The 2005 Top 50

It's summer, the weather is starting to sizzle, and GovernmentVAR is taking the opportunity to look at what's hot in government now.

So, here are 50 compelling people, places, projects, technologies and initiatives in government that you're going to want to know about. These tips offer insights and clues to help piece together the puzzle that is government IT today.

No, it hasn't been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) yet. But chances are something will and when it does, IT providers will have 65 billion in IT dollars to pursue. That's 7 percent more than last year, thanks, in part, to homeland-security IT spending, which is up 42 percent to $1.13 billion.

2: Karen Evans

Anyone working in federal government technology who doesn't know the name Karen Evans might be in trouble. Evans is the Administrator of the Office of Electronic Government and Information Technology at the OMB, where she advises the director on the performance of IT investments, oversees the development of enterprise architectures within and across agencies, directs the activities of the CIO Council and oversees the usage of the E-Government Fund to support interagency partnerships and innovation.

3: Networx

Data and telecommunications procurement may never be the same after Networx gets under way. The GSA's multibillion dollar program aims to provide best-value telecommunications and network services and technical solutions for all federal agencies.

4: Tom Jarrett

Tom Jarrett isn't a typical CIO. For starters, he was sworn in as CIO of the state of Delaware at a Harley Davidson dealership. But there's more to Jarrett than his love for the open road. He also serves as president of the National Association of State CIOs (NASCIO), the definitive organization of state CIOs.

5: Tyson's Corner

Located in Fairfax County, Va., roughly 20 miles outside of Washington, D.C., Tyson's Corner is the Mecca of government-technology companies. More vendors and VARs alike are expanding outward to Dulles Airport. Soon, the Dulles Rapid Transit Project will extend rail transit to Tyson's Corner, as well as Reston, Herndon, the Dulles/Route 28 area, Dulles Airport and Loudoun County. Like much of America, the "beltway" is growing.

6: New York City

In April, New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the Telecommunications Action Plan, teaming the city with private broadband and telecom providers to deploy broadband services in all five boroughs. A portion of federal funding was also dedicated to strengthening Downtown Manhattan's fiber-optic infrastructure and developing a wireless network to provide backup capabilities. The plan also calls for programs to educate small-business owners about the basics of broadband communications.

From the Department of Defense using it for tracking weapons to the FDA using it to improve the quality of drugs from manufacturers, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is becoming the it technology.

A May 2005 RFID Government Survey by the General Accounting Office noted that with the DoD's requiring top suppliers to use RFID tags, and as the costs associated with RFID decrease and the technological advances around it continue, RFID is poised to see increased proliferation in the government arena.

8: Congressman Tom Davis

Representing the state of Virginia, Tom Davis has been a champion of technology and the government's role in furthering it for some time. He is one of four co-chairs on the Information Technology Working Group, and, earlier this year was appointed to the Homeland Security Committee. Davis was instrumental in seeing the Digital Tech Corps Act, the E-Gov Act of 2002, the Federal Information Security Act and the Critical Infrastructure Information Act passed in Congress. In 2004, NASCIO bestowed its most prestigious honor, The Azimuth Award, to Congressman Davis.

9: The BlackBerry

"The CrackBerry" may feel like a drug to users who can't seem to pull themselves away, but they have proven their worth. Research in Motion's slick, little device now doubles as a cellphone, in addition to a handheld device to access e-mail, data, calendar and other applications it offers. The government has long procured BlackBerrys for internal use, and they are widely used across the DoD and the Senate as well. That's one way to survive a filibuster.

10: OETC

Education faces some specific hurdles--budgets make procurements a challenge and lack of expertise combined with engrained processes make IT implementation even more difficult. The Organization for Educational Technology Curriculum (OETC) recognized those pitfalls and aims to offer low-cost purchasing programs, professional development and guidance for technology integration to its members in Arkansas, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. OETC doesn't just encourage technology in education--it works to foster relationships with those that provide it in the private sector.

11: Charles Havekost

Charles Havekost is the CIO of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Among other things, he serves as program manager for the U.S. Government's Grants.gov project that links 26 federal grant-making agencies, plus groups of grantee organizations. They've come up with a portal that streamlines 900 federal grant programs.

12: Philadelphia, PA.

Here's to being FIRST. Wireless Philadelphia was established to create a digital infrastructure for open-air Internet access citywidethe first-ever in the nation. The city plans to partner with public and private parties in its efforts to establish the estimated $10 million Wi-Fi network by the summer of 2006. Selection and contract negotiations are currently under way, with construction expected to begin in August.

13: Washington Convention Center

It's new, it's huge, and it's a welcome change to the standard hotel meeting rooms and banquet facilities. The 2.3 million-square-foot Washington Convention Center has already become home to such government technology events as FOSE and the Small Business Procurement Fair. It's the largest building in D.C.; it has 80-foot ceilings and even a $4 million art collection. MetroRail access means convenient comings and goings for years to come.

