News/Press Releases		Features		Event Calendar

PA e-Comm News FEBRUARY 1

A winner in the e-commerce marketplace appears to be 1-800-Flowers.com who announced a second-quarter net profit of $1.8 million along with a 21% revenue increase. The company said that its sales of non-floral products were the impetus for this growth. 

A recent Forrester Research report indicated that online purchasing increased 14% in December 2001 compared to December 2000. Forrester had previously forecast a slower online season. The report noted increases in books, toys and video games, and tools and hardware offset decreases in office supplies, airline tickets and hotel reservations. 

The statistics just keep coming. A recent study revealed that over 97% of consumers used a brick-and-mortar location for their purchase but 56 % used the Internet for information gathering rather than the telephone. Before the Internet, most consumers would telephone the retail location and ask about products or services; now consumers save time by using the Internet. 

How do movie fanatics make certain they get opening day tickets to the new releases? They used to go early that day and buy tickets for a later show or just wait their turn in line. But not any more – now they turn to online ticket services like Fandango, Moviefone and MovieTickets.com. Fandango sold almost 1 million online tickets in November. These three companies predict a record year in 2002 with releases such as the new "Star Wars", an "Austin Powers" sequel, the second "Men in Black", "Harry Potter" and "Lord of the Rings". Next up – the ability to print the movie tickets at home. 

In case you missed it, Bill Gates introduced the concept of "Trustworthy Computing" telling all Microsoft employees to make security their number one priority, ahead of new product features. Microsoft is just one of many companies elevating security to the top of its priority list. IBM has partnered with VeriSign to improve online identity authentication in e-business applications. All this attention to online security will increase competition and should drive down costs. 

PALM has launched its i705 handheld for business users, featuring e-mail service, Internet access and wireless data communications, priced at about $450. Another feature is the ability to use AOL Instant Messenger. 

EBay has introduced a new program to provide some assurance to car buyers that they are not purchasing a lemon. eBay Motors is responding to customers concerns via this new warranty-like service which will protect buyers against any major failure in a car's power train for one month or 1,000 miles after they buy a car. This service is currently being offered for free through 1SourceAutoWarranty.com for autos with less than 125,000 miles and excludes makes such as Ferrari and Aston Martin and some high-end models. eBay also introduced a new vehicle inspection service which allows buyers or sellers to schedule an inspection of a vehicle offered on eBay Motors at a cost of $99.95 through Inspection Solution, which can perform the inspection within two days and can do it at the home or office. 

NEW FEATURE: TECHNOLOGY PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The following is a listing of recently published technology procurement opportunities with various governmental entities. We hope our readers take the opportunity to investigate these postings and increase their business. 

USAF - Air Force Materiel Command
ESC - Electronic Systems Center
70--General Purpose ADP Equipment, Software; Supplies
Other Files 01, Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/ESC/R304/listing.html

NASA - Langley Research Center
Office of Procurement
70--DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM
Salient characteristics 01, Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/NASA/LaRC/OPDC20220/1-074-RBG.1195/listing.html

USAF - Pacific Air Forces
15 CONS
D -- FLIGHT PLANNING ONLINE SERVICES
Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/USAF/PAF/15CONS/Reference-Number-F165AS12470600/listing.html

VA - VA Austin Automation Center
Department of Veterans Affairs Austin Automation Center
70 -- Niksun Networking Products and Services
Solicitation 01 http://www.eps.gov/spg/VA/VAAAC/VAAAC/200-20-02/listing.html

NRC - Office of Administration
Division of Contracts and Property Management
D -- Data General Equipment Maintenance
Solicitation 02 http://www.eps.gov/spg/NRC/OA/DCPM/RFQ10270085/listing.html

NRC - Office of Administration
Division of Contracts and Property Management
D -- Software Maintenance for FileNET Document Management Software Suite Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/NRC/OA/DCPM/Reference-Number-NRC-33-01-174MOD2/listing.html

HHS - Food and Drug Administration
Jefferson Laboratories, National Center for Toxicological Research 70 -- Maintenence for Software Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/HHS/FDA/NCTR/R-1005-00-2-00/listing.html

FDIC - Headquarter
Acquisition and Corporate Services Branch
D -- LAN ADMINISTRATION AND MAINFRAME OPERATIONAL SUPPORT Solicitation 01, Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/FDIC/HQ/ACSB/01-00561-C-S2/listing.html

FEMA - Office of Financial Management
MWEAC Satellite Procurement Office
R -- UPGRADE OF ACCPAC DOS BASE SOFTWARE ACCOUNTING SYSTEM Modification 01, Solicitation 01 http://www.eps.gov/spg/FEMA/OFM/MWEAC/EMV-2002-RQ-0001/listing.html

USA - U. S. Army Materiel Command
Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, AMCOM RDEC D--Acquisition of a Web-Based, Hosted, Collaborative Program management System Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/USA/USAMC/DAAH10/DAAH10-02-R-0001/listing.html

USN - United States Marine Corps
Marine Corps Systems Command
R--Computer Related Services
Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/USN/USMC/M67854/M67854-02-R-2035/listing.html

USCP - Office of Financial Management
Procurement Section
D -- Market Survey and Bidders List Development-Sources Sought Request for USCP Administrative System Modernization. RFI-02-001 USCP Information Technology Modernization 01, Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/USCP/OFM/PS/Reference-Number-RFI-USCP-02-001/listing.html

USPS - Supplies and Services Purchasing
Supply Chain Management
D -- Electronic Filing Document Management System
Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/USPS/SSP/SCM/Reference-Number-660495-01/listing.html

NEWS & NOTES is a service of the PA e-Commerce Association. Please forward this e-mail to anyone else who might be interested in the content or in learning more about the Association. Remember to visit our website @  www.paecomm.org or call 717-238-9366.

Newsletter Archives