Industry News
EDS Awarded $170 Million Subcontract for San Diego County Outsourcing Program
Representatives of EDS announced the company has signed a US$170 million subcontracting agreement with Northrop Grumman Corporation to support the recently awarded San Diego County Information Technology and Telecommunications Services Contract.
By unanimous vote, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors awarded the seven-year contract with a 5-year option to the team comprised of Northrop Grumman, EDS, BearingPoint and AT&T to deliver the county's end-to-end IT and telecommunication services. EDS will provide data center, help desk and cross functional services for the county as well as application management support for the county's Health and Human Services Agency.
EDS leveraged key members of the EDS Agility Alliance in developing portions of the team solution. The EDS Agility Alliance includes Cisco, Dell, EMC, Microsoft and others.
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Navy Awards Tactical Networking Contract to Data Link Solutions
The U.S. Navy has awarded a US$9.3 million contract to Data Link Solutions (DLS) for the first of two phases to insert the Tactical Targeting Networking Technology (TTNT) waveform into the Multifunction Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) terminal. DLS will work with ViaSat in an integrated product team environment to jointly develop and integrate TTNT into MIDS JTRS.
The first-phase effort covers design specification development for integration of TTNT into the MIDS JTRS platform, along with initial hardware development. The second phase of the program, valued at $40 million, will include complete design, development, and qualification and will be awarded later this year.
The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command is the contracting authority.
TTNT, developed by Rockwell Collins under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency contract, is the high-throughput, low-latency solution for addressing the sensor-to-shooter link and providing other real-time information. An Internet Protocol-based, high-speed, dynamic, ad hoc network, TTNT enables the U.S. military to quickly target moving and time-critical targets and enables net-centric sensor technologies to correlate information among multiple platforms.
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General Dynamics Board Elects Hugh Redd Chief Financial Officer
Representatives of the board of directors of General Dynamics elected L. Hugh Redd, senior vice president and chief financial officer, effective June 1, 2006. Redd, who will report to Nicholas D. Chabraja, chairman and chief executive officer, will succeed Michael J. Mancuso, who is retiring.
Redd has been vice president and controller of General Dynamics Land Systems in Sterling Heights, Mich., since 2000. He joined General Dynamics in 1986 as a senior financial analyst and became a senior tax administrator at the corporation's headquarters in 1989. He was promoted to the position of director– treasury planning and analysis in 1994 and staff vice president and assistant treasurer in 1998.
Prior to joining General Dynamics, Redd worked in the tax department of Arthur Andersen from 1983 to 1986. He holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Brigham Young University and a Master of Professional Accountancy in Tax Accounting from the University of Texas.
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3M to Acquire Leading Developer of Hospital Software
Representatives of 3M Deutschland GmbH in Neuss announced Tuesday that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire SBG (Software und Beratung im Gesundheitswesen) GmbH, a Berlin-based developer of diagnosis related groups (DRG) software for hospitals, including related trademarks and patents. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
This acquisition expands 3M's product portfolio in its Health Information Systems Division, and strengthens its position in the core segments of coding, grouping and quality assurance. The transaction is expected to close in June subject to customary closing conditions.
SBG develops innovative software solutions for the health care industry in the areas of medical documentation, coding and DRG determination, as well as management. The company's most well-known product is KODIP(R), a coding and grouper software solution for hospitals and funding agencies.
The software solution, which is already being used in more than 1,000 hospitals in Germany, is compatible with the programs of the hospital IT providers. The successful brand names of the SBG products will be retained under the parent 3M brand name, and the further development of these products will be continued. SBG will be fully integrated into 3M Deutschland GmbH this year, and the Berlin location will be retained.
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IBM Acquires BuildForge, Inc. to Help Organizations Meet Compliance Demands
Representatives of IBM announced it has acquired BuildForge, Inc., a privately held software company based in Austin, Texas. Financial details were not disclosed.
BuildForge helps customers automate their software development processes, as well as meet audit and compliance mandates. BuildForge software helps software development teams document what was created, how it was developed, and where the application was deployed.
Organizations are increasingly under pressure to deliver enterprise products and services faster. In addition, development organizations are hard pressed to manage complex applications and coordinate globally distributed development while maintaining high quality software. They are faced with the need to meet compliance mandates — either from external or internal pressures — that require complete traceability and audit trails that demand a new flexible development infrastructure.
BuildForge technology, in combination with IBM Rational software, can help organizations alleviate these challenges by providing an integrated offering that can allow teams to automate, track, audit and analyze their application development lifecycle, often using the tools they have in place today. As a result, they can increase product quality, team efficiency and move toward achieving sustainable compliance management.
The acquisition further strengthens IBM's leadership in helping our clients innovate and grow. According to the IBM 2005 Global CFO Study of CFOs and senior Finance professionals in 74 countries, 59% stated that compliance programs and strengthening the internal control environment are the most important areas of focus in their departments.
Since IBM's acquisition of Rational Software in 2003, IBM has invested significant resources in the Rational software division. This acquisition further demonstrates IBM's commitment to software development tools as an integral component of its middleware portfolio.
IBM's acquisition of BuildForge builds upon the existing relationship between the two companies. Founded in 2001, BuildForge is an IBM Ready for Rational software Business Partner. BuildForge has more than 65 customers in the U.S. and Canada across a variety of industries, including financial services, telecommunications, healthcare, information technology, aerospace and defense, insurance and others. More than 80% of BuildForge's customers are deploying Rational software to govern their software development process. BuildForge operations will be integrated into IBM's Rational software business.
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Ericsson Chosen by Netia for Managed Services Contract
The Polish operator Netia and Ericsson are entering into an exclusive five year managed services partnership. Under the contract, Ericsson will be responsible for the management of Netia wireline networks and service deliveries to Netia customers.
Ericsson will be responsible for operational activities currently performed by the Netia Network Operational Department and Network Inventory Department. Netia will remain owner of the network.
Under the scope of the managed services agreement 300 employees from the Netia Network Departments will be transferred to Ericsson.
Through the contract, Netia gains flexibility in developing the telecommunications network. The agreement enables the operator to expand geographically without the necessity to employ more technical staff.
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ExxonMobil and QuestAir Technologies Address Increased Hydrogen Needs in the Refining Industry
Representatives of ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company and QuestAir Technologies Inc. announced Wednesday that they have signed an agreement to jointly market a novel, large capacity hydrogen purifier as a compact solution for hydrogen recovery in the oil refining industry.
QuestAir has been working with EMRE since 2003 to develop this advanced, rapid cycle pressure swing adsorption ("RCPSA") system, marketed as the H-6200, for use in oil refineries and petrochemical plants. A prototype plant test is planned at an ExxonMobil refinery beginning the second half of 2006.
The multi-year agreement covers the marketing of the H-6200 hydrogen RCPSA to third party customers in the oil refining industry. Under the terms of the agreement, EMRE will lead the marketing effort to refinery customers. QuestAir will support EMRE's marketing efforts, and will be the contracting party responsible for manufacturing, supplying and commissioning of plants sold to refinery customers.
The commercial gain from the sale of the product will be shared between QuestAir and EMRE based on the contributions made by each party towards the research, development and commercialization of the product.
The H-6200 hydrogen purifier incorporates QuestAir's proprietary Rapid-Cycle Pressure Swing Adsorption ("RCPSA") technology, which operates at significantly higher cycle speeds than conventional PSA systems. This results in a direct reduction in the size and cost of the equipment required to purify a given volume of product gas. The H-6200 will be marketed in the oil refining industry as a compact solution for hydrogen recovery, helping refineries address the growing demand for hydrogen to process increased supplies of heavy, sour crude oil.
