|
|
On The FrontLines is dedicated to profliling the people and programs who are advancing innovation and best practices in government.
Each interactive, digital magazine is dedicated to one topic and brings you indepth, informative and timely information in print, on video and through audio. Download a PDF containing videos and links to websites and white papers by thought leaders from government and the private sector.
Upcoming Issues • August -- Geospatial Trends In Government (now available) • September -- Government Cloud Computing • September -- Health Care IT In Government • October -- Cybersecurity • November -- NITAAC Contract Guide • November -- Greening of Government • December -- Government Cloud Computing | Geospatial Trends In Government August 2010 • Volume 2 • Number 5
Geospatial Trends In Government Find out what Einstein, Aristotle and Geospatial technologies have in common--and how you benefit.
Robert Burkhardt, Army Geospatial Information Officer, puts the value proposition for using Geospatial applications in no uncertain terms.
“We are all collectors and we are all sensors able to take part in the disciplined sharing of data. Disciplined sharing will save money and lives.”
Burkhardt shared his thoughts during Geospatial Day in Washington, DC. Burkhardt was joined on the agenda by Geospatial experts from Autodesk, DLT Solutions, GeoEye and Google.
In this edition of On The FrontLines, you'll peer into the future as well as learning what Geospatial technologies are changing your world right now.
Read what Burkhardt views as the four major Geospatial trends driving the use of Geospatial technologies in government. Watch a video where Burkhardt describes how the 25th Army Brigade used Geospatial applications to accomplish their mission in Mosul, Iraq.
Read what leading Geospatial providers--Geoff Zeiss from Autodesk, Rich Helou from DLT, Steve Miller from GeoEye and Mike Evanoff from Google—think government will be doing more of in the not too distant future. Then watch videos as they describe the concrete benefits of using Geospatial technologies now.
Turn the page and read about the Army's BuckEye System, which provides high-resolution urban terrain imagery for tactical missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Finally watch a video from Jim Flyzik as he describes what Einstein, Aristotle and Geospatial have in common.
All this and Resources too!
Our Geospatial Proposition Geospatial technologies and applications make interaction with the government more transparent and it is much easier for government administrators to explain and show to people what is happening with key projects. More
Trending Geospatial Army GIO Robert Burkhardt talks about the value proposition and major drivers for Geospatial in government—data, governance, standards and the “Big Enterprise”. More
BuckEye Strong
The Army’s BuckEye System provides high-resolution urban terrain imagery for tactical missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. It relies on LIDAR to work. You may not know what LIDAR stands for, but if you have ever driven over the posted speed limit, you may have been trapped by it. More
Providing Geospatial Perspective
Geospatial technologies coupled with 3D visualization are changing the way we relate to our environment as we morph from being passive Geospatial data consumers to active Geospatial data contributors. Experts from Autodesk, DLT, GeoEye and Google share their visions of a Geospatial future – from the power of visualization to mapping infrastructure. More
Viewpoint: Visualize The Future by Jim Flyzik
Einstein said, “If I can’t picture it, I can’t understand it.” Aristotle thought “It is impossible to even think without a mental picture.” Jim Flyzik gives his thoughts about how Geospatial applications can change the way government delivers services. More
Video: Robert Burkhardt, Army GIO on how "Geospatial Saves Lives" Army GIO Robert Burkhardt describes how the 25th Brigade used Geospatial technologies to save lives in Mosul, Iraq.
Resources Videos, Websites and White Papers
Volume 2 • Number 4 • 2010-2011 SEWP Contract Guide
Read Using Turn-Page Technology... Then Download & Share With Your Colleagues...
NASA SEWP IV Contract Guide 2010-2011 Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement GWAC Contract Guide
For Use By All Federal Civilian & Defense Agencies To Purchase IT
Welcome to the 2010 SEWP IV Contract Guide.
Inside you’ll find practical, step-by-step information on how to use SEWP IV today.
Connect using live links to the SEWP website, download resources and watch videos from SEWP program manager Joanne Woytek, who shares a wealth of information on how to make SEWP work for you.
“We provide the entire breadth and depth in the IT product world in terms of what people can purchase. Everything we do is customer service oriented. It is our strength and it is what we are well known for; we are well known for our customer service,” Woytek told On The FrontLines during the 2010 SEWP Conference in Orlando.
That customer service includes a new Chat Tool, giving you one more way to make sure you get the IT you need.
