Chain of demand: Military looks to commercial logistics apps
<FONT SIZE=2>Ask Verle Hammond about logistics, and he replies: "Steaks and ice cream."</font><!--/STORY--><!--STORY--><FONT SIZE=2>Before founding Innovative Logistics Techniques Inc. in 1989, Hammond spent 28 years as a logistics officer for the Army, rising to the position of staff officer for the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics. Most memorable, however, was his tour of duty in Vietnam, where he was assigned to the First Infantry Division in 1966 and 1967.</FONT>
Infotech and the Law: OMB proposes major changes to A-76 competitive sourcing
<FONT SIZE=2>Last April, the congressionally mandated panel to review and recommend changes to the process for public-private competitions for government activities issued its report. The report included several recommendations to reduce the advantages that government employees hold when competing with industry under the Office of Management and Budget's Circular A-76. In November, OMB released for public comment major proposed revisions to Circular A-76. </FONT>
Agencies fail systems security
<FONT SIZE=2>Federal computer systems security got an overall failing grade for the second year in a row, according to an annual report card by Rep. Stephen Horn, R-Calif. The government's overall score was 55 out of 100, up from 53 a year ago. </FONT>
GSA to lower schedule fees
<FONT SIZE=2>The General Services Administration will lower the fee it charges to use the Federal Supply Service schedules to 0.75 percent from 1 percent of a contract's value. The new fee structure will go into effect Jan. 1, 2004. A General Accounting Office report in July found that the GSA schedules program had a surplus of more than $56 million in 2001. In fiscal 2002, agencies spent a record $22 billion on the schedules, and GSA earned about $210 million in fees.</FONT>
GAO: INS lax on IT oversight
<FONT SIZE=2>Information technology projects at the Immigration and Naturalization Service have not received needed oversight by the Justice Department, according to a report from the General Accounting Office.</FONT>
Industry positive about new A-76
<FONT SIZE=2>Information technology industry executives are hopeful that the Bush administration's move to a new process for competing federal work will give them a better chance to win competitions with public-sector bidders.</FONT>
Rescue 21 gives boaters an extra lifejacket
<FONT SIZE=2>Officially called the National Distress and Response System Modernization Project, Rescue 21 is the equivalent of a 911 emergency system for boaters. </FONT>
Problem driver clearinghouse
<FONT SIZE=2>The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants proposals to support the teleprocessing needs of the National Driver Register program, a national clearinghouse for problem driver reporting. States provide the program with information, and then access the system when drivers apply for licenses or renew them. It requires a timesharing vendor offering an IBM compatible mainframe service, capable of connecting to state hosts via AAMVAnet, the network of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. For more information, the solicitation (DTNH2-03-R- 05013) can be found on FedBizOpps.gov. Responses are due April 4, 2003.</FONT>
Clinical software sought
<FONT SIZE=2>The Tricare Management Activity and Military Health Systems are conducting market research to determine whether commercial items or non-developmental items are available that could meet their requirements. The TMA program office is looking for an off-the-shelf product to support their clinical laboratory and anatomic pathology needs. The request for information is to determine interested and available software vendors and services capable of supporting a global laboratory and anatomic pathology system for U.S. military hospitals and clinics. The requirements can be found on FedBizOpps.gov , solicitation no. DASW01-00-0-0000. The deadline is Dec. 17.</FONT>
Call for papers
<FONT SIZE=2>The Air Force's Rome Research Site is soliciting white papers for innovative technologies to support command, control, communications, computers and intelligence applications. Responses should be sent to Jerry Lipa, reference BAA-03-02-IFKA, Rome Research Site/IFKA, 525 Brooks Rd., Rome, NY, 13441-4505. Multiple white papers may be submitted by each offerer. This broad agency announcement is open until Sept. 30, 2005, with funds available in each fiscal year. Details can be found on FedBizOpps.gov, solicitation no. reference number-BAA-03-02-IFKA.</FONT>
Small firms make big difference
<FONT SIZE=2>When L&E Associates learned about the Coast Guard's Rescue 21 modernization effort to upgrade its 30-year-old search and rescue communications system, the company was determined to find a way to be a part of it.</FONT>
OMB flexes budget muscles
<FONT SIZE=2>The White House has no plans to relax its control over the budget process that many in government view as a power grab by the Office of Management and Budget.</FONT>
GAO: Justice Dept. oversight of INS projects is ineffective
Information technology projects undertaken by the Immigration and Naturalization Service have not received needed oversight by the Justice Department, according to new General Accounting Office report.<br>
Senate approves House e-gov bill
The Senate passed e-government legislation by unanimous consent Nov. 15, following the House, which passed the legislation earlier in the day. The Electronic Government Act, H.R. 2458, originated in the House and was sponsored by Rep. Jim Turner, D-Texas, and co-sponsored by Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., ranking member and chairman, respectively, of the House Government Reform subcommittee on technology and procurement policy.
Infotech and the Law: Homeland Security bills provide special procurement authority
<FONT SIZE=2>When the Bush administration in June resolved to create a Department of Homeland Security, it proposed giving the department special authority to use "flexible" procurement practices. The administration proposed that the agency generally would follow existing, governmentwide procurement laws, but would have broad authority to deviate from them if they would impair the agency's mission or operations.</FONT>
Contract bundling strategy
<FONT SIZE=2>* More accountability of senior agency managers for improving opportunities for small businesses. Quarterly reports will be required by the Office of Management and Budget. </FONT>
Contract unbundling plan causes optimism, concern
<FONT SIZE=2>The Bush administration's new plan to help small businesses by unbundling large federal contracts is generating cautious optimism among small players, but it is uncertain how the proposal will affect large contractors.</FONT>
Action expected on security bill
<FONT SIZE=2>	Lawmakers are optimistic Congress will quickly pass legislation establishing a Department of Homeland Security. Prospects for the legislation improved with the Nov. 5 elections, which gave Republicans control of the Senate, as well as the House. Democrats had objected to management flexibility provisions in the bill. </FONT>
GAO: NMCI impact must be resolved
<FONT SIZE=2>	The eight-year, $7 billion Navy-Marine Corps Intranet project is beginning to hamper the ability of Navy air depots and shipyards to plan and budget for IT beyond the current fiscal year, according to a recent report by the General Accounting Office.</FONT>
OMB replaces 2 e-gov managers
<FONT SIZE=2>	The Office of Management and Budget replaced a pair of e-government project managers leading cross-agency initiatives under the Federal Emergency Management Agency.</FONT>
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