The Amtower Report

(The Amtower Report is an e-journal on the Business-to-Government market featuring the opinions of Mark Amtower, and occasionally reader comments. This newsletter is only sent to those who request it. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.FederalDirect.net and if you like this newsletter, please pass it along to your colleagues. To unsubscribe, see directions below. The newsletter is posted each Monday at www.FederalDirect.net, and the latest “Off-Center Observations” is on the home page. All back issues available at http://www.federaldirect.net/newsletterarchives.html)

In this issue:
1) Amtower Off-Center Observations
2) The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: GSA and Back Taxes
3) Events Worth Attending

AMTOWER OFF-CENTER OBSERVATIONS

Item: Thanks for the feedback on the recent issues of The Amtower Report. Any time you feel like writing back on anything I say, or if you wish to bring something to my attention, please do not hesitate.

Item: Corrections and additions for last week regarding changes at the publications. Chris Dorobek will become Editor in Chief at Federal Computer Week and Tom Temin became an EVP/Editor in Chief. David Greene, former president of PostNewsweek Tech Media is leaving, and Gordon Haight left 101 Communications, the parent company of Federal Computer Week. One other correction involves resellers at FOSE. Insight Public Sector was also at FOSE, bringing the total to three resellers.

Item: If you want to see me speak, I am at three upcoming events. This Thursday I will open TeqFocus in Tysons (www.theasbc.org). I will be moderating a panel at the Women in Technology Annual Marketing Seminar on April 26 http://www.womenintechnology.org/). Joining me on the WIT Panel are Lou Anne Brossman of Juniper Networks, Ann-Marie Clark of CDWG, and Pamela Graff  from SAIC. I will also be speaking at the Spring Conference of the Coalition for Government Procurement on June 6. I will be co-presenting with Steve O’Keeffe of O’Keeffe and Company.

Item: My friend and Board of Advisor member Bob Bly (Robert W Bly) has a new book out, The White Paper Marketing Handbook. This book has more than a dozen case studies, and is a great resource.

Item: Dee Lee is adding another agency to her resume. She is heading to FEMA. Previously Lee was the director of DoD procurement, administrator of OMBs Office of Federal Procurement Policy, and was the Associate Admin for procurement at NASA. She is the deserving recipient of a number of awards, including the prestigious Marc S. Ross award from the Professional Services Council. The Ross award goes to a federal official annually for demonstrating leadership, commitment to partnership and ethical standards. Best of luck to Ms Lee, once again going into a tough situation.

Not that I have an opinion.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY: GSA AND BACK TAXES

There was lots of press this week (many of the facts here are from the AP story and picked up by several papers across the country) regarding hearings by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, the committee chaired by Norm Coleman of Minnesota – the guy who lost the race for Governor to former Navy Seal and professional wrestler Jesse Ventura.  But I digress (more about Jesse later).

The hearings revolved around certain GSA Schedule holders owing back taxes, and who should be responsible for collecting the $1.4 billion which is apparently owed. Apparently Coleman and some of those on his committee wondered why agencies awarding contracts did not ask potential contractors about their tax situation.

As if GSA did not have enough on its plate, it has a would-be stand-up comedian. During the hearing, Coleman said this could be the basis for a new reality TV show, lifestyles of the rich and famous tax deadbeats. One incident cited was an emergency supplies provider which received $100,000 while owing $700,000.

Is this a problem? Certainly. Is it GSAs problem? It should not be. Last time I was reading agency mission statements, I could have sworn this was the realm of the IRS. Could something be worked out between the IRS and contracting offices? Probably.

Once again we have some on the Hill seeking headlines. Let me offer a few headlines of my own.

Is this the same Coleman who accepted campaign money from Jack Abramoff (refunded after the scandal hit)? Or the same Norm Coleman listed as taking more privately funded trips than any other Minnesota lawmaker? If we need fodder for a reality TV show about miscreants and deadbeats, need we go further than Capitol Hill?

If Jesse Ventura would run against Coleman again, I would add more than a few bucks to the Ventura campaign coffer.

Beware of the schlock vendors, producing minimal value events, events that eat your money with no significant return! The events listed below are among those I think are worth your time, money and effort. Just because an event is not listed below does not imply it is not worth attending. If you want my opinion on a specific event or producer, call me. This topic is addressed more thoroughly in the members section at www.GovernmentMarketingBestPractices.com.

March 22-23, EFFECTIVE IT PERFORMANCE: Keys to Successfully Managing Government Projects, Continental Ballroom, Cafritz Conference Center, George Washington University 800 21st Street, NW, Washington, DC (Foggy Bottom Metro Stop) www.digitalgovernment.com

April 3-4 Government Procurement Connections, Houston, TX http://www.houstongpc.com/

April 5-6, ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE: Transforming Program Performance,

April 18, FEDERAL CHANNELS, Denver www.fbcinc.com  If you have not been to a Federal Channels event and you are in the Denver area – attend this event!

APRIL 19, 2006, Tower Club, Vienna, VA. Amtower & Company presents the one and only Amy Africa and THE ULTIMATE B2B WEB SITE MAKEOVER. For those of you who do not know Ms Africa, she is perhaps the most sought after web consultant in the world, and we have sixty seats available for her first ONE DAY session focusing exclusively on maximizing the impact of B2B and B2G web sites. http://www.federaldirect.net/ultimatewebsitemakeover.html

April 20, 16th Annual OSDBU Procurement Conference, Upper Marlboro, MD http://www.fbcinc.com/event.asp?eventid=Q6UJ9A00AJ0N

April 25-27, GovSec, DC Convention Center. Among the keynoters, one of my favorites, Commander Richard Marcinko, former US Navy Seal, founder of Seal Team Six and Red Cell. Another highlight for those, like me, who collect signed first editions from favorite authors, seven authors will be signing their respective books on security, terrorism and more. www.GovSecInfo.com

May 2-4, 15^th Annual Global INFOSEC Partnership Conference http://www.fbcinc.com/event.asp?eventid=Q6UJ9A00AYU6

May 2-5, Air Force Space Command Information Assurance Summit 2006, http://www.fbcinc.com/iasummit/default.asp

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As always, your comments, questions and suggestions are welcome.

Thanks
Mark Amtower

The Amtower Report is published by Amtower & Company, and is written for companies targeting the government marketplace. The opinions expressed are those of Mark Amtower unless otherwise noted. Contact us at Amtower & Company, PO Box 314, Highland, MD 20777-0314 (301-924-0058). This material is copyrighted and may not be duplicated, reprinted or otherwise replicated without written permission of the publisher. Email subscriptions are free by request: sign up at www.FederalDirect.net