The knowledge that 68 federal agencies used SEWP last year demonstrates clearly that with SEWP, you get contract, contract team and contract holders who are on your side.
Learn Why SEWP is On Your Side...Here’s What Inside The SEWP IV Contract Guide...
Where Government Buys IT
Why SEWP? What’s in it for you? The reasons are clear. Find out here.
Ensuring Fair & Reasonable Pricing
Joanne Woytek, SEWP PM tells you how SEWP makes sure you pay the lowest possible price.
SEWP's Customer Driven Culture
SEWP Contract Holders talk about how SEWP has carefully crafted a customer driven culture built on satisfying you.
How To Order Using SEWP
Step-by- step instructions and links take you through the buying process.
SEWP=Customer Service
Customer Service is Job 1. Find out how you benefit here.
Ahead Of The Curve
SEWP Contract Holders share why SEWP is way ahead of the curve in addressing your needs. (Hint: clarity, automation, reporting)
Harness The Online Power Of SEWP
The SEWP website is filled with all the tools and information a buyer needs to do market research, create an RFQ, make the award and track the order – and chat too if needed!
Learning The ABCs of SEWP
One-on-one, in groups, at your site, by video or at the annual SEWP Conference, SEWP actively trains government buyers nationwide and worldwide.
Contract Holder Listings
Live contact information to every SEWP contract holder.
Resource Center
Contract information; links and resources; present
June 4, 2010 • Volume 8 • Number 3 • Click To View As Web Page
The Greening of Government Getting To Net-Zero Using Energy Efficient Technologies
In this 5th edition of On The FrontLines --The Greening of Government: Getting To Net-Zero Using Energy Efficient Technologies -- read, watch and hear firsthand how government leaders from Energy, FAA, State and GSA are reducing the footprint of Data Centers nationwide. Further, learn how with the help of industry, these on the frontlines leaders are aggressively pursuing construction projects such as the renovation of GSA Headquarters in DC and the new National Renewable Energy Laboratory Research Support Center (NREL RSF) in Golden, Colorado.
Those interviewed include:
• Martha Johnson - GSA Administrator • Stephen Leeds - GSA Senior Sustainability Executive • Will Lintner - DOE Project Leader for the Laboratories for the 21st Century program • Paul Scheihing - DOE Technology Manager • Chuck Powers - NREL RSF IT Operations Manager • Kevin Eber - EERE Network News Editor
View videos from: • Gary Albert - FAA • Charles Wisecarver - State Department
Plus read about the renovation of GSA Headquarters in an interview with GSA's Kevin Kampschroer.
Green Is Busting Out All Over Using a combination of high tech, low tech and no tech, government is accelerating its efforts to reduce the energy footprint of Data Centers and the buildings they inhabit, ushering in a new era of workplace flexibility says GSA's Stephen Leeds.
Challenge Yourself
Don’t sit on the sidelines, participate and challenge yourself and your organization to be more energy efficient. That's what GSA Administrator Martha Johnson is doing with her net-zero challenge.
Diagnosis Green
DOE's Paul Scheihing and Will Linter provide agencies with Data Center assessment tools and help guide them to use funding more effectively in meeting their energy management objectives.
Green Chronicles
Helping chronicle energy efficiency and renewable energy is longtime EERE Network News editor Kevin Eber. Read what Eber says is trending Green in the near future.
The Lean Green Data Center Machine
Chuck Powers, IT Operations Director at NREL RSF shows how the new Data Center is consuming and providing energy as a part of the lab’s new net-zero sustainable green building.
Green Proving Ground—Interview with GSA’s Kevin Kampschroer
The High Performance Buildings director describes why the renovation of the GSA HQ in DC will be a test bed for net-zero design and workplace flexibility.
Resource Center
Green Websites, White Papers, Events and Videos
|

| March 19, 2010 • Volume 8 • Number 2 • View As A Webpage
Cybersecurity: Securing Government Assets
Read the Spring 2010 On The FrontLines issue on Cybersecurity using Turn Page technology. Read and download yours now.
Fresh from the 2010 AFCEA Homeland Security Conference, this issue of On The FrontLines -- Cybersecurity: Securing Government Assets -- lets you read, watch and hear firsthand what government and industry leaders are doing about present and future cybersecurity threats.
Just like a hardcopy publication, this issue presents articles and viewpoints on the progress and best practices surrounding government cybersecurity initiatives and challenges.
But unlike a hard copy publication, through Turn Page technology, you'll can link directly to government and industry websites, download white papers and special reports.
