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: AN OPEN LETTER FROM TOM TEMIN
3) Events Worth Attending
4) Amtower on the Radio

AMTOWER OFF-CENTER OBSERVATIONS

Item: I appreciate all the notes welcoming my newsletter back. No excuse for the hiatus, but with articles in other publications, interviews on other radio shows and print interviews and recording a weekly radio talk show in Annapolis (moving to WFED – see below), something had to give!

Item: The second printing of Government Marketing Best Practices has sold out at the printer – which means the only copies available are the 100 or so I have here. Business books are not usually hot sellers, so I am extremely grateful that - so far – 2,500 copies are out and about! If you are one of those buyers - thanks for the support. If you are not, well, now I have to finish the next edition.

Item: Market Connections has a new report out on the Systems Integrator Community. Let me say this as simply as possible: anything Lisa Dezzutti and Market Connections produces is worth it. They do some of the best research for our market, and at reasonable rates. Go to www.MarketConnectionsInc.com for details.

Item: A media inquiry came in last week from CBS MarketWatch asking if anyone knew anything about the succession plans at Apple. My response was: After studying Steve Jobs for years, being a student of history and being sensitive to the nuances of the IT industry, it is my considered opinion that there will be no succession, as there would be no one, in the mind of Mr. Jobs, who could run the company. (I do not think CBS picked up this response). Mr. Jobs will build a pyramid in Cupertino large enough to take it all with him to the afterlife..

Item: The rumors are true! Not only will Best Buy be at FOSE, they has a GSA Schedule. But if you trry to get www.BestBuyForGovernment.com (listed at e-Schedules Library), it turns into the generic www.bestbuyforbusiness.com and has no reference to said GSA contract, but which does offer mail-in rebates. Why am I not surprised?

Item: Apparently I was wrong about Apptis last week. Kudos to Mr. Baldwin for growing his company so quickly. But this does nothing to change my view that the ITES 2H award from the Army to six companies (Apptis, CDWG Dell, and IBM as the large companies and GSTI and Worldwide Tech as the alleged small companies). Yes, under NAICs code you may weasel in as small, but this NAICs code (517110 - Wired Telecommunication Carriers ) is poorly applied to this contract, where there is only one, brief mention of Communications in the scope of work: The ITES-2H scope calls for servers, desktops, notebooks, workstations, thin clients, storage systems, networking equipment, network printers, product ancillaries, peripherals, network cabling products, video teleconferencing products, standalone displays , scanners, Everything over Internet Protocol products, communications devices, power devices, software, basic warranty and warranty options, and other related accessories and options. I do want to thank GTSI for getting in touch with me regarding this, as it allows me to write about again in this issue.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, and THE UGLY: AN OPEN LETTER FROM TOM TEMIN

Nothing lasts forever, and my long association with Government Computer News, Washington Technology, FOSE and their related properties ended recently. The Washington Post Company opted to sell the assets of PostNewsweek Tech Media. Therefore my tenure as executive vice president and editor-in-chief ended at the close of last year.

The Washington Post Company was a fine owner and employer, upholding the highest ethical standards. I leave on excellent terms and with respect for the business decision its corporate staff felt it had to make. Moreover, I am certain that our properties have moved into good hands.

So after 27 years in business-to-business media, including 15 years in Washington and the federal IT market, I have reached a point along life’s road at which one must create a new future. I am enthusiastic about many things, good at a few of them and optimistic about what might lie ahead. My goal is to offer my skills to publishers and contractors looking to improve their government strategies, media relations and product offerings.

This notice serves two purposes. First, simply let you know how to contact me. Second, to thank you for the interactions we’ve had over the years with hope that our paths will cross again. Being editor of the leading publications in the government IT market has been both a privilege and a great time, so I have moved on to my next phase with a light heart.

I can be reached at 240-463-2009 or tom.temin@gmail.com.

EVENTS WORTH ATTENDING

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 12-13, 2007 FISSEA 20^th Annual Conference, North Bethesda (Maryland) Marriott Conference Center http://csrc.nist.gov/organizations/fissea/index.html

March 20-22, 2007 FOSE. DC Convention center  www.FOSE.com

April 19, 2007: 17^th Annual OSDBU Conference, Upper Marlboro, MD www.fncinc.com/osdbu

May 15-17, 2007. GSA Expo, Orlando, Florida.  www.expo.gsa.gov

AMTOWER ON THE RADIO

Amtower moving to WFED, 1050 Am in Washington, DC, probably March12, 10 AM. Stay tuned!

*** 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