CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment 2009

CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment 2009 takes place Oct. 7-9, 2009 at the San Diego Convention Center. For exhibitor profiles, email rogerf@exportaction.

Virtual platform for Florida real estate service firm

Smithfield & Wainwright LLC is to utilize SAS70 Type II-compliant, enterprise-class facilities on Peak 10 Jacksonville’s campus for a fully-managed virtual platform complete with advanced intrusion detection and protection security. Smithfield & Wainwright LLC is a Florida-based, full-service real estate appraisal and valuation firm that provides services nationwide. The organization provides proper valuation, which is critical in today’s economic environment, by offering the necessary accountability and critical management expertise. The firm has also developed proprietary platform to assist both government and financial institutions in resolving asset re-valuations on a real time-new generation basis. This new service will allow Smithfield & Wainwright to pass along cost efficiencies to its clients and provide them with the most prompt processing turnarounds. (Hogan E. Copeland, II, chairman and CEO for Smithfield & Wainwright LLC.)

Verification solutions in Florida

Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) of Florida has chosen Medversant Technologies’ OneSource Web-based credentials verification solutions in an effort to streamline administrative processes, reduce costs, and gain real-time access to continuously verified provider information. OneSource automates physician credentials verification and allows the records to be viewed in real time through a Web-based platform that is updated and available 24/7. The technology allows for transparency, which is critical for the full outsourcing of this important business process. Provider data is continuously monitored and updated, and includes an automatic status alert when changes occur.

Paperless post in New York

Zumbox, a paperless postal system, has been launched in New York City, after Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced a pilot project that will send municipal paperless mail to all five boroughs of the city and explore further opportunities to cut down on the cost and environmental impact of printing and delivering “snail mail.” Immediately after the announcement, New Yorkers accessing their Zumbox mailboxes found a series of letters from the Office of the Mayor, Department of Sanitation, the New York City Fire Department, and the Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability.

“Every day, new technological innovations help make information flow faster, systems work better and our lives a little easier,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “But often, when it comes to adopting new technology, governments lag behind the private sector and even the casual consumer because they are unwilling or unable to try something new and change the way things have always been done. That’s small-minded thinking. In serving the public, government should constantly be looking for new and better ways to provide information and services. The City’s pilot program with Zumbox will give us yet another means to get information to New Yorkers.”

Language in Pennsylvania

Language Services Associates (LSA) has been awarded a one-year contract by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to provide Over-the-Phone Interpretation (OPI) and Document Translation, Web Site Localization services. The contract, formerly managed by Language Line, offers three one-year extensions and has an anticipated value of $4 million per year. According to a survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, 19.5% of the U.S. population, and an estimated 1,080,279 Pennsylvania residents, speak a language other than English at home.

Increased security and streamlined access

Naval Air Station Lemoore has implemented the RAPIDGate Program to increase security and streamline access for the thousands of vendors, suppliers, service providers and contractors who access the installation. The program includes company enrollment, employee registration, employment status validation, identity authentication, background screening, biometric verification, and entry authorization for vendor, supplier, service provider and contractor employees that are not authorized a Common Access Card (CAC).

$3.9 million upfront for resuscitation devices

ZOLL Medical Corporation, a manufacturer of resuscitation devices and related software solutions, has been awarded a contract for Airworthy CCT defibrillators by the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency. If fully exercised, the potential revenue from the contract could approximate $30 million. The services that can order units against this contract are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. The Department of Defense will provide an upfront payment of $3.9 million for ZOLL to procure parts to build units to comply with inventory requirements.

$25 million for checkpoint security screening

Rapiscan Systems has received an order from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration valued at approximately $25 million for multiple units of its Secure 1000 Single Pose advanced checkpoint security screening solution. The order is the first to be placed under the terms of OSI’s recently awarded, $173M Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration for Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) solutions.