Further you'll be able to watch and listen to government leaders talk about how they are meeting the government's and the nation's cyber challenges. View videos from:
• Richard Spires, CIO, DHS
• Dave Wennergren, CIO, OSD
• Steve Chabinsky, CIO, FBI
• Priscilla Guthrie, CIO, ODNI
• Greg Shaffer, Asst. Secretary for Cybersecurity, DHS
• Van Hitch, CIO, DOJ
•Charlie Armstrong, CIO, CBP
• Luke McCormack, CIO, ICE
AFCEA Homeland Security 2010
Cybersecurity was top of mind for the 1,000 attendees. Watch videos of cyber leaders and read a roundup of what cyber leaders are saying.
Welcome to Team Cyber!
The bottom line: Everyone needs to be a cybersecurity leader—starting with their computers.
Getting Proactive—Viewpoint: Jim Flyzik
The former Treasury and Secret Service CIO tells some of the lessons he’s learned in 17 years of teaching cybersecurity at the University of Maryland.
Steel Door On A Styrofoam House?
The more security is proactively “baked in’, the more “secure information sharing” will occur.
What’s Your Role? What’s Your Responsibility?
Currently, a person’s security role and responsibility may not match exactly. What exactly is that responsibility and what training they need is the theme of FISSEA 2010.
Wanted: Trained Cyber Defenders
DHS is hiring 1,000 new cyber defenders. When they need training, they can get it from The Defense Cyber Investigations Training Academy.
Enabling Cyber Defenders
Government relies on a wide variety of approaches and tools to keep the bad bits out and let the good bits in. Here are three examples.
Cyber Implementers
As threats rise, so do the efforts of industry to provide the cyber solutions government—and the rest of us—need.
Make It Easier, Bake It In—Viewpoint: Jeff Erlichman
Industry needs to make it easier for end users to practice cyber hygiene.
"On The Frontlines" publications are dedicated to advancing innovation and showcasing the positive progress and best practices of federal agencies, programs and people along with their strategic partners to support the goals of their mission programs and the men and women who work on the frontlines.
Enjoy the Digital Experience! Click Here!
Read more about these and other topics, plus watch videos of government and industry cyber leaders in this issue of "On The FrontLines" on Cybersecurity.
An excerpt from On The FrontLines on Cybersecurity...
DHS Contest Seeks "Cyber Smokey" To Promote "Cyber Hygiene"
Say “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires” and the image of Smokey The Bear immediately pops up as the impenetrable guardian of the forest.
The fact is it is hard to find anyone in the nation who doesn’t know Smokey. That’s the sign of a successful public awareness effort – one that has truly changed behavior.
Security – especially cybersecurity – is looking for something like a “Cyber Smokey” said DOJ CIO Van Hitch at the AFCEA Homeland Security Conference last week.
The fact is: Using cyberspace, the bad guys are the ultimate social networkers. So, "Cyber Smokey's" mission is to build cyber awareness and educate the public on the virtues of cyber hygiene, while demonstrating the consequences of cyber neglect.
Though an actual “Cyber Smokey” may not appear on a Facebook page next week, something like that could by October 2010 as the result of a massive public relations effort and contest promoting cybersecurity that DHS is ramping up RIGHT NOW!
The National Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign Challenge Competition “is designed to solicit ideas from industry and individuals alike on how best we can clearly and comprehensively discuss cybersecurity with the American public,” according to DHS.
“Your challenge is to tell us how we can best promote cyber security,” said DHS Secretary Napolitano when announcing the competition.
“We want you to develop your own approach to a clear and compelling message for the American public. We would like to engage in that approach with a competition to gather and share the most creative ideas for making the public more cyber secure, more cyber smart and more cyber assured.”
Enter by April 30, 2010
Details of the competition are now on the DHS website at www.dhs.gov/cyberchallenge. Entries close on April 30, 2010 and entries judged on criteria including teamwork and partnership, the use of Web2.0 technologies to spread the message and ensuring privacy protections. The winner will be invited to special event in Washington, DC this spring and DHS will partner with the winner as part of the National Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign slated to launch in October 2010.
January 15, 2010 • Volume 8 • Number 1
Shaping Government Clouds
Ready or not, Cloud Computing is coming. In fact, it is already here. Right now, you may be working in the Cloud and not even know it.
Go to Shaping Government Clouds and you'll learn why Cloud Computing is going to make a difference in how you work in the future.
