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November 4, 2003
GovPro E-Newsletter
Tuesday, November 4, 2003 Volume 2, Issue 43
Welcome to the GovPro Newsletter brought to you by the Penton Government Media Group. Look forward to news, resources, product and supplier information, and links relating to the government market.
Sponsored by Safety Storage
CONTENTS
Contracts Perform for Entities Group Effort to Rehab Port Areas Virtual World to Combat Hackers Canadian Rx Prices for States? Online Funds for PA Volunteer Firefighters News of The Weird
FEATURES
CONTRACTING FOR PERFORMANCE: NO MORE ACQUISITION THINK
Look around. It will probably come as no surprise that the number of government procurement professionals is dwindling. A recent General Accounting Office (GAO) report on spending and workforce trends estimates 38 percent of the federal acquisition workforce will be eligible for retirement between now and 2008. Other estimates put that number closer to 50 percent.
The shrinking workforce, coupled with ever-tightening budgets, has forced government to seek alternatives to labor-intensive procurement practices. Performance-based contracting (PBC) has become one increasingly important option.
PBC is hardly new. Lawrence L. (Larry) Martin, for one, wrote his first such contract in 1982, while working for Maricopa County in Phoenix, AZ.
Martin, who now serves as professor of Public Affairs and director of the Center for Community Partnerships, College of Health and Public Affairs, University of Central Florida (Orlando), has studied the recent trend toward performance-based contracts.
While I assume that at least some federal departments and agencies have a long history with PBC, Martin says, the current interest in the topic comes about as the result of studies, guidance, and encouragement provided by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) and goals and targets established by the Bush administration, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and The Procurement Executive Council.
For complete article and graphics, visit: http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/27656/
PORTFIELDS: A NEW CONCEPT IN WATERFRONT REHABILITATION
The 3,500 people attending this years annual brownfields conference in Portland, OR, last week were introduced to a new concept in brownfields redevelopment - portfields. A federal portfields initiative was announced that is aimed at revitalizing waterfront areas and improving marine transportation, as well as restoring and protecting coastal resources.
Brownfields are degraded lands that may be contaminated with hazardous substances, and portfields are such lands in and adjacent to ports. The portfields initiative is a new federal government interagency effort led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that will see federal officials working with port communities to rehabilitate their degraded industrial areas.
For complete story and graphics, visit: http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/27665/
SAFETY STORAGE
Safety Storage crafts hazardous storage buildings for a wide range of applications, like isolating a hazardous production process, containing a volatile material, enclosing an explosive operation, adding a test lab, or securing equipment or evidence. Only Safety Storage has the custom-engineering experience and range of pre-fabricated solutions that fully comply with governmental regulations, and meet pertinent building and fire codes. For details, go to http://www.safetystorage.com
NEWS
ISU READY TO HIT HACKERS HEAD-ON
Iowa State University researchers plan to build a virtual Internet to serve as a cyber-defense test ground through a Justice Department grant of almost $500,000. ISU researcher Doug Jacobson explains that with the Internet-Scale Event and Attack Generation Environment (ISEAGE), "We will be able to carry out computer attacks exactly as they happen in the real world."
Among the uses Jacobson sees for ISEAGE are understanding the vulnerabilities and defensive strategies of civilian and government infrastructure; assessing the level of security among existing business and industry computer systems; security product reliability testing; and supporting academic and research initiatives. Additionally, Jacobson believes ISEAGE will be instrumental in creating new cybercrime forensics techniques to track down the culprits behind systems attacks.
Source: The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC)
MIDWEST GOVERNORS EYE CANADIAN RX IMPORTS
Several Midwestern governors and legislators from seven states are pressing the federal government to remove legal hurdles to importing lower-priced prescription drugs from Canada.
Leading the pack is Illinois Gov. Ron Blagojevich (D). He made public a study Monday (10/27) showing that his state could save nearly $91 million a year by buying prescription drugs for state workers and retirees from Americas northern neighbor.
Blagojevich has lobbied officials in Washington, D.C. and wrote letters and placed phone calls to 49 other governors offices to generate support, press secretary Abby Ottenhoff said.
He has also brought the issue to the World Wide Web. Blagojevich has launched an online petition to pressure the FDA to work with states to ensure safety of imported drugs.
Certainly, here in the heartland, governors are very aware of the fact that this is such a critical issue for people across the board, Ottenhoff said. Those governors include Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (D), Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle (D) and Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D), she said.
To sign online petition, visit: http://www.affordabledrugs.il.gov
FUNDS ONLINE FOR PA VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS
Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner Edward Mann announced that applications for the Volunteer Fire Company/Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Program are available online.
The last day to apply for the grant is Dec. 31, 2003.
"Many local fire and ambulance companies need this money badly to make building repairs and new equipment purchases or retire debt," Mann said. "We all know how important volunteer fire, ambulance and rescue squads are, both for public safety and for the vital role they play in our communities."
