Drabkin, GSA's deputy associate administrator for acquisition policy. The rules in the FAR govern how federal agencies buy goods and services.

DHS consolidates screening

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge recently approved the creation of an office within the agency to coordinate all screening efforts, said Asa Hutchinson, undersecretary for Border and Transportation Security at the Homeland Security Department.

DHS advances HR, finance systems

The Homeland Security Department is moving forward on major contracts to build a human resources system and a financial management system for the agency.

Better post-earthquake info sought

The Interior Department's U.S. Geological Survey is seeking a vendor to participate in the design, implementation, maintenance and operation of several systems for its Advanced National Seismic System, which oversees the creation and operation of rapid post-earthquake information and response tools.

Corps wants better planning

The Army Corps of Engineers in Baltimore needs architect-engineer services for two master planning contracts for Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. The contracts may be used by other government agencies within the Installation Management Agency's northeast region.

NATO needs consulting services

The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry is looking for a contractor to provide software engineering consulting support and ongoing development for NATO's interoperability portal called NATO C3, for the international organization's Consultation, Command and Control Agency.

Titan shareholders OK takeover

Titan Corp.'s shareholders this month overwhelmingly approved a $2.2 billion takeover bid by Lockheed Martin Corp., but some analysts said Lockheed Martin might lower its offering price a second time to complete the deal.

Putnam, Davis introduce Clinger-Cohen amendments

Reps. Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) and Tom Davis (R-Va.) today added proposed language to four sections of the 1996 Clinger-Cohen Act.

House panel votes to block Accenture's U.S. Visit pact

A House committee voted today to prevent Accenture Ltd. from holding the prime contract for the Homeland Security Department's U.S. Visit system because it is a tax exile.

Putnam wants new requirements

Private-sector companies have taken enough steps to tighten their information technology security that Rep. Adam <BR>

Data-mining framework urged

A special committee released findings on how the Defense Department can use data mining to identify terrorists while <BR>

Small-biz Web site launches

The Small Business Administration has launched a new Web site, www.Business.gov, a federal government information and services repository for small-business owners. &#009;&#009;The site provides information on:

Agencies warm to share in savings

Two and a half years ago, Ken Buck was glad to leave his job promoting share-in-savings contracting for the General Services Administration. He was frustrated that few agencies and contractors had tried the method, despite its authorization by law in 1996.

Infotech and the law: Time may tick against you when adding to FSS contracts

Contractors sometimes need to add supplies or services to their Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contracts to respond to an agency's request for quote. But when must these additions be done: By the time quotes are submitted or by the time the blanket purchase agreement or FSS order is issued?

Command and control kit sought

The Army's Surface Deployment and Distribution Command is looking for vendors to provide a standard, mobile, lightweight, rapidly deployable, self-contained command, control, communications and computers system called a flyaway communications kit.