Government Procurement and the Year 2000
Abstract
This paper discusses the Year 2000 (Y2K) Problem (the two digit year format used in computers) as it relates to federal government information technology (IT) buys. The scope is limited, focusing on the regulatory and legislative efforts to minimize Y2K impacts as the government buys commercial and non-commercial IT supply items. Following a brief introduction, the paper surveys the Y2K background, including the nature and genesis of the Year 2000 Problem, its scope and magnitude, some of the technical solutions, and several remediation issues. The bulk of the paper deals with the General Services Administration Year 2000 Warranty clauses and the Federal Acquisition Regulation Year 2000 compliance provisions, analyzing the warranty and regulatory provisions and determining the adequacy of their coverage. The most important focus of the paper is on embedded technology; meaning IT that has been integrated into a product whose nature or purpose is such that the product is not itself considered IT; and the government's failure to address embedded IT. The paper concludes with other governmental efforts to address Y2K, both attempted and still optional, ending with a few recommendations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 24, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA366389
Entities
People
- Brent Curtis
Organizations
- George Washington University