Under the Volunteer Fire Company/Volunteer Ambulance Service grant program, $22 million will be allocated for fire company grants and $3 million for ambulance service grants.
Grants to volunteer fire and rescue companies, ranging from $2,500 to $15,000, may be used for construction or renovation of a fire company facility, purchase or repair of firefighting or rescue equipment, training or debt reduction.
Grants to volunteer ambulance services, ranging from $2,500 to $10,000, may be used for construction or renovation of the ambulance company's garage or station, purchase or repair of ambulance equipment, office equipment and support services, training or debt reduction.
For more information on the grant process or to apply for the grant online, please visit the Office of State Fire Commissioner Web site at http://www.OSFC.state.pa.us
NEWS OF THE WEIRD: Bizarre but true stories about real people. http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/28489/
It's Fast! It's Fun! It's new Technology! A new way to obtain information on the latest safety products. To view Safety E-Deck from Occupational Hazards magazine CLICK HERE! http://demg.penton.com/turnstile.php?ID=11062
LINKS
Cat H-Series Motor Graders have the best control, durability and reliability in the industry. Spec your motor grader at http://www.govbidspec.com
Upbeats Institutional Catalog features site furnishings/amenities including trash containers, park benches, picnic tables, ash urns, bike racks, banners and more. Shop online http://www.upbeatinc.com
Ford offers the widest variety of trucks built for commercial applications. Everything from E-Series cargo vans and wagons to Super Duty F-Series trucks and chassis cabs. Be sure to visit your local Ford dealer. http://www.commtruck.ford.com
C & H Distributors provide a fast, efficient way to purchase shelving, cabinets, packaging and shipping products, or office furniture. Visit: http://r.ms00.net/s/c?ij.4i5e.7.1umv.14mj
Crown Equipment designs, manufactures, distributes, services, and supports material handling products that provide customers with superior value. http://r.pm0.net/s/c?ij.5jpy.25.2cmg.2hbf
Issue employee badges, student ID cards, membership, or access control cards with SP 35 card printer. Offers excellent image and card quality, while optimizing ribbon usage. Call Team Marketing: 800-344-9054 or visit: http://www.teamphoto.com
You may qualify for a FREE Magazine Subscription
Complimentary subscriptions to Government Product News, a product-driven resource, and Government PROcurement, editorial targeting the public sector purchasing professional are available to those who qualify. To subscribe to Government Product News visit: http://www.submag.com/sub/gn
To subscribe to Government Procurement visit: http://www.submag.com/sub/gp
Copyright 2003 Penton Media, Inc.
Welcome to the GovPro Newsletter brought to you by the Penton Government Media Group. Look forward to news, resources, product and supplier information, and links relating to the government market.
Sponsored by Safety Storage
CONTENTS
Contracts Perform for Entities Group Effort to Rehab Port Areas Virtual World to Combat Hackers Canadian Rx Prices for States? Online Funds for PA Volunteer Firefighters News of The Weird
FEATURES
CONTRACTING FOR PERFORMANCE: NO MORE ACQUISITION THINK
Look around. It will probably come as no surprise that the number of government procurement professionals is dwindling. A recent General Accounting Office (GAO) report on spending and workforce trends estimates 38 percent of the federal acquisition workforce will be eligible for retirement between now and 2008. Other estimates put that number closer to 50 percent.
The shrinking workforce, coupled with ever-tightening budgets, has forced government to seek alternatives to labor-intensive procurement practices. Performance-based contracting (PBC) has become one increasingly important option.
PBC is hardly new. Lawrence L. (Larry) Martin, for one, wrote his first such contract in 1982, while working for Maricopa County in Phoenix, AZ.
Martin, who now serves as professor of Public Affairs and director of the Center for Community Partnerships, College of Health and Public Affairs, University of Central Florida (Orlando), has studied the recent trend toward performance-based contracts.
While I assume that at least some federal departments and agencies have a long history with PBC, Martin says, the current interest in the topic comes about as the result of studies, guidance, and encouragement provided by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) and goals and targets established by the Bush administration, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and The Procurement Executive Council.
For complete article and graphics, visit: http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/27656/
PORTFIELDS: A NEW CONCEPT IN WATERFRONT REHABILITATION
The 3,500 people attending this years annual brownfields conference in Portland, OR, last week were introduced to a new concept in brownfields redevelopment - portfields. A federal portfields initiative was announced that is aimed at revitalizing waterfront areas and improving marine transportation, as well as restoring and protecting coastal resources.
Brownfields are degraded lands that may be contaminated with hazardous substances, and portfields are such lands in and adjacent to ports. The portfields initiative is a new federal government interagency effort led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that will see federal officials working with port communities to rehabilitate their degraded industrial areas.