For example, you can read how the Cloud is powering The Army Experience Center Pilot in Northeast Philadelphia, The AEC is a two-year pilot designed to help the Army enlist 21st century Army recruits using 21st century technology. It could be the Army recruiting model for the future.
Cloud Visions
Those shaping government Clouds want Cloud Computing to:
· Accelerate the migration towards a services based environment that is technology and vendor-agnostic.
· Enable rapid deployment of technology solutions for the Federal government without developing stovepipes.
· Enable scalability for existing and new capabilities.
· Increase savings through virtualization.
· Reduce the cost of infrastructure, buildings, power, and staffing.
· Improve the government’s ability to create a transparent, open and participatory government.
These “wants” are not a wish list; they are the stated goals of the CIO Council Federal Government Cloud Computing Initiative.
Making these “wants” a reality is what these Cloud Shapers who are “On The Frontlines” are diligently working on.
So, who are these Federal Cloud Shapers? And what are they saying?
In Shaping Government Clouds, you'll be able to read, watch and listen to what the Federal government’s leading Cloud Shapers have to say including:
· Casey Coleman, CIO, GSA. She leads the Federal Cloud Computing Initiative.
· Pete Tseronis, Associate CIO, DOE. He chairs the Federal Cloud Advisory Council.
· Chris Kemp, CIO, NASA Ames Research Center
· Alfred Rivera, Director, Computer Systems Directorate, DISA
· Keith Trippie, Executive Director, ESDO, DHS
· Henry Sienkiewicz, Technical Program Director, RACE,DISA
· Mike Krieger, Deputy CIO, Army
· Rob Carey, CIO, Navy
· Major Larry Dillard, The Army Experience Center, Army
· Josh Sullivan, Booz Allen Hamilton
· Rue Moody, Citrix Systems
· John Sindelar, HP
· Jeff Bergeron, HP
· Dr. Ron Ritchey, Booz Allen Hamilton
Plus
· Cloud Muse blogger Kevin L. Jackson, Jim Flyzik and the Resource Center.
All are deeply involved in shaping the future of Federal Cloud Computing. Find out what they are doing. They may inspire you to become a Cloud Shaper too.
|
|
Shaping Government Clouds Contents |
Cloud Shapers
Federal “Cloud Shapers”—led by GSA CIO Casey Coleman— are laying the foundation to securely use the Cloud to drive efficiencies, spur collaboration and foster innovation.
Viewpoints Jiim Flyzik: What Goes Around Comes Around
Just how much sun is shining through the Clouds? Former Treasury CIO, now respected consultant Jim Flyzik explores the Cloud landscape.
Embracing The Cloud
DOE Associate CIO Pete Tseronis —also the Chairman of the Federal Cloud Advisory Council—shares how you can embrace the possibilities Cloud Computing offers.
Cloud Recruiting
Army Major Larry Dillard talks about how the Army Experience Center (AEC) Pilot in Northeast Philadelphia is using the Cloud for Army recruiting.
Viewpoints Kevin L. Jackson: Cloud Computing: Real or Fad?
Kevin L. Jackson, the editor of Government Cloud Computing e-zine and the Cloud Musings blog, talks about whether the Cloud is here to stay.
“Big Data” Laden Clouds
Harnessing “Big Data” can give big results. Josh Sullivan from Booz Allen Hamilton explains how.
Resource Center
Learn more about Cloud Computing through links to Videos, Websites and White Papers.
Cloud Implementers
Experts from Citrix, HP and SafeNet are using their Cloud expertise to provide down-to-earth Cloud-based solutions for government. Read what they are doing.
Viewpoints: Calling All Cloud Shapers
On The Frontlines editor Jeff Erlichman offers the one best reason to move your appropriate apps to the Cloud.
Read, Watch and Listen Now!
December 14, 2009 • Volume 7 • Number 7
|
Read About The Greening of Government. Experience Turn-Page technology. Click On The Greening of Government Cover (at right)! |
Turning Destroyers Into Priuses
Far-fetched? Sounds impossible? But that’s exactly what the Navy is doing according to RADM Philip Cullom, Director, Fleet Readiness Division and Task Force Energy, USN.
“The Navy is planning to sail the ‘Great Green Fleet’,” RADM Cullom said, “in effect we are turning destroyers into Priuses.” The Navy will demonstrate a Green Strike Group in local operations by 2012 and sail it by 2016. Read More
National Park Service Rewards "French Fried Heat"
The next time you eat french fries at Yellowstone National Park, you don't have to feel guilty about the calories. Feel good that you will also be helping heat many of Yellowstone's buildings.
