Fwd: GSA might outsource PKI infrastructure management -- Federal Computer Week

[John Scott III]

interesting, what else could/should be outsourced? Especially with the looming budget cuts coming

http://fcw.com/articles/2012/02/08/gsa-federal-pki-infrastructure.aspx?s=fcwdaily_090212

GSA open to outsourcing federal PKI operation
• By John S. Monroe

• Feb 08, 2012
The General Services is looking for new ideas about how to manage the Federal Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Trust system, including the possibility of turning it over to a contractor.

At present, GSA is responsible for the system, which maintains links between federal agencies and public and private groups that issue PKI certificates, and systems that connect different government PKI systems. Among other functions, the system is used to support the process for maintaining Personal Identity Verification credentials.

But in a request for information released earlier this month, GSA invited people to suggest alternative solutions for managing federal PKI operations. The RFI asks for comments on two basic approaches: the current model, in which a contractor provides the service using government-furnished systems, and a services-only model, in which a contractor takes over the system as well.

In the case of the current model, GSA also is looking for ideas about to enhance existing services. For example, the agency would like to develop a funding model that would make it possible to recover the costs of operating the PKI infrastructure. The RFI also asks for comments on how to better divide management responsibilities between the government and the contractor.

In the case of the services-only model, GSA would like comments on how to manage the transition.
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[Harley Garrett]

Amazing. How about competitively outsourcing the 15 cabinets? Award the lowest bidder based on his/her claim to lower the deficit.

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[G. Andrew Stone]

In related news, the POTS has decided to outsource the nuclear football.  It may not actually be too expensive to pay an American to follow the POTS around all day, but federal mandates require that everything be outsourced. 

Fashion consultant to the president has this to say  "Anyway, its just embarrassing and frankly gee-ross to be followed around by a guy with a briefcase locked to his wrist.   I mean, how does he go to the bathroom?  Don't be shakin' THAT hand!"

The effect of this is that the nuclear football shall no longer be colocated with POTS.  This is not an issue says security consultant Virnesh Ahmedani who also represents an extremely competitive bid coming from a Pakistani-based IT security consultant company. 

"The modern nuclear football shall be held securely in our offices in Pakistan but come complete with an iphone application (available for preview in the app store search for "BOMB"), that the president can use to trigger complete nuclear annihilation.  Our new multi touch interface even allows him to re-target detonation ANYWHERE across a real-time 3d globe!  Anyone can download and install the app, but only the president through entry of his Personal Identity Verification credential can command a real nuclear holocaust.  And I can assure you, as the maintainer of the Federal Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Trust system, that THAT database remains in good hands."