Posted on 06/07/2004 11:44:30 AM PDT by NormalGuy
could be worth as much as $10 billion.
The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday it has picked Accenture as the prime contractor for US-Visit, an IT-based system that will control entry of foreigners into the country. The five-year contract, which could be lengthened to 10 years, could be worth up to $10 billion. Some people questioned whether the U.S. government would award Accenture the contract because it's incorporated in Hamilton, Bermuda. But only a handful of employees are situated there; 25,000 of Accenture's 90,000 workers are based in the United States. Accenture, with operations in 48 countries, says it maintains no corporate headquarters.
The government began to solicit bids in November, with contractors submitting them in January. The US-Visit Program Office led the source selection process, supported closely by department's border-management unit, representatives from other Homeland Security offices, as well as the State and Justice departments.
According to Homeland Security, each proposal was evaluated on four key factors: the business and technical solutions suggested to achieve the vision of US-Visit as an end-to-end management system; the management approach and proven capability to deliver a complex set of solutions; and the development and implementation strategy to deploy US-Visit entry and exit capabilities at the 50 busiest land ports of entry. Cost was also a major factor considered in the award decision.
Asa Hutchinson, Homeland Security's undersecretary of border and transportation security, said in a statement announcing Accenture's selection that the award marks an important milestone in the history of homeland security. "By harnessing the power of the best minds in the private sector, we have taken a major step toward accomplishing our goals of enhancing the security of our country while increasing efficiency at our borders," he said.
Accenture will provide a range of professional services, including strategic support, design and integration activities, technical solutions, deployment activities, training, and organizational change management.
The government's vision of US-Visit is to deploy end-to-end management and sharing of data on foreign nationals covering their interactions with federal officials before they enter the United States, when they enter, while they are here, and when they exit. Hutchinson contends that this comprehensive view of border management will lead to the creation of a virtual border and will set a course for improved processes to manage and share data on foreign nationals.
Since deploying US-Visit entry capabilities at 115 airports and 14 seaports on Jan. 5, more than 4.5 million foreign nationals have been processed without adversely impacting wait times, Homeland Security says, adding that since its launch, US-Visit has helped the government intercept more than 500 people with prior or suspected criminal or immigration violations. These include convicted rapists, drug traffickers, individuals convicted of credit-card fraud, a convicted armed robber, and numerous immigration violators and people using falsified documents.
US-Visit requires that most foreigners traveling to the United States on a visa and arriving at an airport or seaport have their two index fingers scanned and digital photographs taken to verify their identities at the port of entry. By Sept. 30, this process will also apply to visitors traveling under the visa waiver program at all airports and seaports of entry.
Uuhhhhnnnnh, don't be too quick...
The SPHR (professional association of HR mgrs) published a survey in the last 60 days or so which indicates that over 50% (!!!) of the surveyed individuals would leave their job in a NYminute if given the opportunity to do so.
And that wouldn't be surprising. Labor market has been a buyer's market (employer's choice...) for the last 3 years in MOST disciplines, meaning that a lot of folks have hung onto their jobs from necessity.
I would predict a MASSIVE turnover in positions during the next 18-24 months, assuming that there are still some firms hiring in the USA as opposed to, say, China or India.
Get serious.
There are plenty of organizations whose upper management (and even middle management) is completely incompetent in HR principles, and demonstrate absolutely no regard for the people who work for them.
That sort of crap is what enabled the AFL, the CIO, the Teamsters, and the Building Trades unions to become rather significant players.
You can accurately state that union-represented enterprise is only about 13% of the US economy at this time. But don't bet that it will stay that small.
I'm not partisan, and neither is Joe Had... If you choose to slander the messenger (or shoot him) all you do is demonstrate that yes, indeedy, there are IT Project Managers who are AH's--such as yourself.
Thanks for that.
Speaking of rhetoric. Someday just maybe you will learn the difference between the truth and rhetoric. You clearly have political agendas. I do not, and this is why I am free to state the truth.
