Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center

A sobering take on government contractors

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failures-of-govt-contractors-09-2016I recently had a chance to hear a small informal presentation by an executive with decades of high-level industry experience in the government contracting market, and who is very respected in the community. His remarks were sobering, and I took a chance to follow up with him after his presentation to get more meat on the bones of his discussion.

He started his presentation by asserted that no traditional government contractors had established any position to speak of in the market for cloud computing, arguably the biggest tech management shift of the past decade. Instead, Amazon Web Services, with no presence in the federal market, stole the market from under their noses. Very few government contractors had even explored entering this market.

Why, I asked? “Government contractors don’t think that way,” the executive replied. “They are very focused on government RFPs, responding to things the government puts out. That keeps them busy. But it makes them very unlike Silicon Valley companies and venture capitalists that are constantly scanning the market for new tech trends and developments. When Amazon concluded there was a potential huge market in cloud computing, they poured huge amounts of their own money into developing an infrastructure. Government contractors don’t think that way either. They don’t want to risk large amounts of their own money.”

Keep reading this article at: https://fcw.com/blogs/lectern/2016/09/kelman-contractor-outlook.aspx

International tech companies join new Georgia Tech ‘Internet of Things’ research center

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The recently established Center for the Development and Application of Internet-of-Things Technologies (CDAIT) at the Georgia Institute of Technology announces that AirWatch, AT&T and Samsung Electronics constitute the inaugural group of founding members. The involvement of these companies reflects their continuing commitment to the advancement of the transformational capabilities of the Internet of Things (IoT).

“Internet of Things” refers to the ability for all types of devices to communicate with each other through networks like the Internet, radio frequencies and other forms of transmission. Devices could include the equipment in cars, homes, trucks, cargo, health care, and other everyday objects. This new area of technological innovation is receiving increasing attention around the world because of its potential impact on all sectors of the economy and society.

Together with Georgia Tech and GTRI, the founding members will closely monitor and actively participate in the expansion of the rapidly growing IoT industry. Other leading global companies involved in IoT have indicated their interest in getting engaged with CDAIT.

“Having companies of this stature join Georgia Tech in this effort speaks volumes about what we’re trying to accomplish,” said Andrew Gerber, Georgia Tech Senior Vice President and Director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). “We are proud to be recognized as a trusted collaborator in the Internet-of-Things arena. We are eager to harness the unique expertise of our professors, researchers and students throughout the Internet-of-Things value chain.”

For more than a century, AT&T has consistently provided innovative, reliable, high-quality products and services. With more than 120 million wireless customers, AT&T’s mission is to connect people with their world, everywhere they live and work, and do it better than anyone else.

“We’ve had a long-standing relationship with Georgia Tech for many years as we share a common commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation and taking education to new levels,” said Chris Penrose, senior vice president, Internet of Things Organization, AT&T Mobility. “The opportunity for IoT is real.  It’s already reshaping industries and solving real business issues for companies around the globe.  We’ve been a leading participant in the IoT space for nearly eight years and look forward to extending our thought-leadership with innovators in our own backyard.”

AirWatch® by VMware® is the leading enterprise mobility management platform. With more than a decade in business, AirWatch continues to develop solutions that empower companies to focus on innovative uses of mobile technology rather than dealing with the complexities of managing mobility.

“AirWatch is a longtime supporter of Georgia Tech innovation, and our support of CDAIT furthers our commitment to collaborate on strategic initiatives,” said John Marshall, senior vice president and general manager, AirWatch. “We see an incredible opportunity for the Internet of Things to redefine enterprise mobility and our daily lives. We look forward to working alongside Georgia Tech on building these transformative technologies of tomorrow.”

Headquartered in Suwon, South Korea, Samsung Electronics seeks to inspire the world and shape the future with transformative ideas and technologies, redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, cameras, digital appliances, printers, medical equipment, network systems, and semiconductor and LED solutions. Samsung Electronics also leads in the IoT space through, among others, the company’s Smart Home and Digital Health initiatives.

“Samsung Electronics is looking forward to working closely with the CDAIT’s outstanding members to drive the IoT research areas and core technologies,” said Jin Wook Lee, Vice President of Software R&D Center at Samsung Electronics. “We will support CDAIT in its efforts toward providing in-depth research into the various aspects of IoT technology.”

Housed at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), the Center for the Development and Application of Internet-of-Things Technologies (CDAIT pronounced sedate) is a global, non-profit, partner-funded center located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, that fosters interdisciplinary research and education while driving general awareness about the Internet of Things. It aims at efficiently identifying, understanding and solving for its sponsors challenges and problems that may arise along the whole IoT value chain. CDAIT bridges sponsors with Georgia Tech faculty and researchers as well as industry members with similar interests.

“Our center will greatly benefit from having a continuous and close dialogue with premier technological companies of the caliber of AirWatch, AT&T and Samsung Electronics,” said Alain Louchez, CDAIT Managing Director. “With their help, we are looking forward to making significant contributions to the IoT industry.”

Learn more about CDAIT at www.cdait.gatech.edu.

Source: http://gtri.gatech.edu/news/tech-companies-join-new-internet-things-research-c 

FBI warns of online scams posing as government services websites

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From May 2012 to March 2015, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has received complaints regarding criminals hosting fraudulent government services websites in order to acquire Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and to collect fraudulent fees from consumers.

FBIAlthough the volume and loss amounts associated with these websites are minimal to date, the victims are having their PII data compromised which may be used by criminals for any number of other illicit activities, ranging from the creation of fraudulent IDs and passports to fraudulent loans and tax refunds. The PII can include the victim’s name, address, phone number, e-mail address, social security number, date of birth, and mother’s maiden name.

This is how the scheme usually happens: victims use a search engine to search for government services such as obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or replacement social security card. The fraudulent criminal websites are the first to appear in search results, prompting the victims to click on the fraudulent government services website. The victim completes the required fraudulently posted forms for the government service they need. The victim submits the form online, believing they are providing their PII to government agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, or similar agency based on the service they need. Once the forms are completed and submitted, the fraudulent website usually requires a fee to complete the service requested. The fees typically range from $29 to $199 based on the government service requested. Once the fees are paid the victim is notified they need to send their birth certificate, driver’s license, employee badge, or other personal items to a specified address. The victim is then told to wait a few days to several weeks for processing. By the time the victim realizes it is a scam, they may have had extra charges billed to their credit/debit card, had a third-party designee added to their EIN card, and never received the service(s) or documents requested. Additionally, all of their PII data has been compromised by the criminals running the websites and can be used for any number of illicit purposes. The potential harm gets worse for those who send their birth certificate or other government-issued identification to the perpetrator.

Follow-up calls or e-mails to the perpetrator(s) are normally ignored and many victims report the customer service telephone numbers provided are out of service. The FBI recommends that consumers ensure they are communicating or requesting services/merchandise from a legitimate source by verifying the entity. When dealing with government websites, look for the .gov domain instead of a .com domain (e.g. www.ssa.gov and not www.ssa.com).

Below are some consumer tips when using government services or contacting agencies online:

  • Use search engines or other websites to research the advertised services or person/company you plan to deal with.
  • Search the Internet for any negative feedback or reviews on the government services company, their Web site, their e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, or other searchable identifiers.
  • Research the company policies before completing a transaction.
  • Be cautious when surfing the Internet or responding to advertisements and special offers.
  • Be cautious when dealing with persons/companies from outside the country.
  • Maintain records for all online transactions.

As a consumer, if you suspect you are a victim of an Internet-related crime, you may file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov.

Source: http://www.ic3.gov/media/2015/150407-2.aspx

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