Democratic presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman wants to increase homeland security spending by $16 billion over the Bush administration's plans. Among his proposals, the Connecticut senator said he would create an intelligence-sharing system to provide state and local police departments with instant access to the 58 federal terrorist watch lists.
Is the Coalition for Government Procurement essentially an arm of Washington Management Group Inc.? That's the question raised in our story on these two organizations.
Systems integrators and their government customers are finding that fulfilling Section 508 requirements isn't as troublesome ? or as costly ? as they once feared. In fact, executives say it's becoming a routine part of doing business.
Even as states cut funding and put the screws to many public programs, they continue to increase spending on human services IT systems. A big reason why: Federal and state laws mandate many of these programs that provide money and services to needy families and children. Another reason why: The federal government provides matching funds to build many of the IT systems required to determine eligibility, disperse benefits and support these programs.
Herb Birch left government contracting in February 2000 when he and his partners sold their company, Birch and Davis Holdings Inc., for $75 million to Affiliated Computer Services Inc. The business started by Birch and Willie Davis in 1976 delivered health care management services to clients in all 50 states and in every department of the federal government involved in health care.
Hurricane Isabel knocked out more than just electricity when it roared through the Mid-Atlantic states last month. Flattened trees and overflowing rivers also shut down numerous roads and highways, creating traffic headaches throughout the region.
Biometrics' alluring promise has long dazzled Hollywood scriptwriters and producers, but many in government remain skeptical. They recognize that incorporating techniques such as facial recognition or digital fingerprinting into a security solution is neither fast nor easy. Much hard work remains to establish the necessary standards and processes that would enable these technologies to serve as a component of an effective security system.
When the Homeland Security Department begins competition for the long-awaited U.S. Visit system -- a request for proposals is expected within a few months -- the agency gets one of its first major tests in building and operating a system that is critical to its mission.
Convergence as a concept is nothing new. With the explosion of the Internet in the 1990s, the idea of running both data and voice over the same wire seemed like a no-brainer.
Washington is a very small town, where everyone in the government IT community knows each other well, said Paul Lombardi, former chief executive officer of DynCorp. After nearly 40 years in this community, he knows the value of maintaining good relationships.
Two years ago, the Office of Management and Budget's 25 electronic government initiatives grabbed headlines with their advocacy of cross-agency initiatives. Many of them have been in the limelight ever since.
While the Coast Guard has always been important to the cities and towns along U.S. coastlines, the agency commanded relatively little attention on the national scene. But this changed dramatically following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the Coast Guard's transfer into the Homeland Security Department.
Sure, the federal market is hot, but that doesn't mean life has gotten easier for small and mid-size companies.Unlike Lockheed Martin Corp., Northrop Grumman Corp. and other household names, small businesses still must fight for face time with potential government customers. After all, why would a project manager put his or her credibility on the line for an unknown business?
When Washington Technology last went to press, war in Iraq had not yet begun. At this press time, coalition forces march toward Baghdad. Few are predicting a quick end, but we still can hope.
<FONT SIZE=2>	Gulf War II is imminent but, as I write this column, it has not yet begun. President Bush told Iraqi President Saddam Hussein that he and his sons must leave Iraq or face war. Hussein rejected the ultimatum. The world braces for conflict.</FONT>
Federal CIOs expect to outsource more information technology projects to the private sector during the coming year, especially in areas where agencies lack in-house resources or technical expertise, according to a new survey.
<FONT SIZE=2>The Bush administration appears determined to make good on its promise to help small businesses. Earlier this month, Angela Styles, administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, announced a proposal that would eliminate a procurement loophole that allows large companies to win contracts reserved for small businesses.</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=2>In case we didn't already know, officials of the Office of Management and Budget last week made clear they are taking firm control of federal spending on information technology. </FONT>
