03.20.2012 DorobekINSIDER: The changing government market; dealing with tech junk; opening up government legal documents

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Happy Tuesday.

Up front today… two interesting items that sure show how times are changing.

One… would would guess we would ever say Bon Jovi, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Urban Development together in one phrase? Well, welcome 2012. VA and HUD have unveiled a new federal app challenge designed to help homeless veterans quickly find shelter and other kinds of assistance. TechPresident reports that the mobile app will, essentially, act as a travel portal for homeless veterans. And Bon Jovi said that the idea for the project came to him after a volunteer at the JBJ Soul Kitchen in New Jersey asked for help finding a bed for the night.

The other story that shows how times have changes — or are changing and will change… Imagine if the CIA could spy using your washing machine… or dryer. Wired says that those intelligent household devices may be able to be tapped. And CIA Director David Petraeus has said that the Internet of PCs is leading to the Internet of things — devices of all types. And that could be tapped. And it is a legally gray area.

Ah, times have changed…

On today’s program…

• The changing face of federal IT and its acquisition process.
• What happens to hardware in your office when it’s no longer fit for service? Hit the dumpster? You’ll learn what GSA wants you to do.
• The challenges of making legal documents available online. We’ll talk to a professor who has studied the issue.

All that ahead…

But after the break, we start off, as we do each day, with the stories that impact your life for Tuesday the 20th of March, 2012… your government world in 120-seconds…

DorobekINSIDER: All this shutdown talk — what’s the cost of that?

Federal workers and contractors seemly have dodged yet another shutdown — I’ve actually lost count about how many there have been this year. (Federal Computer Week says there have been five.)

Last night, I was invited to the annual holiday party hosted by ASI Government, formerly Acquisition Solutions. Not surprising, the buzz of the night was about… the change of leadership at ASI Government — former Agriculture Department CIO Anne Reed stepping into the role of chairwoman after seven years, and Kimberly “Kymm” McCabe has taken over the role as ASI Government’s President and Chief Executive Officer…

McCabe specifically mentioned the end of the war in Iraq…

But most of the focus was on… the then potential of a government shutdown. Last night, as the festivities were going on, there seemed to be progress toward a resolution, but it was only late last night that the sides announced they had found common ground. But there was still interesting discussion around the topic. One person — now in industry after a distinguished government career — said that the shutdown threat had almost become SOP. It has become standard operating procedure. Yet several govies showed up late specifically because they were working on shutdown contingency plans.

But 1105 President Anne Armstrong asked about the costs of all this.

The short answer is… there is no easy answer.

The Congressional Research Service actually looked at the shutdown issue back in September 1995.

The estimated costs of shutting down the federal government during a lapse in appropriations are incomplete and sketchy at best. That is especially true in the brief shutdown periods that occurred prior to 1995. In those federal shutdown experiences, the General Accounting Office (GAO) attempted to evaluate such government-wide costs, but incomplete and lack of response by various agencies hampered this undertaking. Certain limited costs have been identified over the years, however. GAO found costs of about $1 million resulting from having to issue split or late paychecks in October 1979 and approximately $1.1 million from having to prepare agency shutdown plans in 1980.

In 1991, GAO found that the estimated partial costs for the federal government shutdown over the Columbus Day Holiday week-end in 1990 was $1.7 million.

There have been two other CRS reports — one on September 27, 2010: Shutdown of the Federal Government: Causes, Processes, and Effects. The other is more of a round-up of information about shutdowns from April 8, 2011: Past Government Shutdowns: Key Resources.

Regardless, there was almost uniform agreement among government insiders that the shutdown threats, ongoing continuing resolutions and general budget upheaval have an enormous impact on the government’s ability to accomplish agency missions. (Going out on a limb there, aren’t we?)

To be honest, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has seemed to put forward 12 fairly reasonable principles for the discussion — regardless of political viewpoint.

The 12 principles are:

• Make Deficit Reduction a Top Priority.
• Propose Specific Fiscal Targets.
• Recommend Specific Policies to Achieve the Targets.
• Do No Harm.
• Use Honest Numbers and Avoid Budget Gimmicks.
• Do Not Perpetuate Budget Myths.
• Do Not Attack Someone Else’s Plan Without Putting Forward an Alternative.
• Refrain From Pledges That Take Policies Off the Table.
• Propose Specific Solutions for Social Security, Health Care, and the Tax Code.
• Offer Solutions for Temporary and Expiring Policies.
• Encourage Congress to Come Up With a Budget Reform Plan as Quickly as Possible.
• Remain Open to Bipartisan Compromise.