For complete story and graphics, visit: http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/27665/
SAFETY STORAGE
Safety Storage crafts hazardous storage buildings for a wide range of applications, like isolating a hazardous production process, containing a volatile material, enclosing an explosive operation, adding a test lab, or securing equipment or evidence. Only Safety Storage has the custom-engineering experience and range of pre-fabricated solutions that fully comply with governmental regulations, and meet pertinent building and fire codes. For details, go to http://www.safetystorage.com
NEWS
ISU READY TO HIT HACKERS HEAD-ON
Iowa State University researchers plan to build a virtual Internet to serve as a cyber-defense test ground through a Justice Department grant of almost $500,000. ISU researcher Doug Jacobson explains that with the Internet-Scale Event and Attack Generation Environment (ISEAGE), "We will be able to carry out computer attacks exactly as they happen in the real world."
Among the uses Jacobson sees for ISEAGE are understanding the vulnerabilities and defensive strategies of civilian and government infrastructure; assessing the level of security among existing business and industry computer systems; security product reliability testing; and supporting academic and research initiatives. Additionally, Jacobson believes ISEAGE will be instrumental in creating new cybercrime forensics techniques to track down the culprits behind systems attacks.
Source: The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC)
MIDWEST GOVERNORS EYE CANADIAN RX IMPORTS
Several Midwestern governors and legislators from seven states are pressing the federal government to remove legal hurdles to importing lower-priced prescription drugs from Canada.
Leading the pack is Illinois Gov. Ron Blagojevich (D). He made public a study Monday (10/27) showing that his state could save nearly $91 million a year by buying prescription drugs for state workers and retirees from Americas northern neighbor.
Blagojevich has lobbied officials in Washington, D.C. and wrote letters and placed phone calls to 49 other governors offices to generate support, press secretary Abby Ottenhoff said.
He has also brought the issue to the World Wide Web. Blagojevich has launched an online petition to pressure the FDA to work with states to ensure safety of imported drugs.
Certainly, here in the heartland, governors are very aware of the fact that this is such a critical issue for people across the board, Ottenhoff said. Those governors include Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (D), Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle (D) and Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D), she said.
To sign online petition, visit: http://www.affordabledrugs.il.gov
FUNDS ONLINE FOR PA VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS
Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner Edward Mann announced that applications for the Volunteer Fire Company/Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Program are available online.
The last day to apply for the grant is Dec. 31, 2003.
"Many local fire and ambulance companies need this money badly to make building repairs and new equipment purchases or retire debt," Mann said. "We all know how important volunteer fire, ambulance and rescue squads are, both for public safety and for the vital role they play in our communities."
Under the Volunteer Fire Company/Volunteer Ambulance Service grant program, $22 million will be allocated for fire company grants and $3 million for ambulance service grants.
Grants to volunteer fire and rescue companies, ranging from $2,500 to $15,000, may be used for construction or renovation of a fire company facility, purchase or repair of firefighting or rescue equipment, training or debt reduction.
Grants to volunteer ambulance services, ranging from $2,500 to $10,000, may be used for construction or renovation of the ambulance company's garage or station, purchase or repair of ambulance equipment, office equipment and support services, training or debt reduction.
For more information on the grant process or to apply for the grant online, please visit the Office of State Fire Commissioner Web site at http://www.OSFC.state.pa.us
NEWS OF THE WEIRD: Bizarre but true stories about real people. http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/28489/
It's Fast! It's Fun! It's new Technology! A new way to obtain information on the latest safety products. To view Safety E-Deck from Occupational Hazards magazine CLICK HERE! http://demg.penton.com/turnstile.php?ID=11062
LINKS
Cat H-Series Motor Graders have the best control, durability and reliability in the industry. Spec your motor grader at http://www.govbidspec.com
Upbeats Institutional Catalog features site furnishings/amenities including trash containers, park benches, picnic tables, ash urns, bike racks, banners and more. Shop online http://www.upbeatinc.com
Ford offers the widest variety of trucks built for commercial applications. Everything from E-Series cargo vans and wagons to Super Duty F-Series trucks and chassis cabs. Be sure to visit your local Ford dealer. http://www.commtruck.ford.com
C & H Distributors provide a fast, efficient way to purchase shelving, cabinets, packaging and shipping products, or office furniture. Visit: http://r.ms00.net/s/c?ij.4i5e.7.1umv.14mj
Crown Equipment designs, manufactures, distributes, services, and supports material handling products that provide customers with superior value. http://r.pm0.net/s/c?ij.5jpy.25.2cmg.2hbf
Issue employee badges, student ID cards, membership, or access control cards with SP 35 card printer. Offers excellent image and card quality, while optimizing ribbon usage. Call Team Marketing: 800-344-9054 or visit: http://www.teamphoto.com
You may qualify for a FREE Magazine Subscription
Complimentary subscriptions to Government Product News, a product-driven resource, and Government PROcurement, editorial targeting the public sector purchasing professional are available to those who qualify. To subscribe to Government Product News visit: http://www.submag.com/sub/gn
To subscribe to Government Procurement visit: http://www.submag.com/sub/gp
Copyright 2003 Penton Media, Inc.
