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PA e-Comm News MARCH 1

Basically Useless Information – What color was the original Coca Cola product? (Answer later).

Vacation.com has announced a new online booking tool expected to help traditional travel agencies set their own prices and build in their own profit margins for the fares they sell. The tool allows agents to view published fares alongside negotiated fares. With 9000 domestic travel agencies, this site enables users to book fares with airlines, tour companies and cruise lines via the Web. The site will make money by charging travel suppliers fees and by charging travel agents yearly dues. 

Only those e-tailers that convert new customers into loyal ones will thrive over the long term, according to Forrester Research. Look at Amazon.com, EBay, Best Buy and Expedia who use targeted remarketing campaigns and site personalization to drive repeat purchases. E-tailers must deliver consistent and reliable service over time to solidify a devoted customer base. The trick is to convert site visitors into buyers and buyers into loyal customers. Some vendors use personalized e-mail to develop relationships. Existing online customers respond to e-mail campaigns and product promotions about four or five times more readily than do new customers. So, you need to earn shoppers' trust and allegiance. Some vendors, like Amazon.com, use personalized product recommendations and improved shopping tools to lure customers back to its site. But Amazon also recognizes that order fulfillment, customer service and usable site design are equally important in achieving customer loyalty.

Forrester is predicting a continued increase in online hotel bookings but does not believe the new Hotel Distribution System, a cooperative effort between five major chains, will challenge the top players. Why, because of the competition from third-party sites and from the hotel chains themselves. 

More than 50 % of high schools are offering online courses or exploring them for the future. The recent study surveyed 447 high school principals and 345 school district administrators, and asked their districts' and schools' status, opinions and future plans for offering online courses. More than 40 % of all public high schools are already using online courses or planning to start using them during this school year; 17 % are interested in offering online courses in the future. The study also revealed that 32 % of public school districts will adopt and use an e-learning platform for the first time in 2002. Main reasons cited included a broader curriculum with less cost and college preparation.

Buy.com has announced that it is offering free shipping on certain items if the customer spends $99 or more, similar to Amazon. Also, Buy.com has launched a magazine, available to anyone who signs up on their website, which will contain articles and product reviews as well as special offers. The magazine plans to publish four times each year.

Cyber cops still struggle with such issues as the international reach of the Internet, an increasing number of combined threats and a wide spectrum of legal hurdles. Law enforcement and the private sector are coming to appreciate the need to work together to take down attackers. The FBI's resources put it at the forefront of cybercrime-fighting tools.

ANSWER: Green (ugh!).

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:

DOT - Maritime Administration (MARAD)
MAR-380
70--Active Virus Scan
Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/DOT/MARAD/HQOA/DTMA1Q02019/listing.html

USAF - Air Force Materiel Command
ESC - Electronic Systems Center
70--General Purpose ADP Equipment, Software; Supplies
RFP Program Files 01, Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/ESC/F01620-02-R0014/listing.html

USAF - Air Combat Command
ACC CONS
U -- U-2 Aircrew Training and Courseware Development
Amendment 02, Amendment 03 http://www.eps.gov/spg/USAF/ACC/AACCONS/611512/listing.html

NASA - Goddard Space Flight Center
Office of Procurement
70--SISTINA GFS SOFTWARE V5.0
Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/NASA/GSFC/OPDC20220/RFQ5-70144-907/listing.html

NASA - Johnson Space Center
Office of Procurement
R--ENGINEERING CONFIGURATION SYSTEMS AND CONTROLS
Amendment 04 http://www.eps.gov/spg/NASA/JSC/OPDC20220/9-BH13-64-01-35P/listing.html

SSA - Deputy Commissioner for Finance, Assessment and Management Office of Acquisition and Grants U -- Training Services for Employees with Disabilities on the Use of Computers with Adaptive Devices Modification 01 http://www.eps.gov/spg/SSA/DCFIAM/OAG/SSA-RFQ-02-0073/listing.html

GSA - Federal Technology Service (FTS)
Solutions Development Center (9TE)
D -- CONNECTIONS- Telecommunication Equipments and Services, Support Services, and Solutions Amendment 04 http://www.eps.gov/spg/GSA/FTS/9TEP/Reference-Number-9TE-PM-02-0001/listing.html

GSA - Federal Technology Service (FTS)
IT Solutions West Branch (4TRW)
D -- Local POPs for Internet Service
Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/GSA/FTS/4TRW/4THF21028281/listing.html

DISA - Acquisition Directorate
DITCO-Scott
D--INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, INCLUDING COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/DISA/D4AD/DITCO/VARIOUS-26-Feb-2002/listing.html

ODA - Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Contracts Management Office
A -- Counter Underground Facilities (CUGF) Unattended Ground Sensor System and Innovative Technology Initiatives Modification 03 http://www.eps.gov/spg/ODA/DARPA/CMO/BAA02-04/listing.html

DOL - Employment Training Administration
Division of Contract Services
R -- Technical Assistance to O*NET
Amendment 01 http://www.eps.gov/spg/DOL/ETA/WashingtonDC/RFP-DCS-02-07/listing.html

DOC - U. S. Census Bureau
Procurement Office
D -- Maintenance of Hewlett Packard XP Critical Support System Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/DOC/CB/JeffersonvilleIN/51-SO-BC-2-00017/listing.html

DOE - Los Alamos National Laboratory (DOE Contractor)
Los Alamos
A -- Software Distributor
Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/DOE/LANL/LA/Reference-Number-IBD:LIC02-058/listing.html

Source: www.eps.gov for direct assistance, contact your local Procurement Technical Assistance Center at www.PaPTACs.com

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Did you know that the Department of the Navy eBusiness Operations Office is located in Mechanicsburg, PA?

eBusiness is a critically important tool to modernize, streamline and reduce the cost of the Department of the Navy (DON) operations. Successful eBusiness implementations directly and significantly improve service to the warfighter.

In September, 2000 the Secretary of the Navy signed the charter establishing the DON eBusiness Operations Office. The office has two primary missions: become the Department’s center for eBusiness innovations and provide centralized program management for the Departmental card and electronic transaction systems. The eBusiness Operations Office is available to support the eBusiness transformation of Navy and Marine Corps commands.

This office is organized to provide the right mix of expertise, up-to-date technical acumen, and best value to the DON. Military personnel provide a fleet focus, government employees provide skilled program management, and commercial partners provide technical expertise and flexibility.

To accomplish its mission, the eBusiness Operations Office is organized into four groups:

• DON eBusiness Card Management Group
• Consulting and Research Group
• Pilot Funding and Project Management Group
• Information Technology Group

In recognition of its many contributions to the Department’s eBusiness transformation, the eBusiness Operations Office was awarded a 2001 Department of the Navy eGovernment Award.

The DON eBusiness Operations Office is a PA e-Commerce Association Liberty Partner. For more information, visit www.don-ebusiness.navsup.navy.mil

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.

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