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   UPDATE FOR IT EXECUTIVES

Update for IT Executives: January 14, 1999
Volume 5, Number 1

In This Issue:

  • ITAA Conducts Webcast Briefing on Y2K Information Disclosure Act
  • ITAA Defends FCC Against Capitol Hill Criticism
  • ITAA Coordinates International Domain Name Organizing Meeting
  • The Techforce Initiative: Building IT-School-to-Work (STW) Partnerships for a Skilled Workforce
  • Miller Keynotes Legg Mason Investor Conference
  • New E-Commerce Coalition Formed
  • Briefing with US Trade Representative Set
  • ITAA Files Comment with FCC
  • Update on the World Trade Organization's E-Commerce Work Program
  • Policy Summit and Capitol Hill Fly-In Dates Announced - March 15th and 16th.
  • ISAAC '99 to Address Software Assurance Concerns
  • New Staff Join ITAA
  • The ITAA Calendar of Events
  • Also of Note…

ITAA Conducts Webcast Briefing on Y2K Information Disclosure Act
Yesterday ITAA and a "faculty" of legal experts conducted a systematic analysis of the Y2K Information and Readiness Disclosure Act for over 240 participants in a national webcast.

The webcast featured Marc Pearl, General Counsel and Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, ITAA; Michael Aisenberg, Galland, Kharasch & Garfinkel; Walter Andrews, Wiley, Rein & Fielding; Robert Bell, Wiley, Rein & Fielding; Agnes Dover, Hogan & Hartson; Jacob Pankowski, McKenna & Cuneo, L.L.P.; and Rich Parrino, Hogan & Hartson.

"Our goal in hosting this national webcast was to help the marketplace gain the benefits and learn how to take full advantage of the new law," said ITAA President Harris Miller. "The intent of the Act is to speed Y2K repairs through greater information sharing among parties. To facilitate this process, the law provides a set of carefully proscribed liability protections. We perceive, however, that substantial misunderstandings about the purpose, nature and scope of the new law, which was supported by the President and passed unanimously by Congress last October, continue to persist. ITAA is trying to help companies from every sector of the economy put this new law to immediate use through a vigorous discussion of new legal terms like Y2K statements and Y2K readiness disclosures; providing information on the anti-trust, trade disparagement, and republishing provisions; and discussing the new Securities and Exchange Commission disclosure rules."

ITAA has related resources available on its website, including guidelines & suggested legends at http://www.itaa.org/year2000/irdaguide.htm and a summary of the Y2K law at http://www.itaa.org/year2000/irdasum.htm.

A similar webcast, featuring M.I.T.'s Sloan Distinguished Professor of Management and author of "Competing on Internet Time: Lessons from Netscape and its Battle with Microsoft", Michael Cusimano, was offered by ITAA's Software Division's Best Practices Program on December 15th, 1998. Cusimano's message focussed on the Internet's affect on business strategy as a whole, emphasizing "Internet time" which is virtually instantaneous, causing competitive advantage to appear and disappear overnight. Cusimano advised companies to embrace the traditional business values of vision and leadership while adapting in the new environment.

Cusimano's webcast will be offered again this spring. Webcasting is sponsored by ITAA's Software Division and Intersolv, Inc. ITAA contacts: Marc Pearl, Jon Englund or Doug Sabo.

ITAA Defends FCC Against Capitol Hill Criticism
ITAA has come to the defense of the Federal Communications Commission in response to criticism by a key lawmaker. Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Communications, issued a sharply worded criticism, dated January 11, of the FCC's interpretation of Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Burns' letter charged that the FCC has failed to accept the authority granted to the agency under the Act to encourage investment in deployment of advanced telecommunications capabilities. ITAA took exception to Burns' critique, noting that Section 706 should not be used as a lever to upend other provisions of the Act.