Find the September 1997 CRS report after the break…

DorobekINSIDER: Microsoft Federal’s Carlson to join Amazon

In one of the biggest moves in government IT in years, Teresa Carlson, who has led Microsoft Federal for the past several years, is leaving the software giant to lead Amazon.com’s burgeoning cloud computing business.

Amazon officials were not available to confirm, but Carlson has told told friends that she will start on Dec. 13. Microsoft officials said that no replacement has been named.

Carlson is one of the preeminent leaders in the business of government community. She has been at Microsoft since 2002, and for the past several years, she has served as the vice president of Microsoft Federal.

The move is a tectonic shift for the cloud computing environment — and for Amazon.com. Amazon has already been a significant player in government — Recovery.gov runs on the Amazon cloud platform. But Amazon has largely lacked a “face” to the market.

But it also is a significant development for the cloud computing environment, scoring one of the most respected government IT executives for the relatively new computing platform.

And… the move leaves Microsoft Federal with a big shoes to fill.

Carlson’s biography as posted on the Microsoft Web site:

Teresa Carlson
Vice President US Federal Government
Microsoft Corporation

Teresa Carlson is the Vice President at Microsoft Corporation responsible for US Federal Government. In this role, she defines the strategy and oversees the execution of sales, contracting, pre-sales technical support, product marketing, customer satisfaction, and performance of the US Federal Government business worldwide.

Teresa joined Microsoft in 2002 as part of the US Federal Group to start up and manage the new Business Productivity unit. In this role, she led a team focused on delivering customer business value through a portfolio of business scenarios. Promoted from there to lead the US Federal Solutions Unit, she created a comprehensive solutions framework that was introduced into the US Federal marketplace. Teresa was also responsible for the US Federal partner channel that consists of more than 2500 Microsoft partners. In July 2005 she became the US Director of Strategy and Operations for Microsoft Federal where she developed new concepts, methods, and strategies for working in the US Federal market. And in 2006 she became the General Manager of the US Federal Civilian Agencies and International Global Organizations (IGO’s) business unit, managing a $600M+ business unit.

Prior to joining Microsoft Teresa was the World Wide Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Lexign Incorporated, formerly Keyfile Corporation, a software company focused on secure, end-to-end business transactions using XML and other technologies. Upon acquisition of three separate companies by Lexign, Teresa was responsible for the overall strategy of the integration and world-wide launch of the newly merged company.
Before moving into the information technology arena, Teresa spent 15 years in the health care field, as a practitioner and consultant initially, then as a business manager and area vice-president, responsible for national accounts, marketing, and business development. During this time, she led customers through numerous transformations, including Joint Commission certifications and significant payment system changes.

Teresa is a native of Kentucky, and currently loves living in Maryland with her husband, a graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point and her youngest son. Her oldest son is now also at West Point. The three men in her life help make it exciting and keep her priorities straight. She has an undergraduate and Masters of Science degree in Communications and Speech and Language Pathology from Western Kentucky University. She holds a variety of certificates and is an advocate for children.

Teresa has received many awards for her industry and civic contributions to the Washington D.C. Community. These include the Federal Computer Week’s Fed 100 Award, and The Bisnow on Business’ Federal IT Power 50 for 2009. Her deep commitment to bettering her community and her passion for her Federal customers has led her to numerous leadership engagements including service on the Boards of: AFCEA Bethesda Chapter, AFFIRM, American Red Cross Capital Chapter, TIE-DC and NPower.

DorobekINSIDER: Deltek buys market research firm INPUT for $60 million

There have been all sorts or rumors and speculation flying around about the future of market research firm INPUT, including some rather embarrassing “reporting” where organizations merely quoted — and not completely accurately — somebody else seemingly without any knowledge or even actual reporting.

But the sale, which the DorobekINSIDER told you about earlier this year, is now official — Deltek, which had been in the rumor mill for days, is buying market research firm INPUT for $60 million in an all cash transaction.

Deltek provides government contracting solutions and owns govWin. Washington Technology says that “Deltek focused on the back-office accounting.”

UPDATE: Deltek President and CEO Kevin Parker will join us this afternoon on Federal News Radio 1500 AM’s DorobekINSIDER to talk about the INPUT deal.

