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March 26, 2003
GovPro E-Newsletter
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Wednesday, March 26, 2003 Volume 2, Issue 10
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.
You have received this e-newsletter because you are a subscriber to Government Product News or Government PROcurement Journal. If this message was sent in error or you wish to unsubscribe, see the unsubscribe information below.
Sponsored by Caterpillar
CONTENTS GSA Reform County to Save with Performance Contract News of the Weird
WE'RE GIVING AWAY $25 AT AMAZON.COM! Tell us about your planned purchases of cars and trucks for 2003. Your valuable input will help us understand current usage and future needs in the marketplace. Every 50th respondent receives a $25 gift certificate at Amazon.com. http://www.pentonsurveys.com/survey.asp?s=01228243004255
FEATURES
GSA: PROVING THAT PROCUREMENT REFORM WORKS
A sure sign that youre doing something right in Washington is when people start sniping and taking potshots at your success. Criticism, not imitation, is often Washingtons sincerest form of flattery. By this standard, alone, it should be clear that the procurement programs of the General Services Administration (GSA) are delivering great services and values to federal buyers. Fortunately, there is ample additional evidence to show that procurement reform at GSA continues to work and provide countless benefits to agencies and taxpayers.
When the General Services Administration was created in 1949, no one could have contemplated the significant role information technology would play in the effective operation of government. Similarly, few could have seen that both the government and commercial marketplaces would become service-dominated markets in just a few decades. GSA has had to adapt to these changes several times in order for the government to continue to operate. To its credit, the agency has met these challenges over the years, reinventing itself in the 1990s in the aftermath of the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act (FASA) and Clinger-Cohen Act. GSA continues to make inward changes even as it continues to provide state-of-the-art contracts and services to federal customers.
GSAs Federal Supply Service (FSS) operates the most successful commercial item acquisition program going in the Multiple Award Schedules program. http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/27683/
CATERPILLAR GOVERNMENTAL DIVISION Caterpillar Governmental Division (http://www.govbidspec.com) invites you to preview their latest newsletter. You'll benefit by receiving timely, relevant messages with cost savings, creative solutions, application information, product safety and news. This interactive email is a excellent resource for the governmental industry. You can also sign up to receive future newsletters at no charge. http://www.icecentricnews.com/catgov
COUNTY TO REALIZE $1.2 MILLION IN ENERGY SAVINGS
The Board of County Commissioners for Brevard County, FL, has awarded a six-year energy savings performance contract for the installation of new light emitting diode (LED) traffic signals at more than 200 intersections throughout the county. By making the conversion, the county estimates that it will save approximately $175,000 annually and more than $1.2 million over the next six years.
The use of LED technology in traffic signals can result in significant operational and maintenance savings. LED signals emit a brighter light, consume almost 90 percent less electricity than incandescent bulbs and can last 6 to 10 times longer than traditional signals. LED signals also reduce glare and are more visible, particularly at night. This means crews won't have to perform the dangerous work of replacing lights at each intersection yearly, and motorists and pedestrians will be inconvenienced less.
"Johnson Controls was chosen for this project after a very stringent selection process in competition with several other major companies," said Bob Graham, traffic operations manager for Brevard County. "Through this public/private partnership, Brevard County will improve the services it provides to its residents while reducing costs at the same time."
Under an energy savings performance contract, the cost of the project is paid for over a number of years by the energy and operational cost savings the project generates. Therefore, the taxpayers of Brevard County are not expected to incur a tax increase upfront to pay for the LED signal upgrades. These savings are guaranteed under the terms of the contract and will be used to pay for the new signals. The installation began in February and is scheduled to run through June.
Since 1993, Johnson Controls, Inc. has implemented more than $12 million in facility improvements for Brevard Public Schools and reduced their annual electrical consumption by more than 10 million kilowatt hours thereby saving approximately $1 million per year. For more information visit: http://www.johnsoncontrols.com.
DENIOS DENIOS manufactures the broadest selection of Spill Containment, Chemical Storage and related equipment available. Systems provide safe, compliant, and efficient storage of flammables, corrosives and other hazardous chemicals or materials. Visit: http://www.thehazmatpro.com
CROWN EQUIPMENT Crown Equipment designs, manufactures, distributes, services, and supports material handling products that provide customers with superior value. Electric lift trucks range from hand pallet trucks to very narrow-aisle (VNA) turret trucks. http://www.crown.com/gsa1
NEWS
LEGISLATORS WEIGH SCHOOL SODA BAN
Pumping quarters into the school soda vending machine isnt the kind of physical activity Maine State Rep. Sean Faircloth wants to encourage.