While noting that Sen. Burns has established a laudable record on behalf of the Internet and has demonstrated an enlightened attitude on most high tech issues, ITAA President Harris Miller said that regrettably this particular question reflects a disagreement among friends. "ITAA is disappointed in the Burns' letter because we believe it runs counter to the general pro-consumer intent of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. Section 706 should not be used as a Trojan horse to gut the pro-competitive requirements of the Act. We support the Federal Communications Commission efforts that encourage broadband deployment to consumers by encouraging competition among multiple providers. If the FCC were to grant the so-called 'regulatory relief' sought by entrenched telecommunications providers under Sec. 706, consumers would be the losers."

ITAA has participated in the FCC's Section 706 proceedings; copies of ITAA's Section 706 proceedings on September 25, September 14 and April 6, 1998 are available at http://www.itaa.org/isec/pubs/archive.htm. ITAA contact: Mark Uncapher

ITAA Coordinates International Domain Name Organizing Meeting
ITAA, working closely with WITSA, the World Information Technology Services Alliance, is leading nine international organizations to coordinate a critical international meeting on Friday, January 22 at George Washington University on domain names.

The bylaws of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the newly created non-profit entity assigned some authority over the Internet's centralized functions, including the protocol, addressing and domain names activities, call for the incorporation of the Domain Names Supporting Organization (DNSO) to support ICANN's activities. The goal of the Washington, D.C. meeting is to arrive at a broad-based consensus on the structure for the DNSO.

ITAA software division Senior Vice President, Jon Englund, is pleased with the efforts of the many contributing entities, stating,"We are making progress in developing the 'constitution' for the Domain Names Supporting Organization. It is a challenging effort in self-governance for the private sector and users alike, but critical to the stability of the Internet as it moves forward. ITAA has been working hard to bring together the various stakeholders from around the world, building upon areas of common ground."

Other specific issues the meeting will address include membership structure for the DNSO, composition and membership of the Names Council, and funding of DNSO and ICANN.

Coordinating organizations joining ITAA are the Commercial Internet Exchange (CIX); Council of European National Top level domain Registries (CENTR); European ISP Association (EUROISPA); International Chamber of Commerce (ICC); International Trademark Association (INTA); Internet Council of Registrars (CORE); Network Solutions, Inc. (NSI); Policy Oversight Committee (POC); World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA). ITAA contact: Pete Smith or Jon Englund.

The Techforce Initiative: Building IT-School-to-Work (STW) Partnerships for a Skilled Workforce
ITAA and its project partners, the National Alliance of Business and Education Development Center, invite member participation in researching, highlighting and promoting the important role of School-to-Career systems in building a skilled IT workforce. Opportunities for IT employer involvement in the Techforce Initiative, a two-year National School-to-Work Office-funded grant, include:

  • Industry Leadership Team (ILT) - Twenty-five IT industry and IT dependent companies are represented currently. The ILT is the IT industry advisory arm for the Techforce Initiative. ITAA is seeking additional industry leaders to join the ILT, serving as champions for IT-School-to-Career partnerships. The first meeting of the ILT will be in the afternoon on April 11, just prior to ITAA's National IT Workforce Convocation in Austin, Texas, April 12-13, 1999.

  • Centers of Excellence for School-to-Career, IT Career Pathway and Pipeline Models, A Cross-cultural Primer for IT Business Leaders and Educators - ITAA, NAB and EDC have developed a profile of a Center of Excellence for STW--school, city or regional efforts that are comprehensively addressing IT workforce needs, with coordinated IT school-based and work-based learning components. In addition to developing a learning network for developed and aspiring Centers nationwide, the Techforce Initiative partners will outline IT career pathway and pipeline models and key elements of making IT business-education partnerships work.

  • IT-STW Regional Symposia - Following on the Chicago Software Association's successful October 11, 1998 conference, ITAA is working with three regional CRITA affiliates this year and four more next year to carry out regional symposia with an IT-School-to-Career focus. Upcoming events are as follows: Arizona Software Association, March 11; Washington Software Alliance, March 31; Connecticut Technology Council, June (TBA).

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For more information visit the Techforce Initiative website at http://www.techworkforce.org/programs/stw.htm. ITAA contact: John Donaldson

Miller Keynotes Legg Mason Investor Conference
ITAA President Harris Miller was the luncheon keynote speaker for Legg Mason's investor conference in New York City at the St. Regis Hotel on January 7, 1999. An audience of over 150 institutional investors heard Miller's address, entitled "IT Services Issues in the New Millennium."