The price tag is higher than anybody expected. Some bidders balked at the original $50 million asking price, so this represents a big bet by Deltek that they can create a real market leader offering a suite of services that Washington Management Group’s FedSources cannot. It is going to be interesting to watch.

We hear that Bloomberg was a bidder at one point. Bloomberg is making a big push into the government market with Bloomberg Government, or BGov. They are hiring hundreds of reporters, including the recent hire of Nextgov’s Allan Holmes to lead their technology coverage.  They could also be a competitor for these dollars.

Most of the other INPUT bidders were private equity firms, we hear.

1105 Media, which owns Federal Computer Week and Government Computer News, was not allowed to bid, we hear. 1105’s Neil Vitale has said previously that he was interested in a market research firm, but — my speculation without having spoken to him or anybody from 1105 — I don’t imagine he would have been willing to pay $60 million.

Here is the release from Deltek:

Deltek to Acquire INPUT to Power the Complete Government Contracting Value Chain

Together, Deltek and INPUT offer the only solution that manages and streamlines the entire government contracting value chain – from opportunity identification and capture management, to successful project initiation and execution; combination also creates the industry’s largest government contracting network

HERNDON, VA – September 30, 2010 – Deltek, Inc. (Nasdaq: PROJ), the leading provider of enterprise applications software and solutions for project-focused businesses, today announced that it will acquire INPUT, Inc. for $60 million in an all cash transaction.  The transaction is expected to close on October 1st, 2010.

The addition of INPUT’s industry-leading opportunity intelligence and business development capabilities to Deltek’s comprehensive portfolio of government contracting solutions and its govWin network expands Deltek’s product offerings to manage all facets of the government contracting value chain from opportunity identification to project delivery.

Based in Reston, VA, INPUT has nearly 200 employees and had revenues of $26.2 million for 2009 –an increase of 13% from 2008.  With more than 2,100 customers, INPUT enables companies to successfully identify and develop new business opportunities with federal, state and local government and other public sector organizations.  Many of the largest government contractors and agencies rely on INPUT for the latest and most comprehensive opportunity database and market research information.  INPUT powers an active network of over 30,000 members that collaborate on federal, state and local government opportunities, develop teaming relationships and win new business.

Deltek and INPUT Offer Unmatched Solutions for Government Contractors
With over 60 years of combined experience, Deltek and INPUT will provide the broadest and most comprehensive range of technology solutions, specialized content and services all focused on meeting the unique needs of government contractors including:

·         Delivering comprehensive enterprise software solutions that power the entire government contracting value chain – Deltek is the gold standard solution to manage and streamline the project execution and critical financial management processes of its customers.  By leveraging valuable, time sensitive content from INPUT, Deltek now will offer game-changing business development solutions such as opportunity information and identification, pipeline development, and capture and proposal management that complement Deltek’s project initiation, project execution and delivery, and financial management  capabilities to power the complete government contracting value chain.

·         Creating the largest online business development network in the world exclusively for government contractors, containing more than $500 billion in active government contracting opportunities – By combining the marquee lists of government contractors that are members of INPUT and Deltek’s govWin networks, Deltek creates the world’s largest online government contractor network exclusively dedicated to winning more government business.  The combined networks represent more than 45,000 participating individuals and over $500 billion in active government contracting opportunities.  The massive network delivers all of the tools that participants need to win business – including cutting-edge task order management capabilities – and will empower network members to identify, pursue, and win federal, state and local government contracts.

·         Providing the industry’s broadest and deepest actionable intelligence on the government marketplace – With more than 60 years of combined experience and thousands of customers across the government contracting landscape, both Deltek and INPUT have unparalleled knowledge and expertise about what is happening across this ever-changing industry.  Combining Deltek’s landmark GovCon Clarity reports that analyze financial management, project management and best practices, with INPUT’s comprehensive government market analysis and insight reports, Deltek will offer deep, actionable intelligence that helps government contractors navigate their dynamic industry and develop strategies for continued growth and future success.

