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.<br>
Computer Sciences Corp. won a $23 million contract from the Missile Defense Agency to help develop advanced capabilities for the ballistic missile defense system.<br>
After Friday's search of software vendor Ptech Inc.'s headquarters, the Justice Department says the government does not have any reason to believe any federal systems have been compromised.<br>
The homeland security bill that the House passed last week includes provisions to streamline information-technology acquisition, a congressman says.<br>
Something was different at this year's annual meeting of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers. Not just one, but two heavy hitters from the Bush administration gave keynote speeches.
Some biometric technologies could be used effectively to help screen individuals at U.S. borders provided they are used with other screening techniques, a new General Accounting Office report says.<br>
<FONT SIZE=2>Federal government spending on information technology will total more than $74 billion in fiscal 2003, according to a forecast by an IT trade association.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>The National Governors Association is preparing a homeland security report to help guide state and local governments on issues ranging from bioterrorism and public health to emergency communications and disaster response.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>On Oct. 21 Office of Homeland Security Chief Information Officer Steve Cooper joined officials from seven states in State College, Pa., to discuss how they might share criminal justice information with each other and the U.S. government. The site was a natural choice because Pennsylvania boasts one of the nation's most advanced criminal justice information sharing systems with its Justice Network.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>It only takes one day to change the nature of government. With the outcome of the elections Nov. 5, there is a new political reality at the federal level: One party now controls the executive office and both houses of Congress.</FONT>
Commercial technology?including Web portals and voice over IP?will play a key role in the Herculean task of smoothing the flow of information among federal, state and local agencies involved in homeland security, an Air Force IT leader says.
James Flyzik, special adviser to homeland security director Tom Ridge, announced Nov. 4 his plans to retire after 28 years of federal service. He will leave government Dec. 17. Flyzik, who is on detail to the Homeland Security Office from his post as chief information officer of the Treasury Department, said he has not decided what his next step will be.
As part of the $1.23 million biometrics research and development support task order, Unisys and the Defense Department will be working on improving identification of individuals from a database of two-dimensional photographs.
Science Applications International Corp. of San Diego won a contract from the U.S. Customs Service to provide preventive and corrective maintenance and support for its Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System units throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.
<FONT SIZE=2>AI Metrix Inc. provides network management software for some of the most complex networks in the private sector, including customers such as cable provider Comcast Corp. and telephone company Broadwing Inc.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>Warfighter Information Network - Tactical</FONT><FONT SIZE=2>Army Communications Electronics Command</FONT><FONT SIZE=2>Value: </FONT><FONT SIZE=2>$6.6 billion</FONT><FONT SIZE=2>Awarded: </FONT><FONT SIZE=2>Lockheed Martin Corp. and General Dynamics Corp. both won contracts Aug. 9 that will develop the architecture and start initial production of systems for testing. The Army will then pick between the two for full production.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>The Air Force wants information to flow seamlessly among its commanders and warfighters, whether it comes from a manned or unmanned aircraft, or even from space. To carry out this transformation, the Air Force in May formed the XI Command under Lt. Gen. Leslie Kenne. As part of her staff, Brig. Gen. Dan Goodrich is director of command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance integration, or C4ISR integration.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>"Decision makers aren't paid to be data collectors," said Douglas Barton, director of technology for the missions systems division of Lockheed Martin Corp. "If they have 10 minutes to make a decision, they shouldn't spend nine and a half minutes gathering data."</FONT>
