Briefs: PKI systems and other services

<FONT SIZE=2>The Defense Information Systems Agency wants a contractor to provide systems engineering analysis, design and development, integration, maintenance and operational support services for Defense Department's public key infrastructure program management office.</FONT>

Briefs: FDA seeks keyword software

<FONT SIZE=2>The Food and Drug Administration wants software that can scan narratives from a few sentences to a few paragraphs, recognize keywords and phrases and display them, and recommend correct or preferred terms for each word or phrase.</FONT>

Briefs: Audit software needed

<FONT SIZE=2>The Transportation Department's inspector general is requesting proposals for a commercial electronic audit management system. It will help auditors and managers plan and organize audits, create and track documentation and assist in the audit's progression. The management system must also integrate with the automation operating system.</FONT>

State begins secret Spectrum work

<FONT SIZE=2>The State Department is moving to strengthen its global telecommunications network, as a looming war and threatened terrorist attacks create an urgent need for reliable communications.</FONT>

Tech success: SAS helps Marine Corps budgets get lean

<FONT SIZE=2>When the Marine Corps needed to carve fat from operating expenses at its bases, it turned to cutting-edge accounting software from SAS Institute Inc.</FONT>

Industry will work with government on cyberspace plan

The National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace details dozens of steps for industry and government to take to fend off and recover from assaults on the nation's critical systems.<br>

Congress allocates $5 million for e-gov fund

The administration's e-government fund felt the pinch of the budget crunch last night as Congress allocated only $5 million for the account in the final agreement on the fiscal 2003 civilian budget.

National League of Cities leads funding charge

The National League of Cities is calling on Congress to create a permanent public interest trust fund that would support grants to promote state and local interoperability among first responders.

Engler gets hands-on role at EDS

<FONT SIZE=2>When John Engler ended his run as Michigan governor last month, after 12 years in office, and began looking for a new job, he didn't want a cushy boardroom appointment or a figurehead executive post.</FONT>

Rise in Commerce's IT spending reflects role in homeland security, economy

<FONT SIZE=2>The departments of Homeland Security and Defense aren't the only ones getting a boost in IT spending in President Bush's fiscal 2004 budget proposal. The Commerce Department, for example, will see its IT budget rise to a proposed $1.54 billion in 2004, a $175 million increase over the 2003 request, according to the Office of Management and Budget.</FONT>

Pentagon relies on IT for military 'transformation' initiatives

<FONT SIZE=2>The White House is asking for significant funding increases in fiscal 2004 for Defense Department transformation efforts, such as satellite communications, space-based radar and cryptology, that are rich in information technology, a senior defense official said at a briefing last week. </FONT>

White House takes PART in performance

<FONT SIZE=2>The Bush administration has a new tool for measuring how well agencies and their programs are performing. Administration officials used the new Program Assessment Rating Tool, or PART, during 2004 budget process to review about 234, or 20 percent, of federal programs, according to budget documents. </FONT>

OMB will ax billions in redundant IT spending, even as total budget rises

<FONT SIZE=2>The Office of Management and Budget is on a mission to search out and destroy duplicative spending on information technology products and services. </FONT>

Homeland defense spending highlights

<FONT SIZE=2>Technology-related spending in the Department of Homeland Security budget request includes: </FONT>

Outlook 'robust': IT funds flow to defense, homeland security

<FONT SIZE=2>Information technology services firms with significant work in the Defense Department and the Department of Homeland Security will be winners under the Bush administration's proposed $59.3 billion federal IT budget for fiscal 2004, industry executives and analysts said. </FONT>

Buy Lines: Bid protest? Forget about it

<FONT SIZE=2>In this era of best value and creative new approaches, who really bids in the traditional sense anymore? And who believes they can establish a long-term, win-win relationship by first clobbering their potential partner in a bitter round of litigation? </FONT>

Brief: Rule opens FSS schedule

<FONT SIZE=2>The General Services Administration issued a proposed rule Jan. 23 that allows state and local governments to buy off the Federal Supply Service IT schedule. Congress extended the use of the IT schedule through the E-Government Act of 2002.</FONT>

Brief: Procurement made simple

<FONT SIZE=2>The civilian and defense Federal Acquisition Regulation councils published an interim rule in the Jan. 27 Federal Register that simplifies how agencies buy for defense or recovery from terrorist attacks.</FONT>

Brief: Lawmakers want e-gov cash

<FONT SIZE=2>Lawmakers are pushing appropriators to restore $40 million to the E-Government Fund, money the Senate axed from the omnibus fiscal 2003 appropriations bill.</FONT>

TSA screener work hits $700M

<FONT SIZE=2>The Transportation Security Administration's effort to put federal screeners at every U.S. airport exceeded its contract by nearly $600 million, according to a new report.</FONT>