Focussing on the four key issues of e-commerce, the workforce shortage, critical information infrastructure protection and service company prospects and challenges after Y2K, Miller's message to the Legg Mason participants was optimistic. "The future of the IT services industry is very bright, with the follow-on to Y2K, electronic commerce and critical information infrastructure protection presenting major opportunities for forward looking companies," Miller said.

Legg Mason is a financial and investment management company focussing on individual and institutional investments, which has been in business since 1899. ITAA contact: Tinabeth Burton.

New E-Commerce Coalition Formed
ITAA has been playing a leadership role in a new high-tech lobbying coalition forming in Washington, D.C. to expand electronic commerce through improvements in electronic authentication approaches. Jon Englund, Senior Vice President of ITAA's software division, is working with Frank Kelly of Charles Schwab, Scott Cooper of Hewlett Packard, and David Peyton of the National Association of Manufacturers to establish the coalition.

The organization is reviewing a national electronic signature bill for the private sector and consumers. Senator Spencer Abraham (R-Michigan) plans to introduce legislation early in the 106th Congress that would create a legal framework enabling the private sector to accept electronic signatures in transactions, a right that was given to the government in a bill passed last year.

"This bill is the next logical step in the 'mainstreeting' of e-commerce," said Englund, adding that the Abraham legislation builds on the success of last year's bill and aims to benefit consumers as well as corporate interests. ITAA contact: Jon Englund.

Briefing with U.S. Trade Representative's Office Set
ITAA will host a briefing with officials from the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) office from 1pm - 2pm on Monday, January 25. The briefing will focus on the World Trade Organization's (WTO) e-commerce work program and the upcoming services round of negotiations slated to start in 2000. The briefing will be provided by Don Abelson, Jonathan McHale and Peter Collins of USTR. Immediately following the meeting, from 2pm - 3pm, there will be an ITAA members meeting to discuss priorities at the WTO and ITAA's future work program. It is anticipated that the work of the WTO on e-commerce and the upcoming services negotiations will be a major focus of ITAA's international efforts in 1999 and beyond. ITAA Contact: Sheila O'Neill.

ITAA Files Comments Before FCC
On December 23, 1998, ITAA filed Reply Comments before the Federal Communications Commission in the matter of Policy and Rules Concerning the Interstate, Interexchange Marketplace. The ITAA position was in opposition to the positions of several incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) which assert that dominant carriers should be allowed to bundle local telecommunications services with information services. ITAA outlined an argument refuting ILEC claims to support allowing bundling, and concluded that instead, the commission should require ILECs to continue to comply with the rules requiring the separation of regulated telecommunications and competitive information services.

Mark Uncapher, ITAA Vice President, Information Services and Electronic Commerce Division summed up the FCC filing, "In short, ITAA supports protecting our information technology companies from unfair competition from incumbent local telephone companies who could use their monopoly power to force customers to buy additional services. We support letting our customers choose from a broad array of competitors." ITAA contact: Mark Uncapher.

Update on World Trade Organization's Electronic Commerce Work Program
In early December, several ITAA members were in Geneva briefing delegates from nearly 100 countries on electronic commerce. The briefings were co-sponsored by ITAA, the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) and the Coalition of Service Industries and focused on the importance of infrastructure to the continued growth of e-commerce as well as examples of existing online trade in goods and services. Participants included AT&T, Cisco Systems, Compaq, EDS, AOL, IBM and Hewlett Packard.

Currently the WTO work program on e-commerce is being handled by 4 groups within the WTO - the Council on Goods, the Council on Services, the Council on Intellectual Property, and the Council on Trade and Development. These groups will focus on 3 broad questions:

(i) How do existing WTO agreements affect electronic commerce?
(ii) Are there any gaps in existing agreements, areas that may need to be remedied to address electronic commerce?
(iii) Are there any subjects where the WTO has no law/agreement where governments might want to negotiate one?

