Homeland security efforts lack coordination, industry heads say

While IT contractors have been invited to share their homeland security and information sharing solutions with the federal government, it's unclear who is evaluating the technologies and making purchasing decisions, several vendors said at a Feb. 26 congressional hearing.Several federal contractors said they are working closely with numerous agencies to develop homeland security strategies and solutions. "There is a great deal of interest," said Ann Altman of IBM Corp.

Titan to buy Science & Engineering Associates

Titan Corp. of San Diego announced Feb. 25 it will acquire Science & Engineering Associates Inc., a privately held Albuquerque, N.M., provider of engineering and information technology services and specialized laser, sensor, and imaging products to the government.

Accenture, Education Department launch upgraded financial aid Web site

Accenture and the Department of Education's Office of Student Financial Assistance have launched a new Free Application for Federal Student Aid Web site, making the application process for student financial aid quicker, more efficient and more accessible.

CIOs support better pay, rewards for fed IT pros

The federal Chief Information Officers Council endorseda study that recommends wholesale changes in the way the government pays, rewards and recruits IT professionals.

Taking Charge

E-government remains a top priority in the Bush administration's new budget, despite the emphasis given to homeland security and information assurance.

GISRA report finds information security woes

Many government agencies have pervasive problems with information security, including a lack of management attention, poor controls on contractors and inadequate monitoring of system activities, according to a new report by the Office of Management and Budget.

CD-ROM simulations gain foothold

Good acting and high drama are making interactive training a success. Sharon Sloane is president and CEO of WILL Interactive Inc., which, with the FBI's Crisis Negotiation Unit created a new video-based simulation CD-ROM, "The Incident," in which users see how the decisions they make for the chief hostage negotiator play out in a true-to-life scenario, but before lives lie in the balance.

Davis lays out committee agenda

Procurement policy will be center stage in a series of congressional hearings this winter and spring, according to Rep. Tom Davis.

Forman proposes e-gov performance bonus

Managers of the two most successful of 24 high-priority federal e-government initiatives will be rewarded with a substantial financial bonus for their teams, according to a plan proposed by Mark Forman, associate director for information technology and e-government in the Office of Management and Budget.

Forman calls for industry to provide IT solutions, commercial best practices

President Bush's new budget plan calls for industry to provide federal agencies with information technology solutions tailored to the government's needs, according to Mark Forman, the administration's point person on IT and e-government. Forman told technology executives that $30 billion of the $52 billion requested for IT in the president's fiscal 2003 budget will go toward projects that solve problems and help agencies achieve their goals.

Bush budget will boost IT spending to $52 billion in 2003

The Bush administration's fiscal 2003 budget request will include $52 billion for information technology spending, a 15 percent boost over current spending, according to Mark Forman, associate director for information technology and e-government in the Office of Management and Budget. The federal government will spend about $45 billion on information technology in 2002.

After slow start, Congress learning to like NMCI

Trust but verify: That's the approach Congress is taking with the $6.9 million Navy-Marine Corps Intranet program.

PwC touts management strategy

PwC Consulting unveiled its business strategy to help government agencies meet the goals outlined in the administration's President's Management Agenda.

CD-ROM simulations gain foothold

The FBI employee benefits information session is about to begin when Tom asks Pete, "What do you say if some dude's got a gun, and he's got someone hostage, and he says, 'I want a getaway car in 60 seconds or she dies.' "

Capital Roundup

Norman Lorentz, the federal government's first chief technology officer, will help government managers buy the right technologies, he said Jan. 18.

GSA readies security effort

A government and industry effort to educate citizens about computer security will launch soon, but the ambitious plan to reach the nation's 60 million home computer users had to be scaled back because of a lack of money, a General Services Administration official said.

MapInfo forms homeland security unit

MapInfo Corp. of Troy, N.Y., Jan. 29 announced it formed a homeland security unit to help government agencies use location information to protect the nation's people and assets.

TruSecure builds upon Three Pillars

TruSecure Corp. has acquired Three Pillars Inc., a provider of security outsourcing, monitoring and intelligence services.

eArmyU meets first-year goals, expands

The Army's virtual university for enlisted soldiers, eArmyU, met its first-year enrollment goals, providing online college courses to more than 12,000 students in 2001, the Army announced. "We are meeting our goals to create technology-savvy soldiers to support Army transformation, succeed on the digitized battlefield, enhance retention and help soldiers achieve academic degrees while they serve," said Thomas White, secretary of the Army.

Initial review of GovNet due this month

The General Services Administration will complete by Jan. 31 its initial assessments of industry responses to GovNet.