Kansas City Municipal Court (KCMC) in Kansas City, Kansas recently integrated their JustWare | Municipal Court case management solution with their local law enforcement's Advanced Public Safety, Inc.'s (APS) electronic ticketing devices. This integration automatically enters ticket information directly into JustWare using the data from each officer's APS PocketCitation ticketing device, saving both the municipal court and police department both time and resources. Prior to implementing an eticket solution, the Court would receive two of the four paper copies of the citation. Once data entry entered all citation information, KCMC manually filed each citation with the appropriate court date and would relocate the ticket when the date approached. Not only was this process time consuming but also expensive to store and maintain old violation records. (Lisa Garcia, KCMC Administrative Supervisor.)
Friday, September 4, 2009
Virtualization services to state agencies
Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services (ITS) has awarded Infinite Group a three-year contract to deliver virtualization services to state agencies. Under terms of the agreement, various Mississippi state agencies can engage Infinite Group to virtualize servers and migrate applications into ITS’ virtual data center environments, housed in the State Data Center facilities. Infinite Group will manage and implement server consolidations that will migrate physical servers to virtual machines, using VMware vSphere technology – reducing the number of physical servers, with resulting benefits in both physical footprint and energy savings.
Remote deposit capture for Florida bank
First National Bank of Omaha has selected Epson’s CaptureOne check scanner as a standard component of its remote deposit capture (RDC) solution. Available immediately to the bank’s corporate and commercial customers, Epson’s CaptureOne check scanner enables fast, two-sided check scanning with the highest MICR accuracy in its class and a two-year warranty. (Toby Asplin, Strategic Partnership Officer, First National Bank of Omaha.)
Emergency management solution
Upp Technology will provide a centralized emergency management solution to the Tennessee Department of Health that will improve the availability of patient information and the efficiency of an emergency response. Already utilizing Upp’s irms|Go-Kits, to provide mobile emergency response solutions, Tennessee is now looking to add a centralized server to link the Go-Kits together in the field. This centralized approach is designed to provide accurate, reliable, and responsive patient tracking, inventory management and distribution of critical resources during an emergency.
$7 million research and development contract
Alion Science and Technology has been awarded a $7 million research and development contract to assist the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWC TSD) in solving several challenges associated with stimulating airborne Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) platforms and training environments.
Under the Improved Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) Integration research program, Alion will develop prototype computer interface technologies – known as Live Platform Integration -- for surface ship, submarine and aircraft platforms. The research will produce alternative methods for synthetic threat scenarios to be injected into Warfighters’ sensor and combat systems to improve training. Alion will assist NAWC TSD with virtual training technology integration and the development of advanced constructive technologies. Headquartered in Orlando, Fla., NAWC TSD is a component of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division and Naval Air Systems Command. The division is the Navy’s principal source for a full range of training products and services, including requirements analysis, design, development and full life cycle support.
$35.3 million from the U.S. Army
iRobot has received an order for $35.3 million from the U.S. Army TACOM Contracting Center. This order falls under the $286 million Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) xBot contract and calls for the delivery of 486 iRobot PackBot 510 with FasTac Kit robots prior to March 31, 2010. The total contract value to date under this IDIQ is approximately $125 million.
Lockheed orders
VirTra has received another order from Lockheed Martin Simulation Training and Support business for their smallest Threat-Fire device, the Threat-Fire II. The Threat-Fire II is a clip-on return fire simulator, similar in function to the Threat-Fire belt; however, the Threat-Fire II is designed to clip-onto an officer or soldier’s duty belt. The Threat-Fire II is not only small and lightweight to be unobtrusive, but it is also rechargeable and compatible with VirTra’s wireless system.
Major League Soccer tackles counterfeits
Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-level professional soccer league in the United States, has extended its partnership with OpSec Security to acquire expanded services for anti-counterfeiting and brand licensing management. “All of our licensed merchandise totaling $300M in sales is protected by our product authentication program. OpSec’s advanced anti-counterfeiting holograms are a recognized symbol of authenticity for consumers to identify genuine MLS merchandise,” said Stuart Crystal, Vice President of Consumer Products, MLS. MLS’ holographic labels use overt and covert anti-counterfeiting technologies to provide a deterrent to counterfeiting. It also provides a convenient means for fans to identify genuine merchandise from fakes.
