PROPOSED DELAY IN SELECTION OF AGENCY STANDARD WORK PROCESSOR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85-00809R000300180003-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Sequence Number: 3
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2007/12/29: CIA-RDP85-00809R000300180003-1
Approved For Release 2007/12/29: CIA-RDP85-00809R000300180003-1
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ROO U70M G AND RECORD SHEET
SUBJECT: (Optional)
Proposed Delay in Selection of Agency Standard Word Processor
FROM:
I? ?~'3
EXTENSION
NO. ODP 81-991
2-D-00 P?1QS
DATE 29 July 1981
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
building)
DATE
OFFICER'S
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
RECEIVED
FORWARDED
INITIALS
to whom. Draw a line across column after each comment.)
1. DDA BX-4
2. D/OL, 2G20B
3.
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OL 1 3285
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FORM 610 USE PREVIOUS
1-79 EDITIONS
SECRET
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ODP 81-991
2 9 JUL 1981
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Logistics
VIA: Deputy Director for Administration
FROM:
SUBJECT:
REFERENCE:
Bruce T. Johnson
Director of Data Processing
Proposed Delay in Selection of Agency Standard
Word Processor F__1
Your memo to IMS/DO dtd 24 July, subject: Sole-
Source Procurement of Automation Equipment for
Project CRAFT F__1
1. The Office of Data Processing does not concur in
reference proposal to delay the selection and acquisition of an
Agency standard word processor or family of word processors. It
is, in our view, extremely important to achieve a standard for
use in the Headquarters area, and with each passing month our.
opportunities to make such a standard meaningful diminish as more
and more offices are equipped with a variety of devices selected
to meet specific needs. Weaning satisfied users away from
familiar equipment and convincing them to adopt the new standard
unit instead will be difficult at best, and we are anxious to
keep the number of such conversions to a minimum. Pent-up demand
for word processing equipment is so high that we can be certain
of a steady stream of non-standard devices coming in to CIA
during the seven months of waiting which would be imposed by the
course of action proposed in reference. In addition, we hope to
obtain favorable pricing on the standard equipment, and it
behooves us to reduce both the number and the length of leases
entered into at list prices, without benefit of competitive
pricing.
2. We know enough right now to include CRAFT requirements
in our RFP,for word processors, and we have offered to revise the
RFP accordingly. Such a step would mean a delay in getting test
units out to field stations, however, and IMS has made it clear
that such delay is unacceptable. To defer definition of our word
processing equipment until we have the results of the field tests
of Wang equipment would delay selection of a standard until 1983.
Such a delay, from ODP's point of view, is just as unacceptable.
. A "A n n r
CAST
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3. If procurement of a common word processor for Head-
quarters and field use is vital, perhaps we should once again
consider the sole source procurement of Wang equipment. We know
it possesses most if not all of the desired characteristics and.
it has already been selected, through competitive procurement, by
the Department of State. It is also used by a number of S&T
contractors, and there are plans to install Wang equipment in the
building so OD&E can communicate with remote government
and contractor installations already using Wang. A sole source
procurement may have much to commend it, and politically it
should be defensible as an effort to achieve commonality with the
4. Barring a decision in favor of sole source procurement
of Wang equipment and absent an agreement by the DDO to add its
CRAFT requirements to the RFP currently being developed, ODP sees
no practical way to achieve the complete commonality proposed in
the reference. A standard, selected as soon as possible,
covering the general word processing requirements of all Agency
components in the Headquarters area including the DDO, would not
be an insignificant achievement. ODP, which is already
encountering considerable evidence of unease about possible
dislocations brought about by exchanges of equipment, would
strongly prefer to adhere to the established timetable and gain
the benefits of earliest possible deployment of a Headquarters-
area standard word processor.
Bru . Jo nson
cc: C/IMS/DDO
T7=;3 (C 7-M JE VT
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