Xanterra Parks and Recreation -- a 2009 National Park Service Environmental Achievement Award winner -- cuts emissions of greenhouse gases and conserves energy by supplying used cooking oil from the company’s eateries to run boilers at its hotels. Read More
November 2009 •Volume 7 • Number 6
The Greening of Government
Click on The Greening of Government Cover (at right) to experience Turn-Page technology. Read how DHS, GSA and Yellowstone National Park are "on the frontlines" of The Greening of Government.
From the expanses of Yellowstone National Park to the urban neighborhoods of Washington DC, the Greening of Government movement is alive, well and growing daily.
At one of the country’s national treasures, National Park officials have set out lofty goals as part of their Yellowstone Environmental Stewardship (YES!) Initiative.
At the same time, at the historic site of St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington DC, DHS and GSA are working together to create the new Green DHS Headquarters.
Both of these programs reflect the government’s commitment to Greening because it’s the right way—in fact the only way—to do business that ensures sustainability.
So, get ready. If you haven’t already been, then you are now being recruited to be “On The Frontlines” of the Greening of Government movement.
This Greening of Government is the second in a series of “On The Frontlines” digital reports using Turn-Page technology.
Each “On The Frontlines” digital report is produced using “Turn Page Technology” allowing you to read and turn the pages electronically on your computer just as you would with a print publication.
Additionally, embedded links give you direct access to websites and white papers; you can watch video clips of leaders on the Green frontlines such as Ed O’Hare at GSA, and Donald Bathurst at DHS. Or view a slideshow detailing the sustainability efforts at Yellowstone National Park.
And of course, you can download and/or print a PDF version. We hope you find the report useful and share it with your colleagues.
EXPERIENCE Turn-Page technology! Click on The Greening of Government cover (at right).
|
Greening Where It Is Green: Yellowstone National Park
With the Yellowstone Environmental Stewardship or YES! Initiative, the Park is demonstrating that the world’s first national park is also a world leader in its sustainability programs. View/Download Slideshow |
Inside “The Greening of Government”
Here is a sample of the articles. Click on The Greening of Government cover to read them all.
A Sustainable Strategy
Executive Order 13514 sets the goals. Leaders from EPA, DOE, GSA and DHS talk about what they are doing.
Buying Green Saves Green
The emphasis on buying Green products for government use and plus buying from suppliers who are Green themselves is only going to grow.
Greening Where It Is Urban: DHS HQ in DC
At St. Elizabeths in Washington DC, the site of the new DHS headquarters campus, DHS is proving homeland security can be Green, historic – and secure.
Follow My Example
Many in Industry are Greening themselves because it is not only good for the environment, it’s good for business.
August 28, 2009 • Volume 7 • Number 5
Providing Infrastructure For "The Sweet Stuff"
The vision is articulated among government IT professionals whenever the conversation turns to modernizing infrastructure, implementing virtualization and/or embracing cloud computing.
“As the Infrastructure Officer, from an efficiency standpoint, part of my job is to reduce what I look at as being the burden of infrastructure in order to allow people to focus on the information and the applications.”
To me, that’s the sweet stuff,” Timothy Quinn, Chief Infrastructure Officer at the Department of Interior said during the recent Federal Executive Forum on Infrastructure broadcast on Federal News Radio.
“My vision for the Department of Interior is an array of infrastructure services that will be provided to a very highly mobile workforce,” declared Quinn.
That workforce will use highly collaborative converged IP voice and video services that cross many boundaries -- state, local, tribal, other federal, and international said Quinn.
They are the stewards of more than 20% of the land in the US -- 500 million acres. With a large field staff out in parks, refuges, Indian reservations and other public lands, Quinn said these pros must have an IT infrastructure primed to handle the rigors of 21st century information sharing.
