Thanksgiving in Florida and on Facebook

Blogger Steve Kelman reports on the cultural currents in southern Florida and on Facebook.

Engle lands USDA contract

The Engle Group has been awarded a five-year, $49 million blanket purchase agreement from the Agriculture Department to supply systems development, operations and integration, and other IT services.

Lockheed’s EIG renamed The SI Organization

The Enterprise Integration Group, which became an independent company after its formal divestiture from Lockheed Martin Corp. last week, has been renamed The SI Organization Inc., following its purchase by the private equity investment firm Veritas Capital for $815 million in cash.

Oasis acquired by private equity group

GF Fund buys Lexington, Mass., defense contractor Oasis and installs a new CEO.

Pay freeze: How $2B + 1 decade = $60B

Jeffrey Zients, federal chief performance officer, explains the math behind President Barack Obama's projected $60 billion in savings with a two-year freeze on federal salaries.

Appian helps Treasury unit boost business process management

Appian has won a contract worth $10 million from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to expand the OCC’s use of the company’s business process management suite. The OCC, an agency of the Treasury Department, oversees the execution of laws relating to all national banks.

Lockheed finalizes $815M sale of EIG division

Lockheed Martin Corp. completed the sale of its Enterprise Integration Group business to Veritas Capital for $815 million in cash. What drove the company to divest such a large business unit?

Appian CEO sees games as serious business

Games that minimize chance and de-emphasize preparation are valuable because they prepare you for life and business, according to game player and creator Matt Calkins, president and CEO of Appian, a developer of business process management software.

5 keys to understanding Cisco CEO's world view

Cisco leader sees opportunities and challenges ahead. What's his advice for succeeding in a very competitive market?

Big contracts mean big pressure for contractors

The flexibility of large task-order contracts has helped them explode in the market. Their growth is both a blessing and curse for contractors.

A-T Solutions sees explosive growth in counter IED technology

Since Dennis Kelly joined A-T Solutions Inc. as chief operating officer in May 2008, the government contractor has experienced a 45 percent annual growth rate. The success helped the company garner a contractor of the year award. Kelly sees even more growth ahead.

Be prepared: The auditors are coming.

Michael Tinsley explains some of the challenges and solutions when companies face government auditors.

6 tips for improving your crisis communications plan

The potential for crisis always exists, so it is best to start planning your organization's communications plan now.

Apple launches federal integrator strategy

Apple Corp. is quietly launching partnerships with large and small prime contractors to chase enterprise information system projects. Who are the early adopters?

Why not more software reuse?

Blogger Steve Kelman believes the federal government could make big gains by making it a priority to reuse software wherever possible.

Risk-taking and short-tenure leaders in government

Blogger Steve Kelman notes that short-term political appointees, whatever their drawbacks, can introduce an element of valuable risk-taking into government management.

CACI nabs DHS financial services deal

The $450 million contract calls for CACI to integrate the department’s enterprise financial, acquisition and asset management systems.

White House promises major changes to IT management

The federal government is doing a major rehab on how it oversees and manages the $70 billion in annual IT spending.

SBA suspends 2 firms, alleging they served as fronts

The Small Business Administration has suspended EG Solutions and MultimaxArray FirstSource until they can address accusations of acting as fronts to pass small-business work to large company subcontractors.