I was introduced to top White House leaders, federal agencies, and the tech industry all in one sitting. The event was pioneered by founder and CEO of FedScoop, Goldy Kamali, who for the past three years has been providing attendees with exposure to great IT minds. Being relatively new to the world of IT, attending FedTalks2011 was a great way to meet and learn from some of the industry’s top commercial, and Government IT professionals. With speakers such as Aneesh Chopra, Assistant to the President & U.S. CTO, Executive Office of the President, Terry Kline, CIO and VP of IT at General Motors, Craig Newmark, Founder of Craigslist.com, Robert Stephens, Founder of Geek Squad & Chief Technology Officer of Best Buy, and a number of other industry influencers, it was difficult for me not to feel positively overwhelmed with valuable technology information.

Each speaker spoke to the audience about their work in IT with their organization on various topics such as Citizen Engagement, Cyber Security, and Lowering the Costs of Government with Technology to name off a short list of the abundance of topics that influenced my “think outside of the box,” mentality. I am told the event gets better every year which I can certainly believe after being moved by Robert Stephens of Best Buy’s delivery of how he started the popular in home computer fix-it company Geek Squad. Stephens delivered a brief overview of starting Geek Squad in college with $200 to his name. He joked about how it annoys him that people often think that Best Buy created Geek Squad as he laughed and said “I created Geek Squad and later acquired Best Buy.”

From Stephens, to Craig Newmark’s fireside chat with Dr. Peter Levin on Citizen Engagement, and Terry Kline’s convincing delivery of leveraging the consumerization of IT in an organization. I left FedTalks2011 eager to learn more about the IT and government fields of IT knowledge to carry with me until Fedtalks2012.

To learn more about FedTalks2011 visit http://fedscoop.com/fedtalks/fedtalks2011/

8(a) STARS II Features:

• A multiple-award, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract vehicle
• A five-year base with one five-year option
• A $10 billion program ceiling
• Limited protestability
• Directed Order Authority: Directed task orders up to $4 million each are allowed for federal civilian and Department of Defense activities

8(a) STARS II Benefits:

• 8(a) socioeconomic credit transferable to the agency
• Pre-competed, easy to use contracts
• Access to proven 8(a) small business technology providers
• Shortened procurement lead time
• A low user access fee (0.75 percent) built into contractor’s ceiling prices

In April 2011, MetroStar Systems successfully graduated from the SBA 8(a) program. As we are still classified as a Small Business, the GSA 8(a) STARS II award allows us to continue providing support in designing, developing, and implementing innovative technological tools across federal agencies. GSA has already evaluated and prequalified our technical capabilities, service offerings, and pricing through a competitive process for streamlined contracting and shortened procurement times. More information about the 8(a) STARS II GWAC program can be found here: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/105243

In addition to this new GWAC, MetroStar Systems has a variety of contract vehicles that allow government agencies to easily procure our products and services including: GSA Schedule 541, GSA Schedule 70, GSA Schedule 874, the Army and Air National Guard IDIQ, and SeaPort-e.

ComputerWorld recently released its annual report recognizing the 100 Best Places to Work in IT for 2011.  I am excited to announce that MetroStar Systems made the list with an impressive showing at #85 overall!  We also finished in the Top 10 of the Small Business Category and #2 in the South Atlantic Region.  In a region filled with many tech companies, it is also noteworthy to mention that MetroStar Systems is the only IT firm in Reston, Virginia ranked in the report.

Our commitment to employee learning and development gave us a significant edge in the selection process.  ComputerWorld created a special employer profile for each of the Top 100 companies and our Employer Profile highlights our innovative employee training, career development, and recognition strategies.

We are excited to see that our dedication to excellence is being recognized by the one of the “leading sources in technology news and information for IT influencers nationwide.“  This special recognition also comes on the heels of a fruitful 2010 where we were awarded accolades for significant growth.  Job satisfaction, working in an enjoyable environment, employees benefits, and excellent employee morale add significant value to the quality of work we are able to provide to our clients, and acknowledgement for being a leader in this area only serves to strengthen our reputation. Special thanks to all of our team members who make MetroStar Systems one of the Best Places to Work in IT everyday!