Joining Quinn on the Forum panel, hosted by Jim Flyzik of The Flyzik Group were:
· Karl Krumbholz, Director, Network Services Programs, ITS/GSA
· Margie Graves, Acting CIO, Department of Homeland Security
· David Smith, Chief Technology Officer, Citrix Systems
· Gary DePreta, Manager, Channel Operations, Federal Channels, Cisco Systems
· Michael Donovan, Chief Technologist, EDS
Quinn told the audience that the primary network optimization effort at Interior is through their Enterprise Services Network, which is a managed service acquired through GSA and the Networx program. Infrastructure Sweet Stuff Continued Below Watch Quinn Video
|
BUILDING GOVERNMENT INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUE SPONSORED BY |
|

|
|
Read More About Future Infrastructure |
Underpinning Homeland Infrastructure
Getting out of the infrastructure business is one of acting DHS CIO Margie Graves biggest wishes. “I want to get to the point where the CIOs are concentrating on their mission applications, and concentrating on the delivery of the data to people who need it at the correct time.”
“So our play in this is all about the data -- securing at the data layer, having data standards and moving information as quickly as we possibly can." Read More Watch Graves Video
Focused On The Future; Tied To The Past
Networx is playing a key role in modernizing government infrastructure – and will have even a larger role when agencies are finally transitioned from FTS 2001 to Networx.
Karl Krumbholz is GSA’s director of Network Services. His team manages the Networx contract, but even as Krumbholz focuses on transition -- which is calls his “top priority”-- he has his eyes on the future. “We are focused on adding new services to our contracts to address the evolving needs of our agency customers and to meet government mandates.” Read More Watch Krumbholz Video
Dynamic Infrastructure
Virtualization technologies are optimizing infrastructure, separating the application from the underlying infrastructure. No longer does a one-to-one server relationship necessary. In fact, the technology is enabling according to Gary DePreta from Cisco.
But while technology is important, it is not the only dynamic at work. “At Cisco, we study the future of work and the future of connected life." Read More Watch DePreta Video
Technologies For Transition
Providing the technologies that help enable the transition of government has been what Citrix has concentrated on during its 20 year history.
“What we are looking to do is help organizations optimize their current networks better and leverage their existing infrastructure and transform that infrastructure into an architecture where service delivery is the bottom line,” said Citrix’s David Smith. Read More Watch Smith Video
Is Email Quaint?
A lot of what is going on today in modernizing infrastructure has to do with moving to a shared infrastructure or paying for services “by the drink” (e.g. cloud computing).
“When you think about the movement towards cloud, when you think about the movement towards virtualization, when you think about consolidation, what you are really talking about is moving towards a shared environment,” said EDS’s Mike Donovan. And that raises questions. Read More Watch Donovan Video
|
Infrastructure Sweet Stuff (continued from above) |
Vital To Success
“Networx has been vital to our success in providing network services to 2,400 locations. Built on top of this IP-based network are a number of initiatives that we are looking at as being focused on green IT, providing enterprise data centers and virtualized centers.”
Quinn sees these efforts as supporting federal CIO Vivek Kundra’s vision of cloud computing and optimizing efficiencies and economics, while improving services to Interior’s far flung customers.
Quinn faces a number of infrastructure challenges starting with the fact that Interior has so many different lines of businesses – with different priorities. Plus, because of its mission and relationship with the American people and the land, Interior wants to be seen as being a green leader when it comes to IT.
“We go from science to land management to minerals and many others. And to take one in particular, I like to call it science versus security,” explained Quinn.
“We have scientists, maybe a volcanologist or a geologist or working on climate change and those scientists have a high need for collaboration on a massive scale with departments. In fact many of our scientists are located at colleges and universities, which gives us significant challenges in trying to give them all the network and full array of IT services that they need in order to do their job, while at the same time trying to secure that in such a way that we don’t completely cut them off from communicating with their scientist collaborators. So a lot of work to do there and we look at Web 2.0 technologies as providing a lot of help.
Quinn is looking to the CIO Council to continue its work on solving the issues surrounding architecture and infrastructure that many agencies face. “We are not the only ones with these problems. We talk to the Department of Energy, NASA, NOAA; lots of folks have similar problems.”
Like many agencies, a big concern is IT governance. At Interior they rely on a well defined set of rules said Quinn.
Interior has an IT Management Committee that includes the CIOs of all of the bureaus. “They meet on a regular basis to discuss issues. Underneath that we have our CTO’s committee which handles a lot of the standards work and development within Interior. Underneath that we have operational change management for network systems and desk top. Sort of parallel to that we have investment review board and working capital fund consortium.
Quinn acknowledged that it sounds like a lot of committees, but made it clear there is well defined set of rules in terms of who does what and there’s a lot of interaction between those groups.