The councils will submit reports on e-commerce, including recommendations for possible future WTO work for consideration by trade ministers at the December 1999 WTO ministerial. The ministers will adopt reports which could, if recommended by councils, call for a negotiating mandate.

"The work the WTO is doing on electronic commerce and on the upcoming 2000 service negotiations will significantly impact the IT industry and is a priority global public policy issue for ITAA," commented Sheila O'Neill, ITAA Vice President, Global Affairs. ITAA intends to continue to closely follow WTO work on e-commerce as well as its work on the upcoming 2000 negotiations on trade in services. ITAA Contact: Sheila O'Neill

Policy Summit and Capitol Hill Fly-In Dates Announced
ITAA's fourth Annual Policy Summit and Capitol Hill Fly-In are scheduled for March 15 and 16 at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center in Washington, DC . Building on the tremendous legislative successes of last year, 1999 may be the most important year ever for the industry to show Washington that it will work together with legislators and administration officials to support sound government policy.

ITAA member company executives will gain substantive information about the policies and initiatives that affect the bottom-line. Government relations professionals and corporate CEOs attend the IT Policy Summit to take part in an annual dialogue with government leaders about the policies and positions that will help grow the IT industry and help continue the dramatic U.S. economic expansion.

To register for IT Policy Summit and Capitol Hill Fly-In on March 15 and 16, visit http://www.itaa.org/events/polsum.htm. ITAA contact: Linda Schnell.

ISAAC '99 to Address Software and System Assurance Concerns
The International Software Assurance Certification Conference (ISACC), hosted by ITAA and Reliable Software Technologies and Co-sponsored by National Institute of Standards and Technology, will take place February 28 - March 2 at Westfields Marriott in Dulles, Virginia. ISACC is the first conference to focus exclusively on software and systems assurance issues and potential solutions. Over 350 representatives of industry, research, and government will come to compare and discuss their often divergent points of view on many critical issues, including information infrastructure policy; software and system security and assurance; legal liability; existing certification policy and approaches; insurance assessment and risk management; research and development programs and funding; testing; software security and critical infrastructure protection; the impact of Y2K as a driver for certification and assurance; and government regulation and industrial self-policing.

Key speakers at ISACC'99 will include Edward Yourdon (Software Guru and Consultant), Gary Beach (CEO of CIO magazine), Harris Miller (President of ITAA) Peter Tippett (CEO of International Computer Security Association), Ray Kammer (Director of National Institute of Standards and Technology), Jeffrey Voas (Chief Scientist of Reliable Software Technologies), and Jeffrey Hunker (Director of Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office).

In addition to exclusive sponsorship opportunities, there is also exhibit space available. For more information on ISACC'99 visit http://www.isacc.com/. ITAA contact: Linda Schnell.

New Staff Join ITAA
Three new staff members recently joined the ITAA team. Renee Winsky will join as Vice President, Information Services Division on January 19th, Tinabeth Burton started on January 4th as Communications Director, and Nathan Ridnouer joined ITAA in December as Senior Program Manager, IT Services Division.

Renee Winsky brings over 10 years association management experience to ITAA. Most recently, she was the Manager of Local Government Services for the National League of Cities (NLC), overseeing various activities including fee-based services, awards programs, federal grant projects, and publication production. Her time with NLC began in 1992 as the Administrative Officer for NLC's affiliate organization the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA).

Tinabeth Burton previously served as Deputy Director of Public Affairs to House Speaker Newt Gingrich, where she focussed on communications with grassroots and Washington-based coalitions. Prior to joining the Speaker's Office, Burton was Finance Director of GOPAC, the political training and education organization, from June 1996 through May 1998, and Political Conference Coordinator from October 1995 through June 1996. A former Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, Burton has also worked for the National Foundation for Women Legislators and Young and Rubicam, Inc.

Nathan Ridnouer, a 1993 graduate of George Mason University, was a five-year veteran of the National League of Cities before joining ITAA. His most recent position there was Staff Associate in the Local Government Services (LGS) Subcenter of Education and Information Resources. Ridnouer also served as a membership resource in crucial areas of Y2K and IT issues for the League.

