<FONT SIZE=2>Information technology industry executives are hopeful that the Bush administration's move to a new process for competing federal work will give them a better chance to win competitions with public-sector bidders.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>Officially called the National Distress and Response System Modernization Project, Rescue 21 is the equivalent of a 911 emergency system for boaters. </FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants proposals to support the teleprocessing needs of the National Driver Register program, a national clearinghouse for problem driver reporting. States provide the program with information, and then access the system when drivers apply for licenses or renew them. It requires a timesharing vendor offering an IBM compatible mainframe service, capable of connecting to state hosts via AAMVAnet, the network of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. For more information, the solicitation (DTNH2-03-R- 05013) can be found on FedBizOpps.gov. Responses are due April 4, 2003.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>The Tricare Management Activity and Military Health Systems are conducting market research to determine whether commercial items or non-developmental items are available that could meet their requirements. The TMA program office is looking for an off-the-shelf product to support their clinical laboratory and anatomic pathology needs. The request for information is to determine interested and available software vendors and services capable of supporting a global laboratory and anatomic pathology system for U.S. military hospitals and clinics. The requirements can be found on FedBizOpps.gov , solicitation no. DASW01-00-0-0000. The deadline is Dec. 17.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>The Air Force's Rome Research Site is soliciting white papers for innovative technologies to support command, control, communications, computers and intelligence applications. Responses should be sent to Jerry Lipa, reference BAA-03-02-IFKA, Rome Research Site/IFKA, 525 Brooks Rd., Rome, NY, 13441-4505. Multiple white papers may be submitted by each offerer. This broad agency announcement is open until Sept. 30, 2005, with funds available in each fiscal year. Details can be found on FedBizOpps.gov, solicitation no. reference number-BAA-03-02-IFKA.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>When L&E Associates learned about the Coast Guard's Rescue 21 modernization effort to upgrade its 30-year-old search and rescue communications system, the company was determined to find a way to be a part of it.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>The White House has no plans to relax its control over the budget process that many in government view as a power grab by the Office of Management and Budget.</FONT>
A federal court issued a stay Dec. 10, prohibiting the Pentagon from withholding payments on government contracts worth $2.3 billion from two major defense contractors.<br>
The federal Office of Management and Budget has released a second inventory of jobs that could be opened to public-private competition under Circular A-76. <br>
Northrop Grumman and TRW, in discussions with the Justice Department over their proposed merger, believe an acceptable consent decree can be reached within the next several days.<br>
<FONT SIZE=2>When the Bush administration in June resolved to create a Department of Homeland Security, it proposed giving the department special authority to use "flexible" procurement practices. The administration proposed that the agency generally would follow existing, governmentwide procurement laws, but would have broad authority to deviate from them if they would impair the agency's mission or operations.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>* More accountability of senior agency managers for improving opportunities for small businesses. Quarterly reports will be required by the Office of Management and Budget. </FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>The Bush administration's new plan to help small businesses by unbundling large federal contracts is generating cautious optimism among small players, but it is uncertain how the proposal will affect large contractors.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>	Lawmakers are optimistic Congress will quickly pass legislation establishing a Department of Homeland Security. Prospects for the legislation improved with the Nov. 5 elections, which gave Republicans control of the Senate, as well as the House. Democrats had objected to management flexibility provisions in the bill. </FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>	The eight-year, $7 billion Navy-Marine Corps Intranet project is beginning to hamper the ability of Navy air depots and shipyards to plan and budget for IT beyond the current fiscal year, according to a recent report by the General Accounting Office.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>	The Office of Management and Budget replaced a pair of e-government project managers leading cross-agency initiatives under the Federal Emergency Management Agency.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>Responding to complaints from small business executives, two federal agencies are working to close a loophole in the General Services Administration's multiple-award contracts, including GSA schedules, that has allowed some large contractors to win contracts set aside for small businesses. </FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>	The Social Security Administration plans to issue a request for quotation for a contractor for quarterly national change of address processing and locatable address conversion system processing to the agency's master beneficiary record. The work would be for a year, beginning either Feb. 1, 2003, or the date of award. There are also four one-year options. The agency seeks quotations only from contractors licensed by the U.S. Postal Service to provide these services. The RFQ is scheduled for release Nov. 19, with quotations due Nov. 25. Request the RFQ via fax at (410) 966-9310, by e-mail andrew.klimas@SSA.gov, or by mail at Social Security Administration, Office of Acquisition and Grants, Attn: Andrew Klimas, 1710 Gwynn Oak Ave., Baltimore, MD 21207-5279. Refer to NCOA RFQ. The agency will not respond to telephone requests.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>	The State Department's Diplomatic Telecommunications Service Program Office is seeking information from industry regarding secure dial-in access. This is not a request for proposals, and a solicitation is not available. The request for information is available at www.statebuy.gov. Responses must be received Dec. 6.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>	The FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division in Clarksburg, W.Va., is looking for competitive sources for converting paper fingerprint cards into electronic format for its Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System. Interested parties should respond with a capabilities statement. At this time, only prime contractor interest is solicited. The full requirement is available at FedBizOpps.gov, under Solicitation No. 0020073. Responses are due Dec. 9.</FONT>
