<FONT SIZE=2>Web site and e-mail traffic spiked Sept. 11, 2001. Worldwide, people were trying to find out what happened and locate loved ones after terrorists struck New York and Washington. But accurate information was hard to find, and some communications systems overloaded, including government Web sites.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>Lockheed Martin Corp., Bethesda, Md., has assembled a team to pursue a $500 million contract to build the battle management subsystem for the Air Force's Multi-Sensor Command and Control Aircraft program. </FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>President Bush continues to fill out the top management team at the Homeland Security Department. Bush is nominating Charles McQueary as undersecretary for science and technology and Michael Brown as undersecretary for emergency preparedness and response.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>The new Homeland Security Department will inherit many of the IT management problems of its component agencies, according to the General Accounting Office. </FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>Many investors will be asking two key questions as they review fourth quarter 2002 earnings reports and management earnings guidance for 2003: Is there any sign of a rebound in commercial information technology spending, and will federal continue to show good growth?</FONT>
The Bush administration's request for federal IT funding for fiscal 2004 could increase by more than 15 percent over the 2003 request, OMB's director says.
The new Homeland Security Department will inherit many of the IT management problems of its component agencies, the General Accounting Office reported Jan. 14.
President Bush said he would nominate this week Charles McQueary as undersecretary for science and technology and Michael Brown as undersecretary for emergency preparedness and response.
<FONT SIZE=2>These are the markets that spurred companies to make acquisitions, restructure operations and invest new resources. Here's where IT executives expect to make money.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2> Throw out the crystal ball. High-tech executives will have to rely on instinct, experience and up-to-the-minute intelligence to navigate the government IT market in 2003.</FONT>
President Bush's decision Dec. 17 to begin fielding missile defense platforms by 2004 or 2005 creates expanded opportunity for information technology companies. "This is extremely significant for the IT community. These types of platforms always have an inordinate amount of IT built into them," said Ray Bjorklund, a vice president with IT research and consulting firm Federal Sources Inc
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>
<FONT SIZE=2>Technology projects to be completed at the Department of Homeland Security in the short term include a consolidation of watch lists and departmentwide e-mail and information portals, said Lee Holcomb, director of infostructure for the White House Office of Homeland Security. Holcomb spoke at a homeland security conference in Washington Dec. 10. </FONT>
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>