ITAA 1999 Calendar of Events

January

  • 1/14-15 - Procurement Policy Committee annual planning retreat. More info: ogrkavac@itaa.org.
  • 1/19 - 1:00pmEST "Lessons in Product Development Based on Consumers' Experiences Using the Internet" Teleconference/Webcast. More info: jcassarino@itaa.org.
  • 1/21 - 1:00pmEST "Building a Better Plan for E-Commerce" Teleconference / Webcast. More info: psmith@itaa.org.
  • 1/22 -- International Domain Names Symposium hosted by ITAA at George Washington University. More info: psmith@itaa.org.
  • 1/25 - 1:00pmEST Briefing with Office of United States Trade Representative at ITAA. More info: soneill@itaa.org.

February

  • 2/6-8 ITAA Board Retreat at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida.
  • 2/9 - 1:00pmEST "Working Capital Seminar: Benchmarking and Best Practices" Teleconference / Webcast. More info: jcassarino@itaa.org.

March

  • 2/28-3/2: International Software Assurance Certification Conference (ISACC) at the Marriott Westfields in Dulles, Virginia. Program details available at http://www.isacc.com/
  • 3/15-16: ITAA's 4th Annual IT Policy Summit and Congressional Fly-In at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.

April

  • 4/12-13: The National IT Workforce Convocation at the Omni hotel in Austin, Texas. Program details will be available on the web shortly.
  • 4/12-13: HR Forum at the Omni Hotel in Austin, Texas. (Software and ITS Divisions) contact: nridnouer@itaa.org.

May

  • 5/2-3: CFO Roundtable in La Jolla, California. (Software and ITS Divisions) Contact: dsabo@itaa.org.

July

  • HR Forum (Software and ITS Divisions) details TBA.

October

  • 10/24-27 -- ITAA's Fall Executive Conference in Tucson, Arizona at the Westin La Paloma resort. Watch ITAA's website for program updates and details on sponsorship opportunities.

Also of Note…

Workforce Programs Taking off
Classes are beginning for ITAA's Pass It On Workforce program in New Jersey (Jan. 19th), Virginia (Jan 25th), and Texas (Feb. 1st). Classes will train individuals with disabilities in IT skills such as network administration and programming….Colorado, Tennessee, Oregon and Maine have been selected as sites to host the Recruiting in the Information Technology Age (RITA) ITAA Workforce programs. Companies in these states can still get involved as mentors or trainers. ITAA contact: Kim Baker.

Feature Treatment
Members of ITAA's CFO Roundtable Jeff McCandless, CFO of Mastech, and Joe Heery, CFO of Cyborg, were interviewed in the January 1999 issue of CFO Magazine after being referred by ITAA for a story on Y2K called "This Bug's Life".

ITAA Out Front…

  • 1/13: Harris Miller spoke at the Economic Club of Columbus, Ohio on "Will Y2K roll the System?: A Search for the Silver Lining".
  • 1/14: Harris Miller will speak in Fairfax, Virginia on "Making a Difference: Where are we Headed? National and International Perspective on the IT Workforce Shortage".
  • 1/16: Harris Miller will speak at the Platinum Technology Conference in Chicago on E-Commerce and the Federal Government.
  • 1/21: Marc Pearl will address the American Bar Association on "Y2K: What To Do To Minimize Risk" in New York City.
  • 1/27: Sheila O'Neill will address the Foreign Commercial Service Officers on IT and e-commerce in Europe, in Williamsburg, Virginia.
  • 1/27: Harris Miller will address Communications and Technology Expo 99 on Challenges and Opportunities in the New Millennium.
  • 1/28: Harris Miller will address the Fairfax, Virginia Chamber of Commerce on Electronic Commerce.
  • 1/28: Marc Pearl will address COMNET '99 in Washington, DC on "Y2K Legal and Financial Implications".
  • 1/28: Marc Pearl will address CPR Institute for Dispute Resolutions in New York City on Preparing for Y2K Problems / Managing Disputes.