$1 million from a DoD contractor

Beacon Enterprise Solutions Group has received a purchase order of approximately $1 million from a DoD contractor. The purchase order is part of the Company’s three-year exclusive supplier agreement for IT products and services with the contractor, as part of the Space and Naval Warfare (“SPAWAR”) Systems Centers program. As part of the agreement, which began in May 2009, Beacon Enterprise Solutions has been selected to supply communications infrastructure equipment to the contractor. Through SPAWAR, the government is upgrading its IT infrastructure for the nation’s defense and logistics agencies. The overall value of the contract, which was awarded to nine different contractors, is valued at up to $500 million.

$4.4 million for U.S. Navy

Intellicheck Mobilisa, Inc. has received from the U.S. Navy a contract modification adding $4,483,398 of additional funding for the Company's Floating Area Network (FAN) and Littoral Sensor Grid wireless security buoy technology. The wireless security buoys provide a high-capacity communications network grid to provide real-time monitoring for marine environments. The buoys can include sensors for both environmental and homeland security purposes, including Water Quality, Oil Spill detection and Dirty Bomb detection.

$6.2 million for mobile biometric recognition

L-1 Identity Solutions has received a $6.2 million task order for HIIDE mobile biometric recognition devices to be deployed in areas of conflict as part of an existing customer agreement. Approximately half of the order is expected to ship in the fourth quarter with the remaining units expected to ship in the first half of 2010.

$2.4 million contract from the US Navy

Ocean Power Technologies has secured a $2.4 million contract from the US Navy to provide OPT’s PowerBuoy wave energy conversion system to the Navy’s Littoral Expeditionary Autonomous PowerBuoy (LEAP) program. This contract is the initial award under a proposed four-year $15.0 million project concerning the LEAP system that has been established to enhance the US Navy’s anti-terrorism and force protection capability by providing persistent power at sea for port maritime surveillance in the near coast, harbors, piers and offshore areas. The system capability includes detection, tracking and communication of information on a timely basis. Certain aspects of the system will be provided by sub-contractors to OPT, including Rutgers University and Mikros Systems Corporation.

Small businesses awarded

Versar, Inc. is one of sixteen small businesses awarded a five year, $3 billion ID/IQ contract by the Department of the Air Force’s Center for Engineering and the Environment (AFCEE). The Worldwide Environmental Restoration and Construction (WERC 09) contract scope allows for environmental restoration services, traditional construction, and services in support of the Military Munitions Response Program.

Campbell Union High School District to save $0.25m pa

Campbell Union High School District, located in Silicon Valley, has deployed Citrix XenDesktop™ with HDX™ technology for more than 8,000 students and faculty beginning with the 2009-2010 school year. The school district will improve security, simplify desktop management and realize an estimated savings of $250,000 each year compared to standard desktop purchasing – with additional savings expected as their desktop virtualization project continues to expand.

Serving more than 7,600 students across seven campuses, Campbell Union High School District first explored desktop virtualization as a way to help bring down skyrocketing hardware and IT management costs. The district’s IT team serves the computing needs of all students, as well as 650 employees and faculty members. In addition to personal PCs for staff members and student laptops in each classroom, each campus also provides multiple computer labs for instruction and student use. The maintenance, security, upkeep and refresh cycle for all those PCs and laptops was placing a real strain on the district’s budget. Desktop virtualization dramatically simplifies this process, allowing IT to manage all desktops from a central location while delivering a rich, personalized experience to each user, regardless of their location or the device they are using. (Charles Kanavel, director of technology for Campbell Union High School District.)

One-to-Watch: SUMS Online will soon arrive in the US with a web site at www.sumsmath.com.

Forms development services

Island Insurance has selected Decision Research Corporation (DRC), a rating and policy processing software solution provider to the property & casualty insurance industry, to provide forms development services for multiple lines of business, both personal and commercial. Island Insurance uses the HP Exstream Document Automation system for their document automation software needs. During this engagement, DRC will be working with Island to convert nearly 300 documents, including declaration packets, correspondence and invoices. Island Insurance Company, Ltd. is Hawaii’s largest locally owned and managed insurance carrier, offering a full range of property and casualty protection. Founded in downtown Honolulu in 1939, Island Insurance has been serving Hawaii’s families and businesses for 70 years. www.islandinsurance.com. (Jeff Fabry, CIO at Island Insurance.)

