Digital Government

Computer science reaping benefits of Clinton budget proposal

President Bill Clinton's announcement last week that he plans to request $2.2 billion for governmentfunded research includes a record increase for the National Science Foundation that would boost development of new computing and nanoscale technologies.

Acquisition

NASA issues ultimatum to software vendor

Tivoli Systems Inc., a subsidiary of IBM Corp., this week at the RSA Data Security Conference announced the creation of a new division that will control and develop all of IBM's information security products and services.

Acquisition

FAA project hits snag, but on target overall, officials say

Despite a onemonth delay in the early part of the procurement process for a major aircraft tracking system, Federal Aviation Administration officials claim the project will remain on schedule.

Digital Government

NASA funds Nomad expedition to Antarctica

A computerized fourwheeled robot named Nomad that has been deployed in Antarctica to search for meteorites could serve as a prototype for future planetary exploration.

Digital Government

Washington, D.C., airport experiences another breakdown

All of the main frequencies and voice circuits at the control tower of Washington, D.C.'s Ronald Reagan National Airport failed for nearly an hour Tuesday when a power cable connector slid down a wire during an upgrade to the power system and hit one of three circuit breaker switches, according to a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman.

Digital Government

NASA, Industry to collaborate on research

NASA's Center of Excellence for Information Technology at Ames Research Center will conduct joint research in cuttingedge technologies with industry partners at the NASA Research Park.

Digital Government

Clinton to seek $1.2 billion for DOT R& D

Transportation Department Secretary Rodney Slater announced Monday that President Clinton's 2001 budget request will include a 35 percent increase in funding for transportation research and development.

Digital Government

Web site offers transportation clearinghouse

The designers of smarter, more efficient transportation systems have a new online resource to get information about transportation research.

Digital Government

Flexibility a must for NASA's PKI

NASA's publickey infrastructure will operate using Entrust Technologies' certification authority infrastructure, which can provide a user two digital signature identities, one a personal identity and one based on the person's role within an organization, said Gary Moore, a federal technical advisor with Entrust.

Acquisition

NASA headquarters selects SAIC to provide desktop services

NASA has awarded Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) Information Services, Vienna, Va., a threeyear $20.1 million contract to provide information technology services to NASA headquarters under the Outsourcing Desktop Initiative for NASA (ODIN).

Digital Government

Coast Guard gets tough on IT acquisition policies

More software monitoring systems and formal guidance are needed to keep the U.S. Coast Guard's Fleet Logistics System and other information technology projects in line, on time and on budget, according to recommendations delivered to the agency's chief information officer this week.

Digital Government

Air Force taps five vendors for LAN/WAN deal

The Air Force Standard Systems Group on Wednesday awarded $140 million in blanket purchase agreements to five network products suppliers.

Acquisition

Desktop outsourcer brings help desk in-house

Bucking a trend that is key to its own business livelihood, an outsourcing contractor on NASA's seat management contract is bringing its helpdesk operation back inhouse to improve service for its federal customers.

Digital Government

FAA oceanic tracker ready for takeoff

The Federal Aviation Administration has revitalized its plan to automate the way aircraft are tracked and routed as they cross the ocean.

Digital Government

Tapping into astronauts' health data

Moffett Federal Airfield, Calif. The blanket of fog cutting visibility around San Francisco International Airport as seen from an air traffic control tower looked real.

Digital Government

Feds leave doors open for hackers

After repeated break-ins through the same door, a shaken business owner likely would get the message and buy a sturdy lock, a big dog or a loud alarm.

Digital Government

Mission to Mars reveals need for more bandwidth

NASA officials are calling the unprecedented volume of Internet traffic received Dec. 3 by the main Mars Polar Lander World Wide Web site a good wakeup call for the space agency.

Digital Government

New chip promises telecom, Internet boost

A new highspeed digital chip demonstrated recently by TRW Space?#038;Electronics Group soon may offer telecommunications service providers and government agencies fiberoptic data transmissions at up to 40 gigabits/sec.

Digital Government

Vendors team on 'Seat' alternative

San Diego Litton/PRC Inc. and Micron Electronics Inc. have teamed up to offer government agencies the opportunity to test drive desktop outsourcing without turning over all their systems to an outside contractor right away. Many agencies have been looking at the General Services Administration's

Digital Government

Federal regs, buying process 'out of sync'

The federal government must use information technology to speed the regulatory process if it wants to foster and adopt industry's newest technologies, which are developed at a rate that overwhelms the federal procurement process, according to a Commerce Department official. The government's budget,