EDS sees NMCI prospects brightening

Electronic Data Systems Corp. is due to get the official thumbs up within the next week to take over another 100,000 seats under the-Navy Marine Corps Intranet project. <BR>

TSA seeks vendors for biometrics products tests

The Transportation Security Administration has released a request for information to vendors wishing to take part in tests of biometric devices at 20 airports.<br>

OPM explores outsourcing retirement systems upgrade

The Office of Personnel Management has released a request for information about outsourcing its Retirement Systems Modernization.

Report: Business lurks in changing state CIO leadership

Systems integrators will find a major business opportunity next year helping states achieve centralized IT management as their budget crisis continues, according to a new forecast.<br>

Want to catch eye of big firms? Work it

<FONT SIZE=2>Ellen Minderman, a vice president of operations for FGM Inc., said the software and systems engineering firm would prefer to be the prime contractor on its government work. But she knows that FGM, with only 200 employees, is too small to be the prime on many jobs. And so the company spends considerable time trying to nail down subcontracting roles with the bigger government players.</FONT>

Look for the GSA label

<FONT SIZE=2>The federal government is extending its buying power to state and local governments through a small provision in the E-Government Act of 2002, which Congress passed last month.</FONT>

Outsourcing moves full steam ahead

<FONT SIZE=2>Georgia governor-elect Sonny Perdue is expected to support the state's groundbreaking $1.8 billion telecommunications outsourcing project when he takes office next month, because the project will help him deliver on a pair of key campaign promises.</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>

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>

Homeland Security expected to do more outsourcing

Secret Service assistant director Steve Colo says the new Homeland Security Department will consolidate all its component agencies' software licenses and predicted there would be more IT outsourcing pioneered by Transportation Security Administration.<br>

Without a budget at TSA, managing is a juggling act

"Troublesome" is the way James M. Loy describes life without a budget for the new Transportation Security Administration.<br>

ACS renews $23 million IT outsourcing deal

Affiliated Computer Services Inc. has won a $23 million contract extension from the City of Santa Clara, Calif., to continue providing enterprise information technology outsourcing services.<br>

EDS, IBM square off for Ga. telecom contract

With WorldCom Inc. out of the competition for Georgia's $1.8 billion telecommunications outsourcing project, IBM Corp. has stepped forward to compete against Electronic Data Systems Corp.<br>

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>

Lending a hand to small business

<FONT SIZE=2>Responding to complaints from small business executives, two federal agencies are working to close a loophole in the General Services Administration's multiple-award contracts, including GSA schedules, that has allowed some large contractors to win contracts set aside for small businesses. </FONT>

GEIA: Fed IT spending to jump in 2003

<FONT SIZE=2>Federal government spending on information technology will total more than $74 billion in fiscal 2003, according to a forecast by an IT trade association.</FONT>

OMB unveils draft A-76 process

A draft of the Bush administration's revamped Circular A-76 shortens the time frame for public-private competitions and allows for consideration of factors other than lowest cost when making a contract award.<br>

Contracts: Opportunity Knocking

<b>Telecom services<br></FONT></b><FONT SIZE=2>The Department of Aviation for Miami-Dade County, Fla., needs a contractor for telecom services. The request for proposals is expected by year's end. The length of the contract has not been released, but it is expected to be worth about $50 million.<br><br>

Infotech and the Law: You may be a government subcontractor if ...

There's something many companies selling products or services in the commercial marketplace don't know: If they sell a product or service to a government contractor, they'll likely be considered a government subcontractor and, therefore, may be subject to certain statutes and regulations -- even if they have not entered into a specific contract with the government contractor to perform work related to the prime contract.