Equipment dealer invests in software

Butler Machinery, a Caterpillar equipment dealer, has licensed the Lawson for Equipment Service Management and Rental Suite, a software system designed for heavy equipment manufacturers, distributors and rental companies. Butler will use the Lawson solution to help promote efficiency within the company and position it for growth. In addition, Butler will use the Lawson Human Resource Management Suite to support its HR-related activities. Butler is a privately held, third-generation Caterpillar equipment dealer. The company focuses on construction, mining, power generation and agricultural industries. The company has 11 dealer locations providing sales, rental, parts and service and employs more than 600 associates, with many in service-related positions. (Twylah Blotsky, director of IT, Marketing and Six Sigma for Butler Machinery.)

$12 million by City of Chicago

The city of Chicago has signed a $12 million agreement with Sprint for five years of wireless services. The contract calls for Sprint to provide wireless services to all government departments for the city, including voice and data solutions, the new and rapidly expanding Sprint 4G technology, and a continuance of its Nextel Direct Connect. Renewing the wireless services contract will help the government entities work more efficiently while cutting costs.

Enhanced signal processing

DSPCon, a supplier of data acquisition, analysis, archiving and recording solutions for high-value military, aerospace and rotating machinery applications, has been awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Contract by the US Air Force to continue development of an optimized processing platform to enhance signal processing capabilities in Propulsion Health Management (PHM) systems.

Point to point connectivity

Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization (DITCO), the contracting arm of the Department of Defense (DoD)’s Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), has purchased point to point connectivity services from GTT to support their internal network infrastructure. DITCO-Scott (PL8)’s mission is to procure global net-centric capabilities to support our customers in the continental United States through innovative contracting. DITCO is responsible for the procurement of commercial Information Technology (IT) services and equipment required by DoD agencies and other U.S. Government agencies. http://www.disa.mil/.

$6.5m to reduce engine vibration

MTI Instruments, Inc. (“MTII”) has received a new multi-year contract for repairs and services on the PBS-4100 and PBS-4100PLUS vibration and balancing system the U.S. Air Force (USAF). This contract has a potential value of $6.5M over the full 5-year term. PBS-4100 systems are used to automatically collect and record aircraft engine vibration data, identify vibration or balance trouble, and calculate a solution to the problem. This reduces engine vibration while extending engine life and lowering fuel costs.

$11.7 million on network

LGS, a subsidiary of Alcatel-Lucent dedicated to serving the U.S. government community, has been awarded an $11.7 million delivery order, to provide network installation and integration and professional services for a communications infrastructure upgrade to the United States Department of the Army. The delivery order, which has a total potential value of $30.7 million if all options are exercised, will involve a variety of communications network projects at Fort Benning in Georgia. Fort Benning and its Infantry Center is one of the Army’s busiest installations, with more than 130,000 soldiers and civilians. The installation provides extensive training for soldiers and leaders for today’s combat situations while developing and planning for requirements for the future.

LGS will provide all labor, supervision, management, tools, materials, equipment, facilities, transportation and design to upgrade Fort Benning’s data network and perform tasks in preparation for Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC). As a part of this process, Fort Benning will grow to accommodate operations of other bases that have closed. The LGS work includes the upgrading of four area distribution nodes, which serve as a main data communications hub, as well as wireless infrastructure to connect new buildings.

The delivery order award is under the Infrastructure Modernization (IMOD) contract and is in support of the Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS) Installation Information Infrastructure Modernization Program (I3MP) managed by the Project Manager, Network Service Center (NSC) at Fort Monmouth, N.J.

Mobile banking application

U.S. Bank has launched the Mobile Wallet, a new free downloadable mobile banking application that allows more convenient banking access on the go to its customers. The bank is collaborating with Firethorn Holdings, LLC, a Qualcomm company, to provide the technology behind the Mobile Wallet. The Mobile Wallet allows U.S. Bank customers to check balances, review transaction history, transfer funds between accounts, check rewards balances and view special offers from U.S. Bank. (Mac McCullough, executive vice president for the enterprise revenue office at U.S. Bank.)