###
|
BUILDING GOVERNMENT INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUE SPONSORED BY |
|

| July 24, 2009 • Volume 7 • Number 4
Marching Toward The Cloud
“I’m actually looking forward to the day when Cloud is my legacy environment; where it becomes part and parcel of how I’m doing business on a day to day basis; where things like Web 2.0 applications are part and parcel of our business,” said DISA’s Henry Sienkiewicz.
Sienkiewicz, the Technical Program Director, Computer Services at DISA, talked about how DISA envisions using Cloud Computing during a recent Federal Executive Forum on Cloud Computing broadcast on Federal News Radio.
Joining Sienkiewicz on the panel hosted by Jim Flyzik of The Flyzik Group were:
· Ronald Bechtold, Army Architecture Integration Center, at Headquarters, Department of the Army, Chief Information Office/G6
· Curt Aubley, Technology Officer CTO Operations & Next Generation Solutions, Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Services
· Dale Wickizer, Chief Technology Officer-Public Sector, NetApp, Inc.
· Aileen Black, Vice President of Public Sector, VMware Inc.
Sienkiewicz talked about a future where wikis, blogs, mashups are used as critical tools in the daily operational environment for communication inside the department.
He said for the user it’s pretty much self service. For the environment, Cloud Computing provides elasticity. “Security becomes streamlined; it’s very easy and straight forward to bring a new application in -- at least with these widgets and mashups,” explained Sienkiewicz.
What is delivered is transparency on the way that DISA is delivering services. Customers can see what they are doing with real metrics. Now there are real benchmarks for accountability because there’s standardization and homogeneity underneath the environment. Read More Below
|
Read More About Cloud Computing | Cloud Strong
"The Army is an organization with a long tradition of decentralized execution," Ronald Bechtold, the director of the Army Architecture Integration Center, Chief Information Office/G6, told the Federal Executive Forum audience. Bechtold's mission is making the US motto “E Pluribus Unum” a reality for the Army. And he is counting on Cloud Computing to help him accomplish his mission. Read More
Cloud Covered
“We have Platform-as-a-Service, Infrastructure-as-a-Service, public Clouds, private Clouds, hybrid accommodations,” Lockheed Martin’s Curt Aubley told the Forum audience. Aubley and his colleagues have been researching and developing Cloud solutions for more than three years, looking to solve problems that were hard to tackle with current technologies -- often in very creative ways. Read More
Cloud Stewards
Dale Wickizer’s job is to help educate NetApp customers and help them figure out how to be better stewards of their data infrastructure. “With Infrastructure-as-a-Service now practical to do, I can’t think of a greater time or a greater need for being able to protect your data as all the changes going on,” said Wickizer, who is CTO, Public Sector for NetApp, Inc. “If you have good fallback strategies, you have consistent ways of doing backup so you are protected as well as being more efficient.” Read More
Cloud Underpinnings
Aileen Black, the Vice President of Public Sector, VMware Inc., is not shy about saying these are exciting times for the federal IT community. “Virtualization and Cloud Computing are really going to allow customers to do more with less. We believe virtualization is the underpinning of Cloud Computing,” said Black during the Forum. “This underpinning allows you to create a fabric across all your resources both internally and externally to provide a presentation of all the resources to the end." Read More
Cloud Constituency
Sienkiewicz said the DISA computing services team is pushing the Cloud inside the Defense Department.
“When we are looking at the Cloud, DISA as the institutional provider of computing services for the Defense Department, we are really looking across an entire spectrum of services and changing the paradigm on how we are delivering services out to our constituency, whether it’s a Warfighter in the field, or a Warfighter back in the sustaining base, or one of our vendor partners.”
“We are looking across the entire gamut of Cloud. We are looking at Platform-as-a-Service, Infrastructure-as-a-Service, Applications-as-a-Service, Software-as-a-Service and Data-as-a-Service.”
That’s quite a challenge for an institutional provider of IT services that has gone through a series of transformations over the last couple of decades, including everything from data center consolidations from 190 plus to today’s 13, to embracing virtualization technologies, to increasing managed services.
“We just see Cloud really as the next iteration on where we are moving on delivering services,” noted Sienkiewicz. “The key component of it all is we are looking at this very much as a service delivery model.”
He explained that DISA managed services contracts use O&M dollars, not procurement dollars. “We are looking at how we allow people to pay by the use.” explained Sienkiewicz. “We are changing that part of the procurement model; we are working very heavily with the development community on defining those standards and best practices so that we can easily move the applications servers into the environment.”
