Pentagon inks paperless deals

The Pentagon continues its march toward a paperless future with two just-announced e-government deals.

Lockheed Martin Information Systems signed a memorandum of understanding with several Defense Department agencies for a paper-free contracting process designed to speed deliveries and decrease administrative costs. The agencies include the Army Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command (STRICOM); the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division; and the Orlando, Fla., office of the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA).

On the same day Lockheed signed its agreement, Integic Corp. announced a $1 million contract with the DCMA to provide a software upgrade and expansion of the company's e.Power e-business solution for more than 12,000 civilian and military personnel at the agency.

The agreement with Lockheed is expected to streamline contracting process, improving delivery, reducing errors and eliminating delays with the use of electronic contract awards and an electronic delivery form.

"Benefits gained through use of e-commerce techniques, such as improved accuracy, efficiency and better forecasting, apply directly to our customers and suppliers," said Lockheed Martin Information Systems president John Hallal.

"Paperless contracting streamlines our business process and is a key ingredient of today's e-business strategies," said Brig. Gen. Stephen Seay, commanding general at STRICOM. "Our teaming efforts with industry bring us further into the world of e-commerce, with all of the derived benefits: expediency, efficiency and cost reduction."

Integic's deal includes upgrading its e.Power e-business platform to Version 6.2 for workflow and records management.

"E.Power provides DCMA with the capability to receive documents electronically from our customers, administer our contracts without re-creating paper, and initiate process workflows to improve the way we do business," said Michael Williams, chief information officer at DCMA. "In addition, by automating the business rules that create and manage our documents, records management becomes part of the entire process rather than just an afterthought."