The Democratic lawmaker is one of a number of legislators throughout the country who have introduced measures to ban soda from school vending machines. His aim: to curb the rising rate of childhood obesity.
This isnt the first year legislators have tried to get sugary drinks out of schools, said Mike Griffith, a policy analyst at the Education Commission of the States (ECS), a non-partisan think tank in Denver. Griffith said the legislative efforts are spurred by worries about student health. These are based on medical reports of poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and health problems related to childhood obesity, such as Type II diabetes. For more information visit: http://www.ecs.org
RESULTS IN FOR FACE RECOGNITION TEST
The Face Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT) 2002 was a large-scale evaluation of automatic face recognition technology. The primary objective of FRVT 2002 was to provide performance measures for assessing the ability of automatic face recognition systems to meet real-world requirements. FRVT 2002 measures performance of the core capabilities of face recognition technology. It provides an assessment of the potential for face recognition technology to meet the requirements for operational applications. However, it does not address many application specific issues and, therefore, is not a "buyer's guide" to face recognition. Ten commercial firms participated in FRVT 2002.
The results of this evaluation are now available from the FRVT web site, http://www.frvt.org.
FRVT 2002: Overview and Summary, by P.J. Phillips, P. Grother, R.J Micheals, D.M. Blackburn, E Tabassi, and J.M. Bone. March 2003. (544KB) http://www.frvt.org/DLs/FRVT_2002_Overview_and_Summary.pdf
NEWS OF THE WEIRD: Bizarre but true stories about real people. http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/28914/
LINKS
C & H Distributors provide a fast, efficient way to purchase shelving, cabinets, packaging and shipping products, or office furniture. Visit:http://www.chdist.com/govt
Meyer is the world leader in snow plows plus accessories, parts, spreaders, and controls for plows. Custom-designed Meyer snow plows fit exact vehicle frame and weight specifications for exceptional performance in all applications. Visit: http://www.meyerproducts.com
Safety Storage, the first choice for custom and pre-fabricated hazardous storage buildings. http://www.safetystorage.com
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Bacou-Dalloz: Personal protective equipment. http://www.bacou-dalloz.com
Keytrak, Inc.: Key asset management systems. http://www.keytrak.com
Star Beam USA: Lighting systems. http://starbeamusa.com
Tyco International: Fire and security services. http://www.tycoint.com
Find information on advertising in the GovPro Newsletter on http://www.govpro.com or contact rhowlett@penton.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.
You have received this e-newsletter because you are a subscriber to Government Product News or Government PROcurement Journal. If this message was sent in error or you wish to unsubscribe, see the unsubscribe information below.
Sponsored by Caterpillar
CONTENTS GSA Reform County to Save with Performance Contract News of the Weird
WE'RE GIVING AWAY $25 AT AMAZON.COM! Tell us about your planned purchases of cars and trucks for 2003. Your valuable input will help us understand current usage and future needs in the marketplace. Every 50th respondent receives a $25 gift certificate at Amazon.com. http://www.pentonsurveys.com/survey.asp?s=01228243004255
FEATURES
GSA: PROVING THAT PROCUREMENT REFORM WORKS
A sure sign that youre doing something right in Washington is when people start sniping and taking potshots at your success. Criticism, not imitation, is often Washingtons sincerest form of flattery. By this standard, alone, it should be clear that the procurement programs of the General Services Administration (GSA) are delivering great services and values to federal buyers. Fortunately, there is ample additional evidence to show that procurement reform at GSA continues to work and provide countless benefits to agencies and taxpayers.
When the General Services Administration was created in 1949, no one could have contemplated the significant role information technology would play in the effective operation of government. Similarly, few could have seen that both the government and commercial marketplaces would become service-dominated markets in just a few decades. GSA has had to adapt to these changes several times in order for the government to continue to operate. To its credit, the agency has met these challenges over the years, reinventing itself in the 1990s in the aftermath of the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act (FASA) and Clinger-Cohen Act. GSA continues to make inward changes even as it continues to provide state-of-the-art contracts and services to federal customers.
GSAs Federal Supply Service (FSS) operates the most successful commercial item acquisition program going in the Multiple Award Schedules program. http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/27683/
CATERPILLAR GOVERNMENTAL DIVISION Caterpillar Governmental Division (http://www.govbidspec.com) invites you to preview their latest newsletter. You'll benefit by receiving timely, relevant messages with cost savings, creative solutions, application information, product safety and news. This interactive email is a excellent resource for the governmental industry. You can also sign up to receive future newsletters at no charge. http://www.icecentricnews.com/catgov
COUNTY TO REALIZE $1.2 MILLION IN ENERGY SAVINGS
The Board of County Commissioners for Brevard County, FL, has awarded a six-year energy savings performance contract for the installation of new light emitting diode (LED) traffic signals at more than 200 intersections throughout the county. By making the conversion, the county estimates that it will save approximately $175,000 annually and more than $1.2 million over the next six years.
