Procurement Resources and References

Resources

Network to Set Principles for Green PC Purchases
The Center for a New American Dream's Institutional Purchasing Program, which helps institutional purchasers buy earth-friendly products from less polluting companies, is looking to expand state and local government representation in its Computer Procurement Network.

The network includes institutional purchasers and other experts working on green computer procurement issues. Members convene via conference calls approximately once a month.

The network is currently developing a set of principles for purchasing environmentally-preferable computers that will eventually be used by state and local government purchasers as a foundation for computer specifications and contract language. The group is also working to harmonize its efforts with those of other organizations such as the Computer Take-Back Campaign, Health Care Without Harm, the Federal Electronics Challenge (FEC), and the Environmental Products Evaluation Assessment Tool Project. (EPEAT).

State and local input into this process is critical to ensure the principles will provide an effective framework for purchasing greener computers.

Readers interested in participating should send contact information to Kelly Panciera, Procurement Strategies Research Associate, Center for a New American Dream, via e-mail: kelly@newdream.org.

Web Site Helps State and Local Entities Improve Services and Contain Costs
FileMaker announced a Web site designed to help state and local governments better manage information, improve services to constituents, and increase staff productivity. Featuring professional solutions, as well as free, downloadable solutions and templates, the Web site, www.file maker.com/government, also provides resources, including government-specific trade shows and seminars, news, special offers, and a "find a consultant" search capability.

State and local governments throughout the United States use File-Maker Pro database software to improve services such as tracking highway construction projects, homeland security efforts, evidence for criminal investigations, and more.

"FileMaker is the heart of a mission-critical work group solution we use to keep the department running smoothly," says Dennis DeMattei, manager with the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development. "We use it to automate many labor intensive tasks, as well as track performance measures, even department finances. Using FileMaker Pro, we probably save close to a thousand worker-hours every year."

Geospatial Portal Offers Data Access for Government, Public
The Geospatial One-Stop (GOS) portal, overseen by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), is the result of an e-government initiative to make access to geospatial information from multiple sources faster and less expensive for all levels of government and the public. The secure site, www.geodata.gov, was built by ESRI with commercial off-the-shelf software and based on open standards with 24/7 support.

"The portal's aim is to make finding geospatial data easy and intuitive," says Hank Garie, Executive Director for GOS at the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The portal is designed to be open and interoperable with virtually any GIS data set or service.

According to Mark Forman, Associate Director for Information Technology and E-Government at the OMG, "Geospatial data is crucial for government efforts in homeland security, environmental protection, economic development, and other important policy areas. Geodata.gov provides the tools necessary for greater intergovernmental collaboration and partnership on these key issues while reducing duplicative spending and wasted resources."