DOD site helps target federal EC information

As with many topics these days pinpointing specific and helpful information about electronic commerce in the government can be similar to finding a needle in a haystack. But the Defense Department has created the comprehensive Federal Electronic Commerce Navigator which should help users locate the proverbial needle.

Point your browser to DOD's Electronic Commerce Office home page at www.acq.osd.mil/ec and then click on the "Navigator" icon on the right side of the page. Up pops a page that DOD describes as a "hub to navigate the maze of electronic commerce government and commercial industry [World Wide] Web sites." The page is multilayered and takes users down to very specific data or site links. For users who may be a bit unsure of exactly what information they need click on "Notes About This Page" for a detailed look at the type of information each option will provide.

For example the "Civil Partners" option will show an index of EC-related Web sites created by federal departments or it will whisk users to a list of the various interagency EC programs.

The "Defense Partners" option leads to EC resources from DOD and the armed forces while the "Industry" option provides myriad links to commercial EC sites. The page also offers an "Assistance" icon as an option for those federal users who need help launching or managing EC applications and it offers a high-level perspective of the Clinton administration's goals for the federal government's use of EC. Point your browser to the "Library" icon for customized access to EC data and the latest news on the subject from a variety of sources. Click on "Government Shopping" if you are interested in tapping into federal contracts that allow agencies to use EC to purchase products. The option allows users to link to sites with information about the General Services Administration's Advantage program NASA's Scientific and Engineering Workstation Procurement II contract the Army's Small Computer Program the Air Force's Country Store and other EC buying opportunities.

For industry users the page also offers a direct path to the Central Contractor Registration site for federal government trading partners. Except for some photographs of various Washington D.C. monuments the site is not packed with sophisticated graphics. But this gem of a site is overflowing with well-organized in-depth data on EC.