The use of LED technology in traffic signals can result in significant operational and maintenance savings. LED signals emit a brighter light, consume almost 90 percent less electricity than incandescent bulbs and can last 6 to 10 times longer than traditional signals. LED signals also reduce glare and are more visible, particularly at night. This means crews won't have to perform the dangerous work of replacing lights at each intersection yearly, and motorists and pedestrians will be inconvenienced less.
"Johnson Controls was chosen for this project after a very stringent selection process in competition with several other major companies," said Bob Graham, traffic operations manager for Brevard County. "Through this public/private partnership, Brevard County will improve the services it provides to its residents while reducing costs at the same time."
Under an energy savings performance contract, the cost of the project is paid for over a number of years by the energy and operational cost savings the project generates. Therefore, the taxpayers of Brevard County are not expected to incur a tax increase upfront to pay for the LED signal upgrades. These savings are guaranteed under the terms of the contract and will be used to pay for the new signals. The installation began in February and is scheduled to run through June.
Since 1993, Johnson Controls, Inc. has implemented more than $12 million in facility improvements for Brevard Public Schools and reduced their annual electrical consumption by more than 10 million kilowatt hours thereby saving approximately $1 million per year. For more information visit: http://www.johnsoncontrols.com.
DENIOS DENIOS manufactures the broadest selection of Spill Containment, Chemical Storage and related equipment available. Systems provide safe, compliant, and efficient storage of flammables, corrosives and other hazardous chemicals or materials. Visit: http://www.thehazmatpro.com
CROWN EQUIPMENT Crown Equipment designs, manufactures, distributes, services, and supports material handling products that provide customers with superior value. Electric lift trucks range from hand pallet trucks to very narrow-aisle (VNA) turret trucks. http://www.crown.com/gsa1
NEWS
LEGISLATORS WEIGH SCHOOL SODA BAN
Pumping quarters into the school soda vending machine isnt the kind of physical activity Maine State Rep. Sean Faircloth wants to encourage.
The Democratic lawmaker is one of a number of legislators throughout the country who have introduced measures to ban soda from school vending machines. His aim: to curb the rising rate of childhood obesity.
This isnt the first year legislators have tried to get sugary drinks out of schools, said Mike Griffith, a policy analyst at the Education Commission of the States (ECS), a non-partisan think tank in Denver. Griffith said the legislative efforts are spurred by worries about student health. These are based on medical reports of poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and health problems related to childhood obesity, such as Type II diabetes. For more information visit: http://www.ecs.org
RESULTS IN FOR FACE RECOGNITION TEST
The Face Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT) 2002 was a large-scale evaluation of automatic face recognition technology. The primary objective of FRVT 2002 was to provide performance measures for assessing the ability of automatic face recognition systems to meet real-world requirements. FRVT 2002 measures performance of the core capabilities of face recognition technology. It provides an assessment of the potential for face recognition technology to meet the requirements for operational applications. However, it does not address many application specific issues and, therefore, is not a "buyer's guide" to face recognition. Ten commercial firms participated in FRVT 2002.
The results of this evaluation are now available from the FRVT web site, http://www.frvt.org.
FRVT 2002: Overview and Summary, by P.J. Phillips, P. Grother, R.J Micheals, D.M. Blackburn, E Tabassi, and J.M. Bone. March 2003. (544KB) http://www.frvt.org/DLs/FRVT_2002_Overview_and_Summary.pdf
NEWS OF THE WEIRD: Bizarre but true stories about real people. http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/28914/
LINKS
C & H Distributors provide a fast, efficient way to purchase shelving, cabinets, packaging and shipping products, or office furniture. Visit:http://www.chdist.com/govt
Meyer is the world leader in snow plows plus accessories, parts, spreaders, and controls for plows. Custom-designed Meyer snow plows fit exact vehicle frame and weight specifications for exceptional performance in all applications. Visit: http://www.meyerproducts.com
Safety Storage, the first choice for custom and pre-fabricated hazardous storage buildings. http://www.safetystorage.com
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Bacou-Dalloz: Personal protective equipment. http://www.bacou-dalloz.com
Keytrak, Inc.: Key asset management systems. http://www.keytrak.com
Star Beam USA: Lighting systems. http://starbeamusa.com
Tyco International: Fire and security services. http://www.tycoint.com
Find information on advertising in the GovPro Newsletter on http://www.govpro.com or contact rhowlett@penton.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.