“Deltek has a well-earned reputation for consistently delivering innovative, industry-focused solutions to government contractors and professional services firms worldwide,” said Mike Fauscette, Group Vice President of Software Business Solutions for IDC.  “While Deltek has long offered extremely broad and deep enterprise software solutions that have helped contractors streamline the back-office and drive compliance, its strategic move to acquire INPUT to deliver differentiated business development solutions and time sensitive intelligence and content as well sets Deltek apart in the marketplace today.  INPUT’s capabilities are a great complement to Deltek’s existing enterprise applications, and the combination of INPUT and govWin is yet another compelling reason for government contractors to leverage Deltek’s network to grow their businesses.”

“Our entire INPUT team is extremely proud of the great company that we have collectively built over the years,” said Peter Cunningham, Chairman of INPUT.  “Our services provide a unique combination of content and context (software). This is the direction for the information services industry in the 21st century, and we are ahead of the game.  The combination of INPUT with Deltek makes for a perfect match to accelerate our growth and commitment to our members.  Deltek’s enterprise software capability, industry expertise, and customer list are completely synergistic with INPUT’s capabilities and customer base, creating a combined organization that no competitor can match.  Our association with Deltek will provide a wonderful opportunity for our 2,100 member organizations to get increased value from our services and for our staff to have an almost unlimited career growth opportunity.  I cannot imagine us finding a finer and more appropriate partner to carry out our mission.”

“Acquiring a market leader like INPUT is a landmark move for Deltek,” said Kevin Parker, President and CEO of Deltek. “We are fully committed to investing in INPUT to expand its offerings, deliver new capabilities, and ensure that its customers continue to receive tremendous value from its products and services.  We also look forward to combining INPUT’s world-class business development and market research capabilities with our existing solutions.  Together, we are now powering the entire government contracting value chain, while providing our customers with the timely, data-driven market research they need to navigate their way to success.  This move solidifies Deltek’s standing as the premier government contracting solutions provider and thought leader in the market today.”

About INPUT
INPUT is the authority on government business. Established in 1974, INPUT helps companies develop federal, state, and local government business and helps public sector organizations achieve their objectives. More than 2,100 member organizations, including small specialized companies, new entrants to the public sector, and the largest government contractors and agencies, rely on INPUT for the latest and most comprehensive procurement and market information, consulting, a 30,000 strong teaming network, powerful sales management tools, and educational and networking events.  For more information about INPUT, visit www.input.com or call 703-707-3500.

About Deltek
Deltek (Nasdaq: PROJ) is the leading global provider of enterprise applications software and solutions designed specifically for project-focused businesses and professional services firms globally.  For nearly three decades, we have enabled government contractors and professional services firms to automate mission-critical business processes around the engagement, execution and delivery of projects. Over 13,000 customers use our solutions to measure business results, optimize performance, streamline operations and win new business. For more information, visit www.deltek.com.

Deltek also offers govWin, an online community dedicated to solving common business problems for government contractors. The govWin network delivers unique and specialized content, offers innovative matching capabilities to establish and manage teaming opportunities, and provides applications to identify, pursue, and win government contracts. Over 15,000 registered members, prime contractors, and small businesses are part of the govWin community. For more information, visit www.govwin.com.
Follow the conversation at http://govwin.com/deltek-input
Participate in the conversation on Twitter #DeltekInput

DorobekINSIDER: OFPP recertifies NIH governmentwide contract

The DorobekINSIDER has confirmed that the Office of Federal Procurement Policy has recertified the National Institute of Health Information Technology Acquisition & Assessment Center’sChief Information Officer – Solutions and Partners 3 (CIO-SP3), one of three governmentwide acquisition contracts.

There was widespread speculation that OFPP might not recertify the NIH contract — and Federal News Radio’s Jason Miller has been reporting that there has been a real focus whether there was a proliferation of multiple-award contracts. (See Federal News Radio 1500 AM’s special report — Contract Overload, which focused on the multiples of multiple-award contracts out there.)

Here is the OFPP decision:

On July 20, 2010, the OMB Director designated NIH as an executive agent for the Chief Information Officer Solutions and Partners 3 (CIOSP3) GWAC and the CIOSP3-Small Business GWAC.  Each GWAC will offer a wide range of IT services, with a particular focus on health-related IT services.

In deciding whether to grant the designation, OMB carefully evaluated a business case NIH developed to justify the need and value of its proposed GWACs.  To supplement this information, OMB conducted a significant amount of outreach with different stakeholders in the acquisition community, including agency users of NIH’s existing GWACs, agency managers of GWACs and other interagency contract vehicles, Chief Acquisition Officers and Senior Procurement Executives, trade associations, and Congressional staffers.