The end result is being able to support the Warfighter better. So across the board we are seeing the Cloud as an enabler and it’s a challenge to us; it’s a good goal Sienkiewicz said. •
FEDERAL VISION SERIES • IT CONTRACT GUIDE SPECIAL
July 17 2009 • Volume 7 • Number 3
2009 EAGLE/FirstSource Contract Guide
Experience Turn-Page technology and read how these IT contracts are "Soaring High" for DHS -- and could be the model for your agency.
Welcome to the 2009 EAGLE/First Source Contract Guide.
This is the first Federal Vision Series of digital reports using Turn-Page technology and focuses on the Department of Homeland Security's EAGLE & FirstSource Contracts.
As you would with a hardcopy guide, you get more in-depth information, articles and columns that detail why DHS EAGLE & FirstSource have been so successful.
Plus, using Turn-Page technology, you'll also be able to link directly to DHS EAGLE and FirstSource websites, DHS industry providers websites, download contract listings & guides and watch videos from Ms. Soraya Correa, The Director of Procurement Operations at DHS describing the EAGLE and FirstSource programs.
EXPERIENCE Turn-Page technology! Please click on the Soaring High cover (at right).
Table of Contents
Soaring High
The EAGLE program measures its IT services success one order at a time.
Your Friendly ESO
The Enterprise Solutions Office (ESO) is responsible for acquisition management oversight of the Information Technology Acquisitions procurement process for DHS.
Reaching Out
Outreach translates into education, marketing, research and acquisition planning – and most of all customer service.
Building A Team Effort
Learn what EAGLE contractors think about how EAGLE is working so far.
|
"The EAGLE program is designed for IT services procurements for the DHS community," said Soraya Correa, Director of the DHS Office of Procurement Operations (OPO). "We call it a DHS-wide contract because it is intended for use by all the components of DHS."
EAGLE is a program consisting of both large and small businesses divided along five functional categories, where tasks orders (TO) are competed to fulfill your individual IT services requirements. Under EAGLE, you define your requirements. You hold the competition for TOs. You negotiate pricing. You make the award. And you choose from a pool of vetted contractors very familiar with the DHS infrastructure, because they are used to working in the DHS environment.
"Our EAGLE program has been very successful," Correa said. "We have awarded multiple orders totaling more than $6.8 billion since FY2006. It has been used by every component of DHS. In fact EAGLE has been such as success that we have begun to talk about our plans for EAGLE II." |
The Evolving EAGLE
When it comes to EAGLE, CBP CIO Charles Armstrong has a unique vantage point.
A Bright Future
The OPO is benefiting from EAGLE by using the model to develop some non-IT vehicles – e.g. PACTS and OTIS.
FirstSource: First For Small Business
100% Small Business; 100% of the time! That’s FirstSource.
Does Every Large Agency Need an EAGLE? Jim Flyzik of The Flyzik Group offers insights on situations where critical mission requirements dictate a need for a quick Task Order to be issued.
EAGLE & FirstSource Contractor Contact Listings
EAGLE
The Enterprise Acquisition Gateway for Leading-Edge Solutions (EAGLE) is a multiple-award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle, specifically designed as the preferred source of information technology (IT) services for the majority of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) enterprise infrastructure and initiatives. EAGLE is not a governmentwide acquisition contract (GWAC). It is intended for use by DHS components.
EAGLE provides for a wide range of IT services necessary to support Chief Information Officer (CIO) requirements for IT solutions within the DHS. Multiple prime-contractor teams are available to provide solutions in each of the following five comprehensive functional categories (FCs) of services:
· FC1 – Engineering Design, Development, Implementation and Integration
· FC2 – Operations and Maintenance
· FC3 – Independent Test, Evaluation, Validation and Verification
· FC4 – Software Development
· FC5 – Management Support Services
FirstSource
FirstSource provides DHS with access to contractors’ commercial catalogs which offer a full array of IT commodity products available in the commercial marketplace from multiple original equipment manufacturers, producers, and suppliers. The FirstSource contracts also offer associated
IT services. These contracts include, but are not limited to:
· Networking equipment
· Wireless technology
· Imaging products
· Voice recognition technology
· On-line data reporting services for order, delivery, warranty, asset, and spend tracking; and associated product maintenance, installation, and support.
Enterprise Solutions Office
The Enterprise Solutions Office (ESO) is responsible for acquisition management oversight of the Information Technology Acquisitions procurement process for the Department of Homeland Security.
For further information, please e-mail dhseso@dhs.gov.
|