People
GSA prepares FirstGov site for upgrade
As a part of its package of 23 <@SM>e-government initiatives, the Office of Management and Budget said the FirstGov.gov portal would move beyond the search engine and hot link capabilities it features now. Eventually, it will include online transactions, grant applications and regulatory filings, and a host of similar applications.
People
HP and Hughes unite to deliver application content by satellite
Hughes Network Systems and Hewlett-Packard Co. will jointly offer a managed-content satellite service that can deliver applications such as distance learning at from 50 to 400 remote sites.
People
Science.gov tool will browse public databases
A one-stop Web portal for government science and technology information is undergoing usability and accessibility testing before its launch early this year.
People
Illinois, Kansas lead states in e-gov
The fourth annual study of states’ progress in electronic government, conducted by the Center for Digital Government and the Progress and Freedom Foundation, found Illinois and Kansas both tops. Last year they ranked fourth and second, respectively. The previous three-time winner, Washington State, dropped to third place.
People
North Carolina secures online payments
North Carolina is using online payment software from CyberSource Corp. as part of its electronic payment services, said Mike Fenton, the state’s chief technology officer. The Mountain View, Calif., company’s software verifies credit card payments and looks for possible fraud.
People
Wisconsin takes unemployment filing to the Web
Wisconsin’s Workforce Development Department has begun accepting initial unemployment claim applications on a Web site, <a href="http://www.ucclaim-wi.org">ucclaim-wi.org</a>, which links to the state portal at <a href="http://www.wisconsin.gov">wisconsin.gov</a>.
People
Eads is IRS e-commerce director
The IRS has appointed James R. Eads Jr. director of e-commerce for the Large and Mid-Size Business Division’s international programs.
People
Feds are lax in record-keeping, NARA finds
Because many agency employees are unsure whether the electronic information they create constitutes official records, much of the data fails to make its way to the National Archives and Records Administration, according to a new report. Only records such as case files tend to be well-managed.
People
More individual taxpayers use e-filing
The IRS has happier customers among individual taxpayers who filed their 2001 returns online, according to a survey.
People
Education will put student loan services online
The Education Department’s Office of Student Financial Assistance Programs next year will offer services such as student loan payment and payment deferment online at <a href="http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP">www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP</a>.
People
Online licensing makes gains in Montana and New Hampshire
State officials in Montana yesterday unveiled an online service at <a href ="http://www.discoveringmontana.com">www.discoveringmontana.com </a> that lets users check the status of licensed professionals, including accountants, physicians and plumbers. The state contracted with Montana Interactive Inc., a subsidiary of National Information Consortium Inc. of Overland Park, Kan., to build the site, which is funded by user fees.
People
Interior loses Internet service following court mandate
Most Interior Department agencies began their first full week without Internet service today, as they complied with the Dec. 5 order of U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth to disconnect their systems from the Internet. The judge’s order stemmed from longstanding litigation over mismanaged American Indian trust funds and the vulnerability of the trust fund databases to hacking via the Internet.
People
GSA prepares to upgrade Firstgov
The Firstgov.gov portal will get a new look before the General Services Administration overhauls it. GSA released a request for proposals earlier this month to find a vendor to conduct focus groups and develop an interim redesign of the site.
People
FedBizOpps will be sole source of solicitation info
The federal government will complete the first step in making procurement a one-stop electronic process on Jan. 1, when FedBizOpps.gov becomes the only comprehensive federal online source for listing and finding solicitations.
People
GovNet ideas don’t come cheaply
Presidential cybersecurity adviser Richard A. Clarke’s October request for information for a secure GovNet intranet has drawn more than 160 vendor responses, including some warnings about the costs of a secure network.<@SM>
People
OMB: Pass the hat for e-gov funds
Congressional stinginess and the evaporation of federal surpluses have punctured hopes for windfall funding of e-government projects.
People
Forman promotes e-gov resource sharing
Mark Forman, the Office of Management and Budget’s associate director for IT and e-government, has been holding face-to-face meetings with agency program managers to persuade them to share funds for OMB’s 23 approved e-government initiatives.<@SM><@SM>
People
GSA will lead e-authentication project
The General Services Administration will oversee formation of a governmentwide public-key infrastructure through an electronic authentication project endorsed by the Office of Management and Budget.
People
INTERVIEW: Alan Balutis, FGIPC’s bridge-builder
Alan P. Balutis accumulated a quarter-century of federal experience before becoming in April the first person to serve as executive director and chief operating officer of the Federation of Government Information Processing Councils and its affiliate, the Industry Advisory Council.<@SM>
People
New polling gear gets rave reviews from Georgia voters
Georgia voters who participated in an electronic voting pilot project Nov. 6 endorsed the technology by an overwhelming margin, according to an exit poll conducted by the secretary of state.
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