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April 29, 2003
GovPro E-Newsletter
Null
Tuesday, April 22, 2003
FEATURES
WATER UTILITY ENVISIONS REVISIONS
Like many procurement departments, the Purchasing Division at East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) in 1995 was a bureaucratic, commodity-focused organization oriented to the task of converting purchase requests into purchase orders. Everyone at the northern California agency understood the purchasing departments responsibility, and all were satisfied that the organization did a goodeven excellentjob of meeting expectations. Still, we asked ourselves, "Are our internal performance expectations, as well as those of our customers, too low to benefit our ratepayers fully?"
The Purchasing Division, we knew, could and should be more than an ethical, efficient, and legally compliant paper mill. Rather, it sought to become a key partner in the strategic planning process for district-wide projects and initiatives. Purchasers believed that involving the division in the front-end process would help streamline the overall process and bring measurable economies to the agencys bottom line. http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/27751/
DHS ANNOUNCES $165 MILLION FOR STATES
The Department of Homeland Security's Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate, known as FEMA, has provided $165 million in grants to help state and local governments better prepare to respond to all hazards preparedness activities and emergency management. These funds are a result of a significant increase in funding for the Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) program from the FY '03 budget.
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge noted, "This is an important step in getting essential funding to our state and local governments to help them battle this national effort in the war on terror. We recognize the challenge that the state and localities face when planning to respond to a potential disaster and the Department is committed to providing them with the tools they need to be prepared."
The EMPG program provide states the flexibility to allocate funds according to risk vulnerabilities and to address the most urgent state and local needs in all hazard mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. The effectiveness of state and local responder organizations is critical to the success of all aspects of the Homeland Security mission, but especially to disaster response operations. Local emergency managers plan, train, exercise and provide the facilities needed to coordinate all emergency services in response to major incidents. They also assume the leading role in mitigation program activities, those designed to reduce the vulnerability of communities to all hazards.
"The $165 million to state and locals for all hazards preparedness represents a 40 percent increase from FY '02 EMPG funding," said Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response. "These grants are further evidence of this administration's commitment to state and local governments for all hazards emergency preparedness efforts."
The EMPG program, which was first awarded in FY 2000, was intended to consolidate funding streams that FEMA provides to state emergency management departments and agencies.
CROWN EQUIPMENT Crown Equipment designs, manufactures, distributes, services, and supports material handling products that provide customers with superior value. Electric lift trucks range from hand pallet trucks to very narrow-aisle (VNA) turret trucks. http://www.crown.com/gsa1/
NEWS
MAIL TO TROOPS SURGES TO 400,000 LBS. DAILY
Military mail volume to the Middle East and Persian Gulf region jumped more than 35 fold from nearly 3,000 lbs. per day in October to 107,000 per day at the end of March. Since then, as a result of Americas outpouring of support for its servicemen and women overseas, mail volume has surged to 400,000 lbs. per day.
To keep up with the demand, Vice President Network Operations Management Paul Vogel said the Postal Service continues to add extra transportation.
"The Postal Service is doing whatever it takes to get mail overseas to the military," he explained. "We are now using up to five flights per day that we contracted from among 10 air carriers," he said.
In early April, The Postal Service chartered two 747 cargo jets to fly mail overseas to the Militarys postal system. One flew six days a week from the east coast; the other flew three days a week from the west coast. Additional charter aircraft are now flying mail from both locations seven days a week. Of these aircraft, at least three are 747s that are flying every day, seven days a week.
INCREASED CONVENIENCE AHEAD FOR INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS AT SKY HARBOR
Construction is underway on a new pedestrian walkway for international passengers arriving at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Currently, passengers arriving from international origins must recheck baggage containing security sensitive items and retrieve them at the baggage claim in the non-secure area of the airport. The new walkway will eliminate the need for baggage recheck and guide passengers directly to the main lobby of the airport with their baggage.
The international pedestrian walkway is scheduled to be finished in October 2003. It will guide passengers from Customs and Immigration, through a tunnel, to a 500-foot-long moving walkway running parallel to Sky Harbor Boulevard. An elevator and pedestrian bridge will then lead international passengers to level three of Terminal four, where they will arrive in the non-secure area of the Terminal.
Since the walkway will serve as a gateway to Arizona, international passengers will be introduced to the states unique southwestern charm from the moment they step off the plane. The unique design will provide visitors from around the world with their first glimpse of Arizona plant life and artwork when they arrive in Phoenix.
STATES TO RECEIVE $24 MILLION FOR SCENIC BYWAYS
U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta announced that 206 projects in 42 states will share $24 million in Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) scenic byways grants. This funding will help recognize, preserve and enhance selected scenic roads and highways throughout the United States.
