[The following report

USPTO scrutinizes Linux, Java

"U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officials are looking toward Linux and Java technologies as they begin planning for a comprehensive new information technology and telecommunications services contract.

USPTO officials announced last week they would solicit information from industry on the scope and type of agreement to replace the agency’s current contract for systems development and maintenance services. That contact, awarded in 1997 to Lockheed Martin Corp. and Computer Sciences Corp., will end a year from now. The $541 million contract did away with 14 separate systems development and support contracts by providing a single contract vehicle for those services.

For the follow-on contract, USPTO officials have indicated that they are interested in an innovative contracting approach and in technologies such as Linux, J2EE/Java, IBM Corp. WebSphere and Java Studio Developer.

Before developing a request for proposals, USPTO officials will hold a vendor briefing Feb. 11."

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