OMB approved the request based on several factors that promise enhanced value for the Government and our taxpayers.  NIH’s proposed GWACs will fill an important need by agencies with health-related responsibilities, including those in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  The programmatic expertise of its in-house scientists and medical experts will provide strong support for the award and management of its contracts.  The new GWAC vehicles will also provide increased opportunities for small businesses in Federal contracting, allowing agencies to tap into the talents of this community as they work to achieve best value for their missions and our citizens.

DorobekINSIDER: Throwing elbows over cyber-security legislation

It appears that the effort to pass a cyber-security bill is going to get a bit more tough then expected.

Late last month, officials from Cisco, IBM and Oracle sent a letter to the main sponsors of the Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act, S. 3480 — Senators Joe Lieberman (DI-Conn.) Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Tom Carper (D-Del.). The letter raised concerns about some provisions of the bill:

While well intentioned, it ultimately puts U.S. critical infrastructure at increased risk by threatening the intellectual property of American companies that create the IT that operates the vast majority of U.S. government and private-sector critical networks and systems.  The unintended result may be a weakening of the domestic software and hardware industry to an extent that could, ironically, leave the U.S. more dependent upon foreign suppliers for their critical IT systems.

The letter goes on to raise specific concerns about detailed provisions of the bill. You can read the full copy of the letter here.

The Senators issued a forceful response — a letter addressed specifically to the heads of those companies — and it was posted right on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Web site. In the response, they refer to the concerns as “mischaracterizations” of the bill:

This legislation is informed by years of oversight by this Committee and is the result of more than a year of drafting. Our staff spent considerable time working with industry representatives – including representatives from your companies – and the bill, as reported, addresses many of the concerns your companies raised during that time…

Your input on this important legislation is important to our Committee, and both our staff and yours have invested considerable time in this process. While we find the mischaracterizations of our bill in your letter inaccurate and disappointing, we welcome further discussion and hope that we can engage in a constructive dialogue going forward.

Again, you can read the full response here.

Meanwhile, Politico’s Morning Tech is reporting that the House version of the bill is having some trouble.

Staff representing the Senate’s top players in the cybersecurity debate – Rockefeller, Snowe, Collins, Lieberman, Carper – will begin huddling this week over ways to merge the chamber’s top two proposals. But the path forward in the House is still unclear.

The lower chamber’s version of the Lieberman-Collins-Carper plan, spearheaded by Reps. Jane Harman and Pete King, is still pending consideration by a slew of committees that all share jurisdiction. And the committee closest to the action – the House Homeland Security panel – plans to introduce its own bill soon, pitched by Chairman Thompson. Meanwhile, a Senate Dem aide tells Morning Tech that it is unclear whether Rep. Jim Langevin, another cybersecurity leader, is writing his own comprehensive legislation. Stay tuned.

IT WILL BE THE HOUSE SCI/TECH COMMITTEE that will take the first stab at cybersecurity once both chambers return from recess next week. The Technology and Innovation Subcommittee announced late Tuesday it had invited industry leaders from EPIC, the Institute for Defense Analyses, the Council on Foreign Relations and Ponte Technologies to its scheduled July 15 hearing – and it promises additional witness announcements to come soon.

Read Politico’s Morning Tech here.

DorobekINSIDER: Green government – and telework

I had the pleasure of moderating a panel last week… ostensibly on green IT, but it ended up being about the larger issue of green government.

The program was sponsored by the Java Team of the American Council on Technology and Industry Advisory Council’s Partners program, which is a marvelous development program designed to help government and industry understand each other better.

And we had a great line-up:

Jeff Eagan, Energy Department, who is on assignment at the White House reviewing the agency sustainability plans. I should note he is a 2010 Fed 100 winner.
Emile Monette, director of GSA’s Federal Technology Service’s sustainability division
Kimberly T. Nelson, Microsoft and former EPA CIO
Marian Van Pelt, a principal at ICF and a carbon inventory expert.

And we discussed Executive Order 13514: Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance [PDF] — read more from the White House about EO 13514 here… and a WhiteHouse.gov blog post on the green initiative here.

The executive order essentially calls on agencies to cut energy use by 28 percent… and they were required to submit “sustainability plans” to the Office of Management and Budget by the begging of this month. (I understand all are in now.)

There were several issues that came out of our discussion.