The funding is intended to help achieve the vision of the byways program by funding projects that engage volunteers to preserve and enhance these byways; demonstrate environmentally sensitive solutions to problems in preserving these byways; and enable people to walk and bike in natural settings. The vision for the National Scenic Byways Program is "to create a distinctive collection of American Roads, their stories and special places."
National scenic byways discretionary funds enable states to undertake eligible projects along highways designated as All-American Roads, National Scenic Byways and state-designated byways. Eligible under the program are planning projects to inventory, preserve and enhance the qualities of byways; safety improvements; construction of bike and pedestrian facilities; development of visitor information such as brochures and interpretive facilities and scenic overlooks; and resource protection such as scenic easements and byway marketing. These efforts serve as tools to boost local economies through tourism and create a sense of pride.
NEWS OF THE WEIRD: Bizarre but true stories about real people. http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/28127/
LINKS
Custom-designed Meyer snow plows fit exact vehicle frame and weight specifications for exceptional performance in all applications. Visit: http://www.meyerproducts.com/
Safety Storage, the first choice for custom and pre-fabricated hazardous storage buildings. http://www.safetystorage.com
C & H Distributors provide a fast, efficient way to purchase shelving, cabinets, packaging and shipping products, or office furniture. Visit: http://www.chdist.com
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Potters Industries: Glass beads and spherical additives for highway safety. http://www.pottersbeads.com
Seymour Of Sycamore, Inc.: Aerosol spray paint. http://www.seymourpaint.com
T2 Systems, Inc.: Oily wastewater treatment systems. http://www.t2einc.com
Find information on advertising in the GovPro Newsletter on http://www.govpro.com or contact rhowlett@penton.com.
You may qualify for a FREE Magazine Subscription
Complimentary subscriptions to Government Product News, a product-driven resource, and Government PROcurement, editorial targeting the public sector purchasing professional are available to those who qualify. To subscribe to Government Product News visit: http://www.submag.com/sub/gn To subscribe to Government Procurement visit: http://www.submag.com/sub/gp
Copyright 2003 Penton Media, Inc.
Volume 2, Issue 16
Welcome to the GovPro Newsletter brought to you by the Penton Government Media Group. Look forward to news, resources, product and supplier information, and links relating to the government market.
Sponsored by Crown Equipment
CONTENTS
Utility Dives Into Proactive Procurement
FEATURES
WATER UTILITY ENVISIONS REVISIONS
Like many procurement departments, the Purchasing Division at East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) in 1995 was a bureaucratic, commodity-focused organization oriented to the task of converting purchase requests into purchase orders. Everyone at the northern California agency understood the purchasing departments responsibility, and all were satisfied that the organization did a goodeven excellentjob of meeting expectations. Still, we asked ourselves, "Are our internal performance expectations, as well as those of our customers, too low to benefit our ratepayers fully?"
The Purchasing Division, we knew, could and should be more than an ethical, efficient, and legally compliant paper mill. Rather, it sought to become a key partner in the strategic planning process for district-wide projects and initiatives. Purchasers believed that involving the division in the front-end process would help streamline the overall process and bring measurable economies to the agencys bottom line. http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/27751/
DHS ANNOUNCES $165 MILLION FOR STATES
The Department of Homeland Security's Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate, known as FEMA, has provided $165 million in grants to help state and local governments better prepare to respond to all hazards preparedness activities and emergency management. These funds are a result of a significant increase in funding for the Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) program from the FY '03 budget.
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge noted, "This is an important step in getting essential funding to our state and local governments to help them battle this national effort in the war on terror. We recognize the challenge that the state and localities face when planning to respond to a potential disaster and the Department is committed to providing them with the tools they need to be prepared."
The EMPG program provide states the flexibility to allocate funds according to risk vulnerabilities and to address the most urgent state and local needs in all hazard mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. The effectiveness of state and local responder organizations is critical to the success of all aspects of the Homeland Security mission, but especially to disaster response operations. Local emergency managers plan, train, exercise and provide the facilities needed to coordinate all emergency services in response to major incidents. They also assume the leading role in mitigation program activities, those designed to reduce the vulnerability of communities to all hazards.
"The $165 million to state and locals for all hazards preparedness represents a 40 percent increase from FY '02 EMPG funding," said Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response. "These grants are further evidence of this administration's commitment to state and local governments for all hazards emergency preparedness efforts."
The EMPG program, which was first awarded in FY 2000, was intended to consolidate funding streams that FEMA provides to state emergency management departments and agencies.
