DHS' Daconta steps down

Michael Daconta spent much of the last year revising the Federal Enterprise Architecture's Data Reference Model, becoming a central figure in shaping how agencies will share, categorize and describe data.

Rule subjects contractors, feds to uniform HSPD-12 scrutiny

Agencies will have to authenticate the identities of all current contractors who have not already been cleared.

DOD's global fiber network becomes operational

The Global Information Grid-Bandwidth Expansion program achieved full operational capability earlier this month with completion of one third of the network for classified and nonclassified data.

Protest cycle continues for FedBizOpps

Development InfoStructure Corp. of Arlington, Va., once again is protesting the General Services Administration's award of the contract to run the government procurement portal to Symplicity Corp. of Arlington, Va.

DOD to test contactless cards, readers

The Defense Department is setting up a lab to test contactless smart cards and readers for industry standard compliance and interoperability.

RFI sets stage for future HSPD-12 contract

The General Services Administration took an important step toward getting the blanket purchase agreement in place by May 2006 for agencies to buy approved products and services to meet Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12.

Symplicity wins another round in FedBizOpps redesign battle

The General Services Administration has decided that Symplicity Corp. of Arlington, Va., will revamp FedBizOpps.gov after all.

OFPP expands SmartBuy approach to IT hardware

After the incremental but growing success of the SmartBuy enterprise software licensing program, the Office of Management and Budget is expanding the concept to IT hardware.

RFP for multibillion-dollar DISA Net-Centric project coming soon

The Defense Department is expected to release as early as today the request for proposals for converting its legacy systems to the Network Centric Enterprise Services program.

NIST, independent labs test products for FIPS-201 compliance

The National Institute of Standards and Technology plans to post the results of tests on smart cards and readers on a public Web site as soon as they are available.

DHS' Rothwell to step down

Greg Rothwell, the Homeland Security Department's procurement chief, announced his retirement today.

Symplicity loses second protest of USAJobs.gov contract

The Government Accountability Office again has rejected a protest by Symplicity Corp. of the Office of Personnel Management's contract award to Monster Government Solutions to run the government's online employment portal.

Multiple-award contracts to get closer scrutiny from OFPP

The Office of Federal Procurement Policy hopes to follow the General Services Administration's lead in reviewing and consolidating repetitive governmentwide acquisition contracts.

DOD seeks industry opinion on its business transition plan

The Defense Department now wants industry's opinion of its design for transitioning business systems to its new architecture.

InfoReliance to build competitive-sourcing database for OFPP

InfoReliance Corp. has been awarded a GSA contract for a database that will gather information about each agency's public-private competitions of inherently commercial federal jobs, and agencies' workforce inventories of which positions are considered commercial.

Symantec, GSA negotiating final stages of SmartBuy deal

The General Services Administration has told agencies to postpone any further purchases from Symantec Corp. for antivirus software in anticipation of reaching an enterprisewide agreement with the company.

GSA closes in on SmartBuy deal with McAfee

The General Services Administration has asked agencies to postpone buys from McAfee Inc. for antivirus software in anticipation of reaching a deal with the company under the government's enterprise software licensing program.

GSA plans winter initiatives

The General Services Administration's Federal Acquisition Service is gearing up for a busy winter with initiatives dealing with satellites, Networx and Alliant.

GAO: Federal, private-sector CIOs' jobs similar

Of the 12 functional areas that federal CIOs are responsible for, their private-sector counterparts share eight of them, including systems acquisition and information security, according to the Government Accountability Office.

DHS names new deputy CIO

The Homeland Security Department has tapped Charlie Armstrong, the former CIO of the department's Border and Transportation Directorate, to be its deputy CIO.