Government Procurement articles from August 2005

Government Procurement archives from August 2005

Public purchaser wins whistle blower case.(FRISCH FINDINGS)
August 1, 2005... Beau Grant's column, "Is Public Procurement Being Sold Out?," page 44, June 2005, prompted Janet A. Garrison, CPPO, FCPM, to e-mail her whistle blower tale to Government Procurement. "I fell into a "political power" personal profit trap on...

Procurement professionals celebrate the magic.(READERS)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... Love your publication Government Procurement. However, I am compelled to point out an error in the June article Procurement Professionals Celebrate the Magic. In it you state that the NIGP Forum "... is the only educational conference...

Frenzied finale.(READERS)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... I just read your article on the year end crunch and enjoyed your comments. I'm four months new to government procurement but have been in the procurement field for over twenty plus years in the construction and high-tech sectors. My peers...

For Illinois Agency, knowledge is power--and promise: when it comes to winning ways of sharing information among procurement professionals, Illinois' Department of Management Services is in the know.(KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT)(Cover Story)
August 1, 2005... How can state governments stop reinventing the wheel every time a valued employee leaves with institutional knowledge or files detailing the processes and systems at the heart of a department's function are lost? The E-Gov Institute...

Job order contracting: lays foundation for savings: by implementing Job Order Contracting (JOC), public agencies can cut costs for countless construction, maintenance, and renovation projects.(CONTRACTING)
August 1, 2005... At any level of government, public purchasers look for ways to streamline the procurement process. By simplifying and expediting purchasing procedures, government entities can save time and money, thereby spending taxpayer dollars wisely. ...

Greening federal purchasing.(the GREEN PURCHASER)
August 1, 2005... The federal government is one of the world's largest purchasing entities. Excluding purchases by the Department of Defense, it spends almost $300 billion annually through contracts for goods and services. It spends an additional $15 billion in...

Buying smarter: a nonprofit consortium of colleges in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley is a textbook model for entities seeking to establish a purchasing consortium of their own.(COLLABORATIVE PURCHASING)
August 1, 2005... Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges (LVAIC) incorporated in 1969 as a group of six independent Pennsylvania higher-education institutions whose mission was to expand educational opportunities for students, provide professional...

State's strategy promotes savings, MWBE participation.(STRATEGIC SOURCING)(minority- and women-owned business)
August 1, 2005... Upon taking office in 2003, Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell learned that he had inherited a $2 billion structural deficit. One of his campaign promises was to look for every opportunity to generate significant savings for the state's...

Art form elevates playground climbing.(PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: recreation: playgrounds, surfacing, skate parks and water fun)
August 1, 2005... Mobius looping, twisting climber brings a new look to any playground. Sleek, unique design can pass for modern art. Children can climb all over the playscape where up is down, front is back, and every direction is full of loopy twists. Children...

Add waterscapes and waves to aquatic environments.(PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: recreation: playgrounds, surfacing, skate parks and water fun)
August 1, 2005... Masters Series Floating Fountains are available in 21 spray patterns. Choose from 1- to 5-hp. and single and 3-phase fountains (5-hp., Valhalla pattern shown). Boast larger waterscapes, using same or less horsepower. Complete assemblies are...

Barrier-free fountain serves people and pets.(PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: recreation: playgrounds, surfacing, skate parks and water fun)
August 1, 2005... Dual-height Street Smart 3500D pedestal model includes attached pet fountain. Vandal-resistant drinking fountain features green powder-coated finish. Modified waste strainer, located in foot-operated pet fountain, puddles water for pooches and...

Lockable rack stores skateboards and scooters.(PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: recreation: playgrounds, surfacing, skate parks and water fun)
August 1, 2005... Pilot Rock Boardloch Security Rack holds up to 5 skateboards or 4 push-type scooters. Wall-mount rack keeps skateboards and scooters off the ground and out of the way. Available with standard galvanized or optional, powder coat painted finish....

Three-level play structure treats kids to large-scale fun.(PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: recreation: playgrounds, surfacing, skate parks and water fun)
August 1, 2005... Megatower encourages physical exercise, imaginative play, and social interaction among 5- to 12-year-old children. Offers up to 3 play towers, with up to 3 stacked, octagonal decks per tower. Can include 5 slides, including 3 tube slides....

Welded receptacles welcome pedestrians.(PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: recreation: playgrounds, surfacing, skate parks and water fun)
August 1, 2005... Galvanized-steel, 45-gal., Street Baskets offer red, blue, black, or green powder-coated finish. Tapered bottom allows stacking for storage. Rolled top edging eases handling. Top edging and 6 vertical ribs are continuously welded to mesh. Small...

GSA restructures to create Federal Acquisition Service.(NEWS)(General Services Administration)
August 1, 2005... The General Services Administration (GSA) has announced details of a new organizational structure that will combine the Federal Technology Service (FTS) and Federal Supply Service (FSS) into a single Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) with six...