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer is the top-level professional soccer league in the United States and features many stars from the United States and around the world. The League's 14th season kicked off on March 19, 2009. The 15 teams in MLS are: the Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Chivas USA, Columbus Crew, D.C. United, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Kansas City Wizards, Los Angeles Galaxy, Red Bull New York, New England Revolution, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes, Toronto FC, and the newest team that debuted this year, Seattle Sounders FC. MLS continues to grow as the Philadelphia Union will begin play in 2010 and teams in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and Portland, Oregon will become the 17th and 18th clubs in 2011. For more information about MLS, log on to the League's official web site at www.MLSnet.com.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Wireless coverage at Florida hotel
ADC‘s InterReach Fusion in-building cellular system has been deployed to provide strong and consistent wireless coverage at the recently-renovated Fontainebleau Miami Beach resort hotel in Florida. After undergoing a three-year, $1 billion renovation and construction program, management at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach discovered that nearby cell towers were not providing adequate service throughout the facility. ADC offered the best price and performance in a multi-operator system. (David Chin, Director of IT at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach.)
$17 million BPA for TSA
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has awarded NetStar-1, Inc. a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for acquisition program management support. The five-year, multiple-award BPA has a potential value of up to $17 million. Under the terms of the BPA, NetStar-1 will provide a variety of management consulting services to TSA, including acquisition planning, documentation, program oversight support, and financial management. The overall purpose of the BPA is to support best practices in TSA’s acquisition process, permitting the agency to fulfill its mission more effectively. This effort will assist TSA to consolidate and standardize the acquisition management support process, streamlining reviews and program approvals.
Email archiving and e-discovery
Windsor Foods has deployed LiveOffice Personal Archive and LiveOffice Discovery Archive to provide unlimited storage capacity, improved server performance and e-discovery capabilities to its more than 600 users spread throughout 11 U.S. facilities. A national provider of frozen food products, Windsor Foods required a scalable email archiving and e-discovery solution to address its rapidly growing data stores, which were pushing the company’s in-house mail servers to near capacity and beginning to cause performance issues. (Windsor Foods’ Vice President of Information Technology, Stephan Henze.)
Parental notification system
As part of its commitment to enhance collaborative communication between school administrators and parents, the Archdiocese of Washington has elected to equip all 61 of its elementary schools with the automated telephone and Internet-based parental notification system developed by SchoolReach. Used by over 4,200 schools in 49 states, SchoolReach provides emergency notification and general school-to-home communications solutions to public and private schools. (Kelly Branaman, assistant superintendent.)
Digitally automating North America’s first commercial-scale renewable diesel plant
Dynamic Fuels, a 50/50 venture of Tyson Foods and Syntroleum Corporation, has awarded Emerson Process Management the contract to digitally automate North America’s first commercial-scale renewable diesel plant. With Emerson’s PlantWeb digital architecture, Dynamic Fuels will gain optimum control through the networking of thousands of Emerson smart devices, systems, and predictive maintenance software.
The $138 million facility, which is scheduled to begin operations in early 2010, will use Syntroleum’s biofuels manufacturing process – Bio-Synfining – with plans to convert animal fats and greases into 75 million gallons/year of ultra-clean, renewable diesel fuel. With some plant modifications, the Geismar facility can also produce renewable jet fuel. Renewable diesel is chemically identical to petroleum-based diesel but produces lower emissions including lower nitrogen oxide, near zero sulfur, and no aromatics (which can be carcinogenic). It also has a higher combustion quality (cetane level) than petroleum-based diesel or biodiesel and is compatible with existing fuel pipelines, storage facilities and other conventional fuel infrastructures. It can be blended with petroleum-based fuels to improve their emissions quality.
400,000 units of HP client products
HP has been selected by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to provide new HP Workstation and desktop PCs as part of its enterprise IT purchase program. This latest award builds on the more than 400,000 units of HP client products deployed by the USAF and is part of the USAF DLS (desktop, laptop and servers) Quarterly Enterprise Buy (QEB). In compliance with USAF requirements, HP will include customized security configurations that meet strict specifications and tests.
