Navy door opens for e-biz ideas

Navy's e-Business operations office Web site

Officials at the Navy's e-business operations office in Mechanicsburg, Pa., have issued a call for pilot project proposals for fiscal 2005.

Each year, the office selects several pilot programs to receive a modest amount of funding for the development, testing and evaluation of technology projects that can assist the Navy to be more efficient in business operations.

The evaluations for the program will be ongoing through July 30.

Successful pilot programs are of limited scope, cost and duration to rapidly develop working prototypes, according to a statement released by officials at the e-business operations office.

Proposals can be sent to the e-business operations office by visiting the office's Web site at www.don-ebusiness.navsup.navy.mil. The site also contains information about the proposal criteria and selection process.

The Navy's e-business operations office's pilot program has been so successful, the office was chosen to spearhead the Defense Department's Rapid Acquisition Incentive for Network Centricity last June. DOD officials launched the RAI-NC program last May to develop products and services that support the Pentagon's efforts to use information networks to transform military operations. The idea is to adapt commercial technology and procurement practices to shorten the time it takes to develop and field systems.