Survey reveals importance of automation in procure-to-pay process.(NEWS)
August 1, 2005... A survey of government officials from 13 countries, including Japan, Korea, South Africa, Thailand, United Kingdom, and the United States, finds that automation is a key priority for 68 percent of respondents. The survey, conducted at the 7th...

South Carolina DOT steers toward service to drive vendor variation.(NEWS)
August 1, 2005... The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SC DOT) has subscribed to SourceConnect, a centralized online supplier information service for public-sector purchasing and contracting agencies, to support its vendor, contractor, and consultant...

State's reverse energy auction wins award.(NEWS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The State of Maryland has won awards from the National Association of State Facilities Administrators (NASFA) and the National Association of State Chief Administrators (NASCA) for its reverse energy auction, conducted by World Energy Exchange,...

NASPO relocates headquarters.(NEWS)
August 1, 2005... The National Association of State Procurement Officials' (NASPO) management firm, AMR Management Services (AMR), formerly Association Management Resources, Inc., has relocated its offices. The new address is NASPO, c/o AMR Management Services,...

Public-private partnerships prove positive for municipalities.(NEWS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The Water Partnership Council released its first report on public-private partnerships to mayors and other municipal officials attending the United States Conference of Mayors' Annual Meeting. Based on interviews with 31 community leaders...

Anti-terrorism search technology helps uncover covert content threats.(NEWS)
August 1, 2005... IBM, Armonk, NY, announces a new search technology that enables intelligence and law enforcement agencies to uncover hidden patterns to identify potential criminal or terrorist activity. The solution can find covert information by analyzing...

State grants awarded to encourage health care information automation.(NEWS)
August 1, 2005... The federal government has awarded more than 100 grants worth $139 million to 38 state governments to implement federal Health Information Technology (HIT) initiatives over the next four years, according to a report by Input. The primary...

Share-in-savings initiative not yet tested, GAO finds.(NEWS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... More than two years after enactment of the E-Government Act of 2002, implementing regulations and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance for using share-in-savings contracts for information technology have yet to be issued, according to...

American Science and Engineering, Inc.(CONTRACTS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... American Science and Engineering, Inc., Billerica, MA, has been awarded a contract valued at $722,000 by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to upgrade its Z Backscatter personnel screening system. The scanner can detect a...

CarteGraph Systems, Inc.(CONTRACTS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The City of Arlington, TX, has chosen an integrated asset management solution from CarteGraph Systems, Inc., Dubuque, IA, for their work management, pavement management, and inventory needs. The software will be integrated with Arlington's...

Apogen Services.(CONTRACTS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... New Orleans-based Apogen Services has been awarded a one-year contract worth $735,000 by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Office of State Police, to develop information systems to support the Louisiana Fusion and...

ESRI.(CONTRACTS)(Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The North Carolina Office of Information Technology Services has approved an Enterprise License Agreement (ELA) with ESRI, a Redlands, CA-based geographic information system (GIS) technology provider. "The [ELA] will facilitate an increase...

Johnson Controls Government Systems, LLC.(CONTRACTS)
August 1, 2005... The U.S. Army's Fort Irwin, located in California, has awarded Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls Government Systems, LLC, a federal Energy Savings Performance Contract. The project will save $27 million in energy and water-related costs during...

Stanley Security Solutions, Inc.(CONTRACTS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Indianapolis-based Stanley Security Solutions, Inc., has been awarded a two-year contract by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to provide access control and security systems throughout the space agency's various...

Archer Technologies.(CONTRACTS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded Overland Park, KS-based Archer Technologies a contract to standardize and automate the department's Incident Management and Reporting process. The DOJ will employ software in all divisions, bureaus,...

Performance Assessment Network, Inc.(CONTRACTS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The United States Postal Service (USPS) has awarded a contract to Performance Assessment Network, Inc., Carmel, IN, for technology and consulting services in the development and administration of Internet-based versions of the USPS...

Wireless Facilities, Inc.(CONTRACTS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The Government Services Division of San Diego-based Wireless Facilities, Inc., has been awarded contracts, extensions, and contract vehicles totaling up to $9 million over five years if all option periods are exercised. Under the most...

Longo assumes control of Northern Safety.(CONTRACTS)
August 1, 2005... Salvatore Longo has won his bid to purchase Northern Safety Co., Inc., in a state court auction, dissolving his partnership with Ronald Longo. Northern Safety is a national distributor of safety and industrial supplies serving more than...

The gathering.(COMMON SENSE)
August 1, 2005... I've just returned home from the fabulous 2005 NIGP Forum in Anaheim, California. It was one of the best I have ever attended. The hotels and convention center were centrally located, with everything from Disneyland to fabulous restaurants...