CROWN EQUIPMENT Crown Equipment designs, manufactures, distributes, services, and supports material handling products that provide customers with superior value. Electric lift trucks range from hand pallet trucks to very narrow-aisle (VNA) turret trucks. http://www.crown.com/gsa1/
NEWS
MAIL TO TROOPS SURGES TO 400,000 LBS. DAILY
Military mail volume to the Middle East and Persian Gulf region jumped more than 35 fold from nearly 3,000 lbs. per day in October to 107,000 per day at the end of March. Since then, as a result of Americas outpouring of support for its servicemen and women overseas, mail volume has surged to 400,000 lbs. per day.
To keep up with the demand, Vice President Network Operations Management Paul Vogel said the Postal Service continues to add extra transportation.
"The Postal Service is doing whatever it takes to get mail overseas to the military," he explained. "We are now using up to five flights per day that we contracted from among 10 air carriers," he said.
In early April, The Postal Service chartered two 747 cargo jets to fly mail overseas to the Militarys postal system. One flew six days a week from the east coast; the other flew three days a week from the west coast. Additional charter aircraft are now flying mail from both locations seven days a week. Of these aircraft, at least three are 747s that are flying every day, seven days a week.
INCREASED CONVENIENCE AHEAD FOR INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS AT SKY HARBOR
Construction is underway on a new pedestrian walkway for international passengers arriving at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Currently, passengers arriving from international origins must recheck baggage containing security sensitive items and retrieve them at the baggage claim in the non-secure area of the airport. The new walkway will eliminate the need for baggage recheck and guide passengers directly to the main lobby of the airport with their baggage.
The international pedestrian walkway is scheduled to be finished in October 2003. It will guide passengers from Customs and Immigration, through a tunnel, to a 500-foot-long moving walkway running parallel to Sky Harbor Boulevard. An elevator and pedestrian bridge will then lead international passengers to level three of Terminal four, where they will arrive in the non-secure area of the Terminal.
Since the walkway will serve as a gateway to Arizona, international passengers will be introduced to the states unique southwestern charm from the moment they step off the plane. The unique design will provide visitors from around the world with their first glimpse of Arizona plant life and artwork when they arrive in Phoenix.
STATES TO RECEIVE $24 MILLION FOR SCENIC BYWAYS
U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta announced that 206 projects in 42 states will share $24 million in Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) scenic byways grants. This funding will help recognize, preserve and enhance selected scenic roads and highways throughout the United States.
The funding is intended to help achieve the vision of the byways program by funding projects that engage volunteers to preserve and enhance these byways; demonstrate environmentally sensitive solutions to problems in preserving these byways; and enable people to walk and bike in natural settings. The vision for the National Scenic Byways Program is "to create a distinctive collection of American Roads, their stories and special places."
National scenic byways discretionary funds enable states to undertake eligible projects along highways designated as All-American Roads, National Scenic Byways and state-designated byways. Eligible under the program are planning projects to inventory, preserve and enhance the qualities of byways; safety improvements; construction of bike and pedestrian facilities; development of visitor information such as brochures and interpretive facilities and scenic overlooks; and resource protection such as scenic easements and byway marketing. These efforts serve as tools to boost local economies through tourism and create a sense of pride.
NEWS OF THE WEIRD: Bizarre but true stories about real people. http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/28127/
LINKS
Custom-designed Meyer snow plows fit exact vehicle frame and weight specifications for exceptional performance in all applications. Visit: http://www.meyerproducts.com/
Safety Storage, the first choice for custom and pre-fabricated hazardous storage buildings. http://www.safetystorage.com
C & H Distributors provide a fast, efficient way to purchase shelving, cabinets, packaging and shipping products, or office furniture. Visit: http://www.chdist.com
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Potters Industries: Glass beads and spherical additives for highway safety. http://www.pottersbeads.com
Seymour Of Sycamore, Inc.: Aerosol spray paint. http://www.seymourpaint.com
T2 Systems, Inc.: Oily wastewater treatment systems. http://www.t2einc.com
Find information on advertising in the GovPro Newsletter on http://www.govpro.com or contact rhowlett@penton.com.
You may qualify for a FREE Magazine Subscription
Complimentary subscriptions to Government Product News, a product-driven resource, and Government PROcurement, editorial targeting the public sector purchasing professional are available to those who qualify. To subscribe to Government Product News visit: http://www.submag.com/sub/gn To subscribe to Government Procurement visit: http://www.submag.com/sub/gp
Copyright 2003 Penton Media, Inc.