San Mateo CU adopts document preparation engine

San Mateo Credit Union has deployed IMM’s TotaleAtlas, a document preparation engine that captures signatures electronically in-branch, and TotaleAtlasWeb, which captures signatures remotely via the Web. TotaleAtlas was previously integrated with the credit union’s core system and now additionally supports its third-party loan origination system, making San Mateo CU’s document output a fully automated, paperless process. (Pete Kneisler, vice president of information technology at San Mateo CU.)

Florida firm has end-to-end claims management

United Automobile Insurance Company (UAIC) and Guidewire Software, a leading provider of flexible core systems to property/casualty insurers, have successfully deployed Guidewire ClaimCenter as a new end-to-end claims management system. The company has also selected Guidewire BillingCenter to provide single system agency- and direct-bill functionality for its entire organization. (Abraham Estevez, chief information officer, UAIC.)

United Automobile Insurance Company (UAIC) was incorporated on March 2, 1989 in Florida to provide a high quality and low cost insurance product to the non-standard automobile insurance market. The company is family owned and is one of the largest privately held property and casualty insurance companies in the United States.

Missing girl found

When a nine year old local Sandy girl was reported missing in this Salt Lake City suburb in the heart of the Wasatch Mountains, the Sandy Police Department (SPD) was able to use the department’s new state-of-the-art wireless mesh video surveillance network to track her path. The system allowed the department to survey a vast portion of the city which narrowed the search area and decreased the time it took to locate the girl and return her to her family. The surveillance system, which was deployed by Salt Lake City’s AlphaCorp Security using Firetide wireless infrastructure mesh equipment, was initially installed by the SPD to monitor the town’s main State Street corridor, parks and business districts. Because the wireless network has been a resounding success for the community’s public safety goals, the network is building upon the interest from other municipal groups as they realize its value. (Sandy Police Chief Stephen Chapman.)

Online and phone-based citation payments

The Municipal Court of Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, one of the largest traffic courts in Georgia, is joining over 80 other jurisdictions throughout Georgia that are taking advantage of nCourt for online and phone-based citation payments. Individuals who are facing a traffic violation citation visit www.athensgatix.com or www.ncourt.com and select Athens-Clarke County from the menu. They can also pay by phone at 1-800-701-8560. The easy-to-follow system enables payments to be made and confirmed within minutes, ensuring completion and avoiding further potential penalties. The nCourt service also provides a free, bilingual customer help center that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. (Athens-Clarke County Municipal Court Judge Kay Giese.)

$1.8 million spend by DEA

WidePoint Corporation, a provider of advanced information technology, identity assurance and protection, and mobile telecom expense management (TEM) services, said today that its subsidiary, iSYS, LLC has been awarded its first contract with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). The five-year agreement is initially worth approximately $1.8 million in support of the DEA’s Office of Information Systems.

$12.7 million task order

NCI, a provider of information technology, engineering, and professional services and solutions to U.S. Federal Government agencies, has received a task order award valued at approximately $12.7 million. Awarded through the Total Engineering Integrated Services (TEIS) contract, NCI will provide engineering and implementation services for a Multi-Level Video Information System (MVIS) Project for the U.S. Central Command’s (USCENTCOM) new Headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. USCENTCOM, a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit, is the military authority for the Middle East and Southwest Asia with an area of responsibility that includes 20 nations.

Under the task order, NCI and its team members, Pershing Technologies and Advanced C⁴ Solutions (AC4S) will engineer, furnish, install, test and provide training for the MVIS in multiple conference rooms, command briefing rooms and operations centers in the facility.

Online ordering for pizza

i Brands Corporation has signed a beta test online service agreement with Zucca Bar & Pizzeria, www.ZuccaPizza.com, a casual Italian dining restaurant chain specializing in New York style pizza and family-recipe pasta/sauces. The beta test will last 90-days followed by a roll-out into Zucca’s chain. Zucca’s management intends to growth their chain, firstly on a regional then national basis.