The National Capital Area Tour de Cure is taking place this Sunday, June 5th 2011 at the Reston Town Center in Reston, VA.  The Tour de Cure is a series of fundraising events hosted by the American Diabetes Association (ADA).  The Tour de Cure is a “premier cycling event held in 80 locations in 33 states” that last year featured over 49,000 participants who helped raise over $19 million to support the ADA’s mission. The event is family friendly and features rides for all ages and cycling levels from the 10 mile ride to the big 100 mile ride.

Registration is still open and you can also check-in on the morning of the event. For all the information you need to know and to register, visit the National Capital Area Tour de Cure website at www.diabetes.org/nationalcapitaltourdecure

MetroStar Systems is proud to be a sponsor for this event and we will also be supporting the event with our MyStanly Twitter display tool. If you are participating in the event or if you are in the Reston area on Sunday, stop by our booth! You can follow the conversation on Twitter by searching the hashtag #TourdeCureDC, follow @TourdeCureDC, and keep track of MyStanly’s #TourdeCureDC feed.

The Department of State’s Tech@State team will be hosting the 5^th edition of Tech@State events at the Jack Morton Auditorium in the Media and Public Affairs building of George Washington University on Friday May 27 and Saturday May 28. Over 200 attendees will “explore the mechanics of games, business and sustainability, design, education, international aspects, games for social change and much more.”

MetroStar Systems will be supporting the Tech@State team with our MyStanly twitter moderation/display application, and our CEO Ali Manouchehri is slated to speak on two separate panels on Day 1. He will first address the topic of “Games, Business and Sustainability” and then present with a panel about “Military and Government games”.  The event features an impressive collection of government, academic, non-profit, and industry experts/tech innovators who will be sharing their experiences and exploring many aspects of serious games. The agenda and complete schedule is now available at the Tech@State blog.

Here are some additional URL links that may be helpful if you are interested in attending or want more information:

• Tech@State website:  http://tech.state.gov/
• Tech@State: Serious Games event registration:  http://techatstate-srsgames.eventbrite.com/
• Event Agenda & Schedule:  http://tech.state.gov/profiles/blogs/serious-games-content-and
• Bios of speakers & panelists:  http://tech.state.gov/profiles/blogs/serious-games-speaker-bios

For those of you who cannot attend the event, you are in luck! This event will be live streamed on Tech@State’s UStream channel: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/tech-state.  You can also follow the conversation on twitter by searching the hashtag #TechAtState and following our live tweets @metrostarsystem.

*** Updated 5/31/2011 ***

The event was a great success with excellent panels, great presentations, and great ideas shared. Here is a video of the “Military and Government Games” panel that Ali moderated at the end of Day 1:

Video streaming by Ustream

The process began with engaging real citizens first. Last October, FCC Managing Director Steven VanRoekel let users look under the hood and directly provide feedback for the design. Soliciting feedback right from the start was part of the key for success. Usability issues and other sticking points that had persisted on the old FCC.gov site for years were finally brought to task.

In addition to improving the usability and functionality, many of the latest Web 2.0 principles and technologies have been integrated into the new site, assuring this new FCC site can “keep up with the pace of the Internet.”

Reading some of the blogoshpere’s first reactions to the overhaul, you’ll see nothing but smiles on our faces:

• “FCC.gov reboots as an open government platform” by Alex Howard (aka @digiphile)
• “Miraculous makeover: using the new FCC.gov” by Matthew Lasar
• “Having Sat Out the Aughts, FCC.gov Steps into the Modern Age” by Nancy Scola

Unlocking the power of the FCC through smart design and engagement is just the beginning. We’re excited to see how the public takes advantage of the simpler design, open data, and powerful FCC toolkit.

And of course, if you haven’t checked it out yet, please do so and feel free to leave us a comment with your thoughts: http://beta.fcc.gov/

You can also contribute your feedback directly to the FCC.  Your thoughts and ideas about additional features, improving the user experience, and/or improving the functionality of the website will be considered in future releases and updates: http://fccdotgov.uservoice.com/forums/105541-a-new-fcc-gov-feedback

StarLabs is where our engineers and artists collaborate and share innovative projects. It allows those unfamiliar with MetroStar Systems to learn more about the behind the scene things we do and the people who bring them to life.

