Unisys lands $750 million TSA bridge contract

Unisys Corp. has begun work on a bridge contract worth up to $750 million over three years to provide IT managed services to the Transportation Security Administration.

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.

Court reinstates OTI as e-passport RFID chip vendor

A federal judge has set aside the Government Printing Office's decision to eliminate On Track Innovations Ltd. from competing to provide radio-frequency identification tags for U.S. passport.

Tomarchio named DHS deputy director of intelligence

President Bush has appointed Jack Thomas Tomarchio, a former Army prosecutor and colonel in the Army reserve, as the principal deputy assistant secretary of Homeland Security for information analysis.

Homeland Security IG announces 2006 tech audits

The Homeland Security Department's inspector general expects to carry out more than a dozen evaluations of IT operations at the agency in 2006.

Homeland Security CIO needs more power, IG says

The Homeland Security Department's Chief Information Officer doesn't have the authority to integrate the department's IT infrastructure throughout, according to the DHS inspector general.

'Slap capture' is the new fingerprint goal

The Homeland Security Department is working with the departments of Defense and State, the FBI and the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology as well as technology vendors to develop a new generation of 10-finger "slap capture" units for fingerprint collection.

FBI to hire IT help

The FBI today unveiled a campaign to hire a large number of IT professionals to operate and maintain the bureau's global systems.

Due date for FirstSource proposals moves back

Proposals pushed back until Jan. 23 for huge small-business contract.

OPM financial and procurement shop seeks software training

The Office of Personnel Management is seeking a contractor to train the agency's workforce on new software designed to help modernize its financial and procurement systems.

Auditors: FBI on thin ice in Sentinel buy

The FBI faces special risks in developing the Sentinel case management system because it plans to do so at the same time that it is rolling out its new enterprise architecture, according to a letter issued this week by Government Accountability Office auditors.

Interior extends financial system recompete

The Interior Department has extended its deadline for proposals from vendors to work on the Financial and Business Modernization System.

Senate seeks industry input for portable ID system

The Senate is seeking vendors to help it establish a portable credentialing and identification system that will produce photo ID badges linked to a database containing information about the badge holder.

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.

VA hires consultant to study IT acquisition strategy

The Veterans Affairs Department selected LMI Government Consulting to analyze the agency's future IT acquisition needs and recommend the type of procurement vehicle it should use to acquire hardware and software in the future.

Coast Guard re-ups CNSI for boating accident database

Client Network Services Inc. won a $2 million contract renewal from the Coast Guard to manage its recreational boating accident report database.

USDA plans financial management system overhaul

The Agriculture Department will seek proposals to replace its core financial management system. An RFP is expected on or about Dec. 29.

Giddens leads DHS' new border initiative

Greg Giddens, a former Coast Guard Deepwater program official, has been appointed as chief of the Homeland Security Department's program management office for the Secure Border Initiative, the department has confirmed.

TSA moves forward with biometric ID card programs

The Transportation Security Administration is seeking help in implementing two of its biometric ID card programs?one for pre-screened airport passengers and another for transportation workers.