According to pizzamarketplace.com, “Online ordering is a fast-growing part of the pizza business. For smaller, independent pizza operations, it is important to develop an online ordering system in order to stay competitive.” QSR Magazine recently reported that “of the Quick Service experts surveyed, 51% predict online ordering to be 'The Next Big Thing'.” According to i Brands, less than 5% of restaurants in the United States offer online ordering.

Document management for law firm

IKON Office Solutions, a Ricoh company, has renewed its document management solution agreement with Duane Morris LLP, a full service law firm with more than 700 attorneys practicing in 24 offices in the United States and internationally. Evolving from a partnership of prominent lawyers in Philadelphia a century ago, Duane Morris now has offices in many major markets and continues to expand across the country and overseas through non-merger growth.

As part of the new agreement, IKON’s on-site service team will manage the document production in Duane Morris’ Philadelphia headquarters, as well as provide office support, including support staff, document management, mail/distribution services, and fax services, in five additional firm offices. Ricoh equipment, including multi-function devices, have been placed in the six managed offices as well as the 15 remaining domestic Duane Morris locations. (Barry Silver, Director of Office Services, Duane Morris.)

Bank risks investment in software

As many financial institutions are looking for methods to enhance lending compliance and credit risk management, Bank of Idaho has deployed Cypress Software Systems’ BizMark software to develop an automated application and underwriting system for its small business loans. Beyond the efficiencies achieved with the loan software, Bank of Idaho also gained additional control over its credit risk management and compliance efforts. Bank of Idaho has seven branches across Idaho, holding more than $200 million in assets with more than 100 employees. (Warren Roberts, vice president and assistant loan administrator at Bank of Idaho.)

$35 million payroll contract

STG, Inc. has been awarded the Department of State’s Bureau of Resource Management (RM) Worldwide Agency-wide Locally Engaged Staff (WALES) contract. Under this $35 million, 5-year contract, STG will design, develop and implement a payroll solution for more than 90,000 American & Foreign Service National staff and Foreign Service Annuitants.

New look wrangler.com

wrangler.com has a new look and feel, an interactive home page and a new ecommerce store. The Zobrist team developed the WebSphere 6.0 Commerce / Content site architecture to deliver an integrated brand experience on wrangler.com. (Brendan Walsh, Wrangler.com Project Manager.) www.zobristinc.com and www.wrangler.com.

BPA has value of up to $28 million

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has awarded NetStar-1, Inc. a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for management consulting services for its Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) program. The new five-year BPA has a value of up to $28 million. www.netstar-1.com.

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms wins $1.7m deal

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, a unit of GE Enterprise Solutions, has received an initial order valued at $1.7 million from Northrop Grumman Information Technology TASC for systems featuring GE Fanuc’s CL11 single board computers and ICS-1555A high speed AD (analog-to-digital) PMCs. A total of 216 systems is expected to be ordered over a five-year period, making the long term value an anticipated $7.5 million. The GE Fanuc systems will be integrated by Northrop Grumman into signals intelligence solutions to support intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR) information in tactical environments.

Giants' season-ticket-holder incentive

Radiant Systems has announced a new agreement with the San Francisco Giants to be a key provider of the new loaded-ticket system, a season-ticket-holder incentive deemed so successful by team officials that they have taken steps to open the program to all fans at AT&T Park.

$8.1 million award by DoD

EDS has signed an $8.1 million, 12-month add-on contract with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Military Health System to make technical enhancements to several Defense Health Information Management Systems (DHIMS). The work will improve the quality and delivery of healthcare for recovering U.S. service members under the DoD Wounded Warrior care initiative. The Military Health System is the largest health maintenance organization in the world, composed of a vast team of healthcare providers, medical educators and medical researchers serving at health facilities and in the field worldwide. More than 60,000 trained users operate DHIMS applications to capture, manage and share data across the DoD.