Generally, the first sign that someone is lying on a website devoted conservative politics is when they deny having any political agenda.
Ah, yes, another "conservative" who looks eagerly for the workers of the world to unite...
I'm not partisan, and neither is Joe Had...
You may not be "partisan" in the sense of belonging to a political party, but you have a political agenda.
If you choose to slander the messenger (or shoot him) all you do is demonstrate that yes, indeedy, there are IT Project Managers who are AH's--such as yourself.
I may be a Clymer.
However, I actually get things accomplished.
Generally, the ones who don't like that are (a) those who just want to be handed their paycheck without generating results and (b) those who think that all managers need "sensitivity training."
And those are rather liberal traits, when you get down to it...
Free Will, eh? So, under the doctrine of free will we can justify:
Homosexual marriage (They're just exercising their free will!)
Illicit drug use - Cocaine, Heroin, and all the rest. (More free will here!)
Partial birth abortion (More free will!)
Illegal immigration (Just free will by those invading from points south).
My, what an interesting group of things can be covered by the free will blanket! Yes, I do believe that free traitin' fits right in!
I see. Sounds like a loophole in need of closing.
Wow. Your first instinct in every case is to try to RAISE TAXES, and you posture as a "true conservative."
One more time: we're the only country stupid enough to punish those who actually export goods and lower our trade deficit.
Why don't we just stop doing that?
And you, my good poohbah, would rather expatriate to another country than countenance a fair trade policy that worked to the benefit of the citizens of the United States.
Here's what you wrote:If you DO get the laws changed, I will expatriate myself to a freer country than the United States and take my capital--AND the taxes I pay on same--with me.
Why not help the fine folks who export goods by raising tariffs on imports? The revenue from such an approach could even be used to fund reductions of federal income taxes, perhaps including an end to the death tax, double taxation of dividends, and taxes on capital gains.
Also, you assume that I wish to raise taxes. You are in error. A revenue-neutral approach that protects domestic industry is my preference.
See, Poohbah? I don't really wish to tax you more. I trust you feel better now.
You need to be more specific. Your sentence should read, "Why not help the fine folks who export goods that escape retaliation by our trading partners by raising tariffs on imports, and to hell with the rest of the folks not fine enough to have government protection?"
--Ronald Reagan
Because raising tariffs on imports does nothing to assist exports. And once the action-reaction cycle of retaliatory tariffs takes place, the exporter is in an even more unprofitable position.
The revenue from such an approach could even be used to fund reductions of federal income taxes, perhaps including an end to the death tax, double taxation of dividends, and taxes on capital gains.
Oh, wow! Yet another guy who says we have to "pay" for tax cuts, while posturing as a "conservative!"
Also, you assume that I wish to raise taxes. You are in error.
I assume that you wish to raise taxes because you have expressed a desire to raise them.
Rule One: Kindly avoid talking down to people. The ones dumber than you can't read the "D" on the ballot and wind up thinking they voted for Pat Buchanan.
And, in an utterly unsurprising development, neutrino goes for the Reagan trifecta.
Hmm. Use of yet another favorite word for liberals: "fair."
And your idea of a "fair trade policy" is:
1. Break everyone's legs.
2. Hand everyone crutches and tell them how "compassionate" and "fair" you are.
I am beginning to suspect that the definition of a "fair" trade policy is one whose unintended consequence is unfairness, thus providing a need for a more "fair" trade policy. Rinse and repeat.
You're right; that's a hideous error on my part.
I won't expatriate myself; I will merely engage in and fund "leaderless resistance" against your thuggery.
Yes...
First, a "fair" trade policy, which doesn't work.
Then, an anti-dog-eat-dog law.
Then, a "temporary state of emergency" requiring the seizure of property belonging to "enemies of the people."
Umm? Are you getting that concerned about not being able to buy cheap trinkets at Wally World?
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