One was that this just seems overwhelming. One CIO for one of the big agency departments asked, essentially, help me know what are the best things to do out there. Agencies — and agency CIOs — have scores of mandates on them… and most of them generally want to be as green as possible. That being said, the greening discussion became so broad that it became almost overwhelming.

The general response was…
1. Work with your sustainability officer… Each agency is required to appoint a chief sustainability officers. I can’t seem to find a list of those names, unfortunately, but the first recommendation was to find out who that person is and work with them.

2. Measure… The second was to come up with a plan for measuring what your organization’s energy footprint is… so you can then determine if you are having an impact.

3. Just do it… Start doing something… turning off computers at night… turn off lights in buildings… reduce your data centers… GSA Administrator Martha Johnson has actually taken this issue quite seriously. At recent conferences, GSA executives were prohibited from renting their own cars. Instead, GSA organized a bus to shuttle people where they needed to go. And, it was pointed out to me, GSA actually sought public input on its sustainability plan.

4. See helpful links below for other ideas.

The other big issue that was discussed was — ready for it — telework. I should note that this is now the third green focused panel that I have moderated — and it is the third time the panel has been dominated by telework issues. And again, people asked why the government seems to be so reluctant to institute telework — and why there isn’t more of a push for telework.

Last week on Federal News Radio 1500 AM’s Dorobek Insider, we spoke about telework — and a new FedScoop survey on the government’s attitudes towards telework [PDF]. The survey shows the government is still behind, but that attitudes are changing.

Anyway, during the discussion, there were a number of helpful sites mentioned… I promised I would round them up.

* The Federal Electronics Challenge: http://www.federalelectronicschallenge.net
The Federal Electronics Challenge (FEC) is a partnership program that encourages federal facilities and agencies to:
Purchase greener electronic products.
Reduce impacts of electronic products during use.
Manage obsolete electronics in an environmentally safe way.

* EPEAT: http://www.epeat.net
EPEAT is a system that helps purchasers evaluate, compare and select electronic products based on their environmental attributes. The system currently covers desktop and laptop computers, thin clients, workstations and computer monitors.

* Energy Department’s Federal Energy Management Program
The Energy Department’s Federal Energy Management Program’s (FEMP) mission is to facilitate the Federal Government’s implementation of sound, cost-effective energy management and investment practices to enhance the nation’s energy security and environmental stewardship.

Other resources from Federal News Radio 1500 AM:

* For Earth Day, we spoke to Michelle Moore, Federal Environmental Executive in the Executive Office of the President. She is the person who is leading the oversight of the agency sustainability plans. Hear that conversation here.

* Somebody who just did it: Want to have hope in what you can do… and in young people… Last week, I got to talk to a 29-year-old woman who is making a difference. Saskia van Gendt is a resource conservation specialist at the EPA… and she is working in the field of “climaterials” — essentially the greening of all the materials to make buildings. And she launched a contest — the Lifecycle Building Challenge, a yearly online competition that recognizes cutting-edge building design and challenges students, architects and builders to reduce the environmental impact of buildings. This ‘just do it’ attitude scored her a place as a finalist for the Service to America Medals — the SAMMIES. Hear Ms. van Gendt talk about what she did here.

* Beneath the Green Dome: My colleague Amy Morris did a series looking at the greening of the Capitol. Find that series here.

Tomorrow… is there a better way to do sustainability plans?

DorobekINSIDER on the circuit: Jane Norris; NASA’s Diaz; NASA’s Kemp; former GSAer Bill Piatt; Paul Strasser; and baby tweets

Catching up on changes throughout the community…

* Federal News Radio’s Jane Norris to join Deloitte

Jane Norris

How does one post about news within my own organization? Radio/TV blog DCRTV reported it first, but… Federal News Radio’s Jane Norris, who has been the morning drive anchor for several years — first with Mike Causey and now with Tom Temin — is leaving the station. Norris will be the federal PR guru for Deloitte as that company continues to grow and expand, particularly in the federal market.

The note to staff from Federal News Radio program director Lisa Wolfe:

Please join me in wishing Jane Norris great success as she departs Federal News Radio and joins the global consulting firm, Deloitte.

Jane’s new role as Public Relations Manager, Deloitte Federal Sector, is an impressive position and one that requires an insider’s knowledge of the federal space.

Jane started with Federal News Radio in August of 2006 and helped us launch the first iteration of our live morning drive show, along with Mike Causey. Since then, Jane has been instrumental in developing the type of news and information targeted to our federal executive audience.

