Unix Sys Admin Job Opportunity (LONG)
Janina Sajka
janina at afb.net
Mon Nov 6 17:50:31 EST 2000
The following is rather lengthy but seems like a good job opportunity for
someone who might be on these lists. So, I beg your indulgence for posting
it here.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking a Unix
Systems Analyst/Administrator for a position that starts at
$54,000. P. They're actually hoping to place a blind person via National
Industries for the Blind (NIB). If this sounds like you, contact them
right away. Turn around time is very short here.
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Pavelsky [mailto:spavelsky at nib.org]
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2000 10:57 AM
System Analyst III position. This position is a long-term JWOD contract
with EPA in Cincinnati.
The candidate would actually be employed by our associated agency -
Clovernook Center for the Blind. POC at Clovernook is Jennifer Alvis.
Resumes may be sent to: JCA @ Clovernook.org or Ms. Alvis can be reached
at: 937-223-2059. Deadline for resume submittal is COB this Wed., Nov. 8th.
Salary is approx. $54K/yr.
REVISED
STATEMENT OF WORK
Period of Performance
10/01/00 to 07/31/00 (end of POP for original SOW)
(Revised Draft a/o 9/12/00)
1. REQUIRING AGENCY.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Administration and
Resources Management
26 W. Martin Luther King Dr.
Cincinnati, Ohio 45268
EPA Project Officer and Point of Contact (POC):
Shannon McFarland
Information Resources Management Division
US Environmental Protection Agency
26 W. Martin Luther King Dr
Cincinnati, OHIO 45268
Alternate Project Officer and Point of Contact (Alternate POC):
Lee Steczynski
Information Resources Management Division
US Environmental Protection Agency
26 W. Martin Luther King Dr
Cincinnati, OHIO 45268
New Task ( ) Renewal ( ) Revision (X )
PROJECT TITLE: OARM/IRMD Imaging Processing Systems Support and
Scanning Services.
Work Request ( ) Fixed Price (X ) Time and Materials ( )
On Site ( x ) Location (s) Same as above
Off Site ( )
2. SCOPE OF WORK.
ADP Environment:
Hardware: LAN Pentium-type PCs, Compaq/Digital UNIX Alpha
Servers, and Imaging System Document Scanner(s).
Software/Languages: Compaq/Digital UNIX OS commands, PERL Scripts,
C, C++, CGI-BIN, HTML Programming, Clarit System Imaging Software,
MS Windows and Netscape software packages.
Functional Applications: Not applicable.
Description:
The Information Resources Management Division in the Office of
Management and Administration, AWBERC Cincinnati, is in need of
programming and maintenance support for Clarit Software System
Administration, Compaq/Digital Unix System Administration, and all
associated tasks involving the daily ