Dec. 17, 1999
Department of Justice Invests In Goddard Technology
NASA is already famous for using space to conquer distant frontiers, but now its scientists are using cyberspace to conquer government paperwork.
NASA-developed technology, namely the Electronic Handbooks (EHBs), was used early this year as the basis for the Dept. of Justice's (DOJ) Bulletproof Vests System. This System will allow numerous law enforcement agencies across the country to log on to a web site and place their order for bulletproof vests. The orders will flow electronically through the DOJ and funds will be disbursed to the individual vendors contracted by the agency - completely free of paperwork.
Dr. Barry Jacobs of the National Space Science Data Center at Goddard spent several months working at DOJ gathering their requirements. The information obtained by Jacobs was then passed onto REI Systems, a NASA SBIR Award winner, who implemented and executed the Bulletproof Vests System. As a result of its success, the DOJ intends to use the EHBs for many of their grant programs, including their $500 million Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program. The system also was a 1999 Gold Award Winner presented by the Federation of Government Information Processing Councils Intergovernmental Open Systems Solutions Awards program.
"It's cheap, easy to build and easy to learn," Jacobs said of the EHBs. "It enables agencies to manage an entirely paperless and programming-less documentary process. All you need is an ordinary word processor and access to the Internet."
For further information see http://ehbs.org/
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Jacobs was present at the presentation of the Bulletproof Vests System to Attorney General Janet Reno. Pictured from left are: Richard Ward, Deputy Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Dept. of Justice; Nancy Gist, Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Dept. of Justice; Janet Reno, Attorney General, Dept. of Justice; Dr. Barry E. Jacobs of Goddard; Lluanna McCann, Operations Chief, State and Local Assistance Division, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Dept. of Justice; Shyam Salona, Vice President, REI Systems. |
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