Management and treatment of delinquent accounts
BMW Financial Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of BMW AG, is to partner with Chordiant’s Cx Decision Management solution and predictive modeling capability to improve its management and treatment of delinquent accounts. BMW Financial Services will leverage the Chordiant solution to drive better risk and behavioral based actions to resolve account defaults and improve customer interactions.
BMW Group Financial Services was established in the U.S. in 1992 to support the sales and marketing efforts of BMW of North America. Since then, the group has expanded to provide service to markets in multiple countries and continues to evolve beyond its role as a captive finance unit. With more than $30 billion in serviced assets and 800,000 automotive lending customers, BMW Group Financial Services finances about half of the BMWs sold or leased in the United States. BMW Group Financial Services employs nearly 1,000 people, including consultants and temporary workers. www.bmwgroupna.com
Manage finances using mobile devices
Umpqua Bank, an $8.8 billion community bank, has selected Mobile Money from Fiserv to enable customers to manage their finances using their mobile device. Functionalities available to customers will include: balance inquiries, transaction history, account transfers, bill payments, a variety of account alerts and an ATM and branch locater. Mobile Money is a secure application that utilizes security best practices such as data encryption, along with additional risk management safeguards. (Colin Eccles, executive vice president and chief information officer, Umpqua Bank.)
Software for law firm
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, a law firm, has launched Recommind’s MindServer Search software and Recommind’s Matters & Expertise module. MindServer Search’s Matters and Expertise module gives Davis Polk 750 attorneys and their support staff quick access to its work and its people through the automated integration of information from diverse repositories including time and billing, matter profiles and human resources. (Michael Mills, Davis Polk’s Director of Professional Services.) http://www.davispolk.com.
Macy’s customer sales data
dunnhumbyUSA, builder of sales and brand value for consumer goods and retail companies, has an expanded contractual partnership with Macy’s. Macy’s and dunnhumby initially entered into a contractual agreement in August 2008. Under the agreement, dunnhumby will continue to analyze Macy’s customer sales data, develop customer segmentation models, and work with the Macy's organization to apply the learnings, in alignment with the company’s existing customer-centric business initiatives, to accelerate future sales growth.
Hospitality Management System
The Mayo Hotel and Residences has chosen to install PAR’s SMS|Host Hospitality Management System. First opened in 1925, The Mayo was the preeminent hotel of its age. Newly reborn as a hotel and residence, The Mayo once again reigns as one of Tulsa’s most elegant and luxurious properties. The Mayo Hotel has selected PAR Springer-Miller’s SMS|Host solution for the system’s total property integration capabilities to manage both the hotel and residences from one integrated system. Using the SMS|Multi-Property Management module, guest and other property charges can be directly posted to a resident’s account. PAR’s EverServe 6000, the newest POS hardware platform from PAR, has been chosen for the retail and food and beverage outlets. Fully-integrated into the SMS|Host hospitality management system, the Mayo will utilize SMS|Touch Fine Dining and SMS|Retail Point-of-Sale in these outlets. (Wesley Ludloff, General Manager of The Mayo Hotel.)
Radiological, nuclear, environmental, disaster relief and security solutions
Safety and Ecology Corporation (SEC) a provider of specialized technology-based radiological, nuclear, environmental, disaster relief and security solutions to government and commercial customers, along with their teaming partners, have been awarded a Master Task Order Agreement (MTOA) stimulus funded contract with a maximum value potential of $100M from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The Team, including SEC’s protégé company ARS International (ARS), was awarded one of four MTOA contracts from LANL. The task orders are partially stimulus funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and contain a maximum capacity of $100M. The four awarded companies will bid competitively for a variety of Remedial Action (RA) and Decommissioning and Demolition (D&D) services at LANL Technical Area-21. According to the Weapons Complex Monitor Special Bulletin released in August, Los Alamos will receive $212M in ARRA cleanup funds, of which approximately $79M will go toward addressing more than 20 buildings/structures at TA-21.