One of the current projects we feature on StarLabs is Visualize It, which provides a rich user experience for navigating and exploring SharePoint Libraries. It is a powerful solution for not only finding data but also discovering data. An example of how Visualize It works can be found on this blog! See the top of the page, the little guy holding the “Visual Search” banner. Click on it and type in a keyword like “SharePoint” and watch Visualize It in action.

Currently, Visualize It, is available for free download. System administrators can download it and implement it to their SharePoint Portals. If you test it out, please let us know your feedback!

Learn more about StarLabs and the different projects we are working on by visiting http://labs.metrostarsystems.com

Last weekend, our CEO, Ali Reza Manouchehri, was awarded the Spirit of Innovation Award at the Washington Adventist Hospital 2010 Black Tie Gala. This annual event celebrates the ongoing legacy of Washington Adventist Hospital and its vision for 21st Century Health Care.

On behalf of MetroStar Systems, Ali was recognized for his thought leadership in technological innovation, designing solutions for Health Care and life sciences in the 21st Century, and providing Web 2.0 tools and Social Media strategy to improve communication and outreach.

Washington Adventist Hospital also recognized other distinguished leaders who embody the philosophy of their 21st Century Health Care vision. Following is a complete list of the awards:

Inaugural Award Presentations

Drs. Lauretta & James Kress Spirit of Mission Award

Bill Novelli

Founder & Former President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

Spirit of Partnership Award

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Russell J. Abbott, Deputy Commissioner

LabQuest

Betsy Bretz, Chairwoman

Spirit of Innovation Award

Ali Reza Manouchehri

Chief Executive Officer, MetroStar Systems

Distinguished Physician Legacy Award

Kenneth Cruze, MD

James Ronan, MD

William G. “Bill” Robertson Spirit of Service Award

William G. “Bill” Robertson

President & CEO, Adventist HealthCare

Many thanks to Jere Stocks (President) and the Washington Adventist Hospital team for hosting this great event.  To learn more about Washington Adventist Hospital and its vision, check out their new “Our Vision for the Future” video:

Our President, Robert Santos, sums it up best when he notes, “The talented and diverse individuals that make up our company continually provide innovative approaches to our customers’ challenges, allowing the company to grow and succeed.“

Here is a list of the awards and recognitions that we have recently won:

Washington Business Journal recognizes MetroStar Systems as the 10^th Fastest Growing Companies in the Washington region in 2010.

Honored as Number 45 on Washington Technology’s “Fast 50″ awards list

Ranked Number 139 in the Government Services section of the 2010 Inc. 5000

*You can read more about these awards in our latest press release.

Nearly a year and a half (524 days to be precise) has passed since we released Supernova to the world, shedding light on the inner workings of MetroStar Systems. In that time we’ve experienced continuous expansion, enjoyed a wide spectrum of client projects, and made a positive impact in our local and global community.

But as things continue to heat up our blog has been getting denser and denser. Rather than let it collapse on itself, we took the initiative; choosing to put in the energy so Supernova could shine once again.

So what’s changed? Here are just a few of the major changes we’ve implemented:

1. A much, much simpler interface. In both the theme/layout and in the organization of the blog, we took every step to ensure that we ended up with a much cleaner, easier-to-navigate blog. We literally cut our categories down from 57 to 5! All of the widgets in the sidereel were re-organized into a better configuration. Search is now prominently featured at the top.

2. A whole bunch of behind-the-scenes: Not all of the work that was done is immediately visible on the front page. We went through a kind of “spring cleaning” phase: deleting old and unused media, evaluating and updating plugins, consolidating tags, that sort of thing.

3. A shift to WordPress 3 “Thelonious” of course! This is a powerful platform that gives us the flexibility we need to make a blog like Supernova. A huge thanks to the entire WordPress team for putting together this awesome package! We found the upgrade to be simple, and easy.

4. Visual Search functionality! Using Silverlight + Pivot we are now able to visually navigate Supernova posts and pages. If you haven’t seen it in action yet, check it out!

None of this would have been possible without a stellar team of marketers and designers to build it. Special thanks to Ali Manouchehri, Daniel Nguyen, Hector Portillo, AJ Shah, Monica Huie, and Patricia Joo!!

For your consideration: click here to see a screenshot of the old theme. We’d LOVE to hear your feedback on the new look and feel!

And finally, I’d like to thank Fritz Zwicky for coining the term “Supernova.”

To infinity and beyond!

-D