While more than 1,200 government employees recently attended Office of Management and Budget workshops on preparing business cases, less than 1 percent were from acquisition or procurement offices.
The Small Business Administration should delay implementation of a rule requiring small businesses with a multiple-award schedule or other multiple-award contract to annually recertify their size, according to the Professional Services Council. The trade group represents technical and professional services firms.
Federal IT security improvements are coming too slowly, lawmakers said at a June 24 hearing of the House Government Reform subcommittee on technology, information policy, intergovernmental relations and the census.
Federal agencies missed their aim of sending 23 percent of prime contracting dollars to small businesses for the third straight year, according to the annual scorecard produced by Democratic members of the House Committee on Small Business.
Just one month after the White House published new procedures for public-private competition of government jobs, federal unions and lawmakers are moving to stall or prevent new competitions.
In 2002, hackers broke into a California state payroll database and gained access to confidential personnel data for more than 250,000 employees. The state did not become aware of the security breach for a month and took another two weeks before notifying state employees. On July 1, California Senate Bill 1386 went into effect to decrease the chances of such a crime happening again.
	The geologic division of the U.S. Geological Survey is looking for geographic information system and database support, emphasizing database and GIS use in defining total petroleum systems and assessment units in priority regions and provinces. USGS also wants to develop an associated digital data library and help in preparing graphics for USGS publications. There are two solicitations, one for a full time position and one part time, both in the Denver area. Both are small business set asides. For more details, visit fedbizopps.gov, solicitation nos. 03CRQQ0186 and03CRQQ0187. Responses are due by July 15.
	The Air Force 88th Mission Support Squadron and other units supported by Wright-Patterson Air Force Base need administration support for the personnel data computer system. This effort will include problem solving, work-group administration, equipment management and customer service in accordance with applicable directives, headquarters guidance and sound IT practices.
	The Coast Guard has released a request for information to assess data and voice technologies on small Coast Guard cutters. Cutters rely on different technologies, such as VHF-FM marine band, cellular phone service and high frequency, for command, control and operational communications during missions. Many have inadequate communications systems to support message traffic or e-Coast Guard initiatives.
The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly, 425-2, to approve $29.4 billion for the first full budget of the Department of Homeland Security, but companies in the federal information technology sector should not expect major new IT initiatives to begin soon.
At California Coast University in Santa Ana, Calif., prospective students can have undergraduate courses waived by applying credit for "life-learning."
Bruce Barney envisions a day when police and emergency personnel responding to a major disaster in the Washington region will immediately share information electronically as they arrive at the incident. The first officer on the scene, he said, will create a file on his of her mobile laptop for the emergency. As other responders arrive, they will communicate through instant messaging, using icons identifying them as police, fire, emergency personnel or highway safety.
The referral of a negative report by the General Services Administration's inspector general earlier this month has initiated suspension proceedings against troubled telecom company WorldCom Inc.
Sen. Susan Collins is asking for an investigation to determine if government employees have been getting tuition reimbursement for credentials received from unaccredited organizations.
The Labor Department knew Laura Callahan, its former deputy chief information officer, had suspect credentials, but took no action, according to letter from a congressman pushing an investigation of Callahan and the use of diploma mills by government officials.
Industry and union representatives called for changes to the new rules for public-private competition of federal work at a hearing today before the House Government Reform committee.
<font color="CC0000"> (UPDATED) </font> The Bush administration has not lived up to its promise to open more contracting opportunities to small businesses, House Democrats said as they released their fourth annual scorecard that tracks federal prime contracting dollars going to small businesses.