Jane has been an excellent ambassador for the station on the air and behind the scenes and she leaves some very big shoes to fill.

So what next? How is Federal News Radio filling those shoes?

The Deciders have been working on that and, frankly, I don’t it has been all figured out yet. I know there have been a lot of discussions. (Collaboration kudos: Wolfe took a page from the collaboration playbook and asked the entire Federal News Radio team for their ideas. And it was interesting because the buzz around the WFED water cooler was almost complete shock that somebody asked. ‘What do you think she wants us to say?’ was the type of questions people asked. People aren’t always asked. Those kinds of things doesn’t always happen within organizations — particularly media organizations.)

As we say in radio… stay tuned.

* Diaz named NASA’s deputy CIO

NASA CIO Linda Cureton confirmed it on Federal News Radio 1500 AM’s Daily Debrief, but… it is now officially official — Deborah Diaz has been named the NASA deputy chief information officer.

From the release:

NASA Chief Information Officer Linda Cureton has announced the appointment of Deborah Diaz as the agency’s new deputy chief information officer. Diaz will be a key member of the office that provides information technology services to all staff.

Cureton said, “I’m delighted that we are filling this position with a seasoned, hands-on technical leader who can immediately and seamlessly assist with implementing strategic changes and rebuilding the Office of the CIO.”

Diaz joined the CIO’s office in December as associate chief information officer for architecture and infrastructure and director of the Information Technology Infrastructure Integration Program (I3P), a new initiative to consolidate the agency’s information technology and data services.

Previously, Diaz was the chief information officer for the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate, where she developed and implemented $1 billion worth of scientific programs and IT infrastructure. She also served as the senior advisor on IT interoperability and wireless technologies. As deputy CIO at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, she helped transform electronic commerce and managed complex IT initiatives to modernize business processes and data exchange systems.

* Kemp named NASA chief technology officer

Cureton also confirmed word from Nick Hoover at InformationWeek that Chris Kemp, who had been the NASA Ames CIO, has been named the NASA chief technology officer.

Kemp has been spearheading much of NASA’s cloud initiative, including its Nebula initiative.

Selfishly, we hope Kemp will continue his blog in the new post.

* Former GSA CIO Bill Piatt leave the International Finance Center

Bill Piatt, who was the CIO at the International Finance Center, is leaving that post as of May 1.

There has been a major restructuring ongoing at the World Bank where IT is being consolidating into a central unit. So Piatt has decided to move on.

We’ll be watching for Piatt’s next adventure.

* Strasser exits Pragmatics, joins Dynamics Research

Paul Strasser, the former chief operating officer at Pragmatics, has joined Dynamics Research Corp. as Senior Vice President of Strategic Development.

From the release:

Dynamics Research Corporation, a leading provider of innovative management consulting, engineering, and technology solutions to federal and state governments, today announced that Paul Strasser has joined DRC as Senior Vice President of Strategic Development. In this newly formed position Strasser will be responsible for developing new business growth strategies that will further expand DRC’s presence with federal government customers, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, civilian and intelligence agencies. Strasser will report to Jim Regan, DRC’s president and chief executive officer.

“I am very pleased and excited to have Paul join DRC’s senior management team in a critical leadership role focused on accelerating growth in our target federal markets. Paul’s impressive track record of success in developing new business fits well with DRC’s extensive portfolio of flexible contract vehicles and proven solutions. It’s a winning combination,” said Regan.

Strasser has more than 28 years of industry experience in senior management positions focused on developing technology services business with Federal Government customers. Most recently he served as Chief Operating Officer for Pragmatics, Inc. During his tenure of leadership, Pragmatics experienced five-fold organic growth from $31 million in FY 2004 to approximately $145 million, in FY 2010.

Finally, the baby boom…

Last Thursday, GovDelivery’s Scott Burns became a father — for the second and third time. Burns and his wife had twins last Thursday — and they are enjoying a life without sleep.

Meanwhile, GovLoop’s Andrew Krzmarzick and his wife had a baby a few weeks ago — and yes, Issac has a Twitter feed. (No word yet if he is on GovLoop.)

Not to be outdone, Booz Allen Hamilton’s Steve Radick’s yet-to-be-born baby has a Twitter feed — @babyradick.

