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.
My, you are in fine form this evening!
No, I'm concerned about those high-paying American jobs you are trying to eliminate with your bone-headed suggestions.
WTF are you whining about now?
You got all bent out of shape about me leaving, and then you got all bent out of shape about me staying...make up your flippin' mind, willya?
As a purveyor of high quality goods produced by American labor, you should embrace the domestic market. I've no doubt you could find any number of opportunities.
How are the law studies going? Have you studied ambulance pursuit yet?
OK, but because of the smaller market, I shall be forced to raise my prices.
That is because, unfortunately, I need every buyer I can get in the global market. My product is expensive as hell in R&D, and the target market is none too large to begin with. Restricting it to US consumption would reduce the size of the market considerably.
I'm sure you will cheerfully pay higher prices for goods and services so that the customers for my product can afford my newly-raised prices. It's only a few cents here and there...
...until, of course, every other one of the thousands of B2B producers has to raise the prices for their wonder widgets. Hope you enjoy paying lots more for lots less...of everything.
Whining? Hardly. It was you who spoke of "leaderless resistance", not I. Your phrase creates a nice validation of my favorite term for free tr-----s.
Look where "free trade" is taking you. You - a veteran, and more than that, a U.S. Marine - are speaking of "leaderless resistance" against some hypothetical U.S. policy. Think about what you're saying. Free trade is intellectually bankrupt and the sooner you abandon that false philosophy, the better off you'll be. Truly.
I already pay (gladly) premium prices for quality, U.S. made goods. So of course I'd be willing to do the same with your product, or the products produced by your customers.
Look where "free trade" is taking you. You - a veteran, and more than that, a U.S. Marine - are speaking of "leaderless resistance" against some hypothetical U.S. policy.
Oh, if it's an official US policy, then any opposition to it is somehow morally wrong?
Tell me, if the US prohibited ownership of firearms, would you meekly turn in your weapons on command?
Or would you engage in some sort of resistance and become a complete hypocrite?
Think about what you're saying.
Think about what you are saying. Any opposition to the government is inherently immoral in your world.
I knew that if I kept pushing long enough, you would reveal your true nature to me.
You have identified yourself as a worshipper of the State. Government is your god; employing force against the heretics who disagree with you is your sacrament.
Free trade is intellectually bankrupt and the sooner you abandon that false philosophy, the better off you'll be. Truly.
"Private ownership of firearms is intellectually bankrupt and the sooner you abandon that false philosophy, the better off you'll be. Truly. The State has spoken, Comrade neutrino. Obey or be excommunicated."
Dude, your name must be "Equality 7-2521" or something similar...
Lawful opposition is one thing. The term "leaderless resistance" generally implies armed cells engaging in "direct action". And I believe you know that perfectly well.
As for opposing policy, I'm doing it now. I want higher import tariffs. The point is, my actions are lawful and will remain so.
And once everyone else in the B2B field raises their prices, and their customers finish making their adjustments...
I sincerely hope that you enjoy paying $10 a gallon for milk.
Of course, you can always enact the Law of the Maximum...
After which, a great many of my R&D folks will start leaving the country...
Followed by your ilk putting up various barriers to prevent the productive from leaving...
OK, Equality 7-2521. The US government has decreed that you must sacrifice your daughter to Baal. Be a good lad and throw her into the flames. If you do not, then you are engaged in "leaderless resistance" and will be hunted down as a heretic and enemy of the State. The State has so decreed!
And wages will adjust...and all will be well.
Actually, wages will NOT adjust nearly as much as you think they will.
Remember, everyone's profit margin has just been scragged because higher prices = fewer purchases. So most companies will try to cut their OTHER expenses (such as labor) to the bone.
...and all will be well.
Unemployment will rise, but all will be well. Prices will rise faster than wages, but all will be well. Americans will have a lower standard of living, but all will be well. And if anyone dares to become an enemy of the State and express disagreement with you, you'll shoot him (for his own good, of course), but all will be well.
In a way, Poohbah, you may be right. Not in the way you intend, of course - but let's go with your vision of the future.
Due to free traitin', the U.S. is building up a ponderous foreign debt, ridding ourselves of manufacturing capability and expertise, and destroying the infrastructure for future innovation. We are also strengthening potential enemies, especially China.
Competition for resources and markets continues apace. And one day, Poohbah, China may well decide to supplant the U.S. as the global superpower. The U.S. may retreat for a time, but ultimately we will face a demand we cannot agree to. And we'll be in a war with China.
At that juncture, a great many young Americans will be sacrificed. And Poohbah - they will have been sacrificed on the altar of the god "Free Trade", all in the name of making money.
Abandon that false religion, Poohbah!
Citizen {N:7-2521://US:TX:Alpha3}
A. I dont rent.
B. None of that concerns me.
If a compnay wants to screw itself with practices that come back to bite them then it is indeed on them. Your complaints werent how ultmimately their practices would hurt their business, you were whining the Liberal anti-authority, class struggle rant about how business treats it's people.
Oh please...Hammer & Sickle time.
Where'd you cut & Paste that from? It's gotta be a Marx or Lenin speech. Relax yourself. Business in America is doing just fine. If someone doesn't want to work for some jacked up supervisor then let'em quit. Everyone has access to Community College and the ability to acquire a different skill set.
I am not sure what sort of zen/utopian dreamworld you are hoping for but let it go my Loserdopian friend. The Europeans are proof positive that your line of anti-reasoning is pure arrested development.
I read this and didn't bother with the rest of your claptrap.
Thanks for the belly laugh.
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