14: Schedule 70

The GSA Schedule--three words that need little explanation to the GovernmentVAR audience. Far and away the largest GSA Schedule, Schedule 70 saw more than $16.8 billion in sales in 2004. With more than 5,000 IT contractors and contract periods of five years, plus three additional five-year-option periods, the GSA Schedule is the Holy Grail of government IT contracting. It's a Who's Who of the industry. And lest the state and local folks feel left out, the Schedule 70 action was extended to them with the E-Government Act of 2002 so smaller guys could benefit from federal government spending through cooperative purchasing.

15: David Safavian

Back in November, David Safavian became head of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy at the Office of Management and Budget. It's been a bit of a sticky time for the agency, following procurement scandals with the Air Force and Boeing and procurement issues at the GSA.

But as chief of staff at the GSA, Safavian gained considerable experience with federal contracting issues. Safavian has said he will be concentrating on implementing the president's federal-management agenda and, in turn, pushing competitive sourcing to help agencies realize greater cost savings and efficiencies.

16: Rugged Notebooks

From the Rough Rider to the Toughbook, ruggedized notebooks are big business in government. The Army uses them in battle and local police use them on the streets. Protected from extreme temperatures, as well as from water, humidity, fire, shock, vibration and other environmental factors, the heavy-duty devices often have aluminum and magnesium housings and are 20 times stronger than plastic. Plus, they go with a Hummer.

17: Teresa Takai

Teresa Takai was named CIO of Michigan in early 2003 when the state faced significant deficits. The former EDS and Ford Motor exec made changes and, by 2004, Michigan was ranked as the top Digital State by the Center for Digital Government. Takai and her team have saved taxpayers more than $90 million so far.

18: GIS

Most government agencies, states and municipalities use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to map and present data to citizens for a wide range of uses. From indicating flood planes that might be risky for a home investment to showing where the nearest hurricane shelter is, GIS is evolving. And so is spending, which is expected to reach $2 billion in 2004.

19: Mark Warner

In 2003, Virginia Governor Mark Warner helped create the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, or VITA. The legislation consolidated IT services for 94 executive branch agencies and aims to saves tens of millions of dollars a year. Warner now wants to use the Internet to run the state more efficiently, and bring broadband to rural areas to spur growth.

20: NETCENTS

The Air Force Network-Centric Solutions (NETCENTS) contract may get knocked as a mega governmentwide acquisition contract (GWAC) that cuts out the little guy, but it stands as a big opportunity for a lot of integrators just the same. NETCENTS acts as the primary source of networking equipment and services for the Air Force, Department of Defense and other federal agencies. Among those who have already won pieces of NETCENTS are Centech Group, MultiMax, Northrop Grumman, NCI Information Systems, Booz Allen Hamilton, General Dynamics Network Systems, Lockheed Martin and Telos.

21: Linton Wells

Health care isn't usually the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the Department of Defense, but it's one area where DoD CIO Linton Wells is making a mark. Wells is advancing the DoD's Composite Health Care System II, which lets doctors record patient visits, diagnostic results and diagnoses in a permanent electronic record. Way cool.

22: AFWay

If you're selling products or services to the military, then AFWay can never be far from your mind. The Air Force Way procurement program provides access to more than 150,000 IT products. In 2003, it was mandated that all PCs and laptops being purchased by the Air Force be through AFWay. Some say it could be the mandatory vehicle for all Air Force IT assets. If so, you're gonna need to get on board.

Many that navigate the 65-mile-long freeway that links Washington, D.C., to the Northern Virginia burbs probably regard Interstate 66 as a necessary evil. It's a nightmare of a highway, thanks to bumper-to-bumper traffic, restricted use during rush hours and lanes that either end or merge without warning. But, at the same time, it serves as the Yellow Brick Road that leads to all of the government IT wizards in the vicinity of Dulles Airport. And until an alternative route is developed, I-66 will remain among the most frequented highways for those in government IT.

24: Networking

Governments at all levels have been plagued not only by silo'd tech departments but also disparate systems and technologies. But Smart CIOs are working diligently to securely incorporate the wireless networking into the overall plan and leveraging networking to help governments better serve citizens.

25: Online Testing

The Tennessee Department of Education may have just put pencil makers out of business. The state has begun a pilot program to measure the effectiveness of online testing for state assessment programs. With help from Pearson Educational Measurement, an Iowa City, Iowa-based solution provider, state officials are piloting the online testing with the PEMSolutions suite of assessment and reporting services. The pilot includes nine school districts, with the ultimate goal to take electronic tests to all of the state's 13 school systems. Bye, bye pencils.