DorobekINSIDER: AFCEA Bethesda’s 12 annual benefit for The Children’s Inn at NIH

The 12th annual AFCEA Bethesda annual charity ball to Benefit the Children’s Inn at NIH. It is often one of the best events of the year — and this year was no exception. (Congratulations to Microsoft’s Teresa Carlson and Mark Hollander, Associate Director for Management at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. They served as the co-chairpeople for the event.)

The NIH Children's Inn Gala

For those of you who don’t know about it, the Children’s Inn is similar to the Ronald MacDonald houses — they are a place where families can stay near the hospital and have as normal of a life as is possible. Over the years, AFCEA Bethesda has raised more than $2 million to benefit The Children’s Inn at NIH.

If you were not able to attend and you want to donate to the Children’s Inn at NIH, it is a wonderful cause… and $93 buys a day at the Inn for somebody. You can make your donation here.

You can see a slideshow of the event here.

AFCEA Bethesda does a great job with this event. There was a new location for the event this year — the JW Marriott, which allowed for more tables.

Each year, the gala features one of the Inn’s families who talks about life at the Inn. It is always one of the highlights of the evening, and this year was no exception. This year, we got to hear from Kaytelan Hoppes, an 8-year-old who has osteogenesis imperfecta – better known as brittle bone disease. It is a condition that causes extremely fragile bones. And Hoppes talked about the impact that the Inn has had on her family — the ability to have a home away from home. (And she even let it be known that it enables her mother to get an occasional massage. Given what these families go through, whatever it takes to survive. Good for Mom!)

The only snag of the evening — a fire alarm right at the start of the live auction. (You could tell the journalists in the room because none of the people at the Federal News Radio table moved.) The immediate concern was that it would scare people away — and, of course, that they wouldn’t return and it would impact the live auction prices. But… the false alarm sure didn’t seem to have an impact. Most of the items — including a Vespa that the DorobekINSIDER was bidding on — all went for more then their estimated values.

Congratulations to those involved. Nice job! Looking forward to 2011!

See a slideshow from the event here.

Meanwhile… more photos…

Best shoes of the night

The Daily Debrief with Chris Dorobek and Amy Morris

No word on where Jim Williams is going -- yet

1105's Anne Armstrong and Eric Pesachowitz

Team NASA

Team Federal News Radio 1500 AM

DorobekINSIDER: Is that a ‘for sale’ sign at market research firm Input?

Input, the market research firm, has opened the door to potential buyers, insiders and industry sources say.

While the privately held company has been in talks before, nothing panned out.

Input officials had no comment noting that Input is a privately held company and therefore, they tend not to comment on these kinds of topics. But insiders did note that “INPUT is a strong performer in a hot sector and naturally is an attractive asset.”

Input board chairman Peter Cunningham has held sales talks before, but nothing ever came of it. But Cunningham might believe now is the right time.

The shop talk comes after media giant Bloomburg purchased Eagle Eye Publishers, a much smaller market research firm, as marketing guru Mark Amtower reported. And, in fact, Bloomburg is seeming to growing its government focus. Last month, Bloomberg announced that Kevin Sheekey is rejoining the company as chairman of the government-oriented division. He will also oversee government relations and communications. It is unclear exactly what Bloomberg plans to do in the government market, but FishbowlDC has reported that the company is looking to take on the other so-called Hill rags.

I can’t imagine why one would want to jump into that already crowded market, which already has Politico, Roll Call, Congressional Quarterly, The Hill… and others like, say, the Washington Post. There is, however, much less of a focus on the business of government market. Washington Technology covers the business of government IT, but there are few others. The Washington Post has dramatically reduced its business coverage, and the Washington Business Journal, which seems like the other logical contender, has not really jumped into that space.

Who might be potential buyers?

Aside from those, 1105 Media’s Neal Vitale, owner of the 1105 Government Information Group, had said publicly that he saw market research as an important part of a government media organization to add it’s print, Web and events businesses.

Government Executive‘s research and “thought leadership” division, the Government Business Council, has been doing more business with research, but it is unclear how much GovExec’s parent, Atlantic Media, is interested in investing beyond its current holdings.

Some Input facts from the company’s Web site:

INPUT helps buyers buy and vendors sell in the government marketplace. We are committed to promoting collaboration between government and industry for the benefit of all.

Year Founded: 1974, privately held

Headquarters: Reston, Virginia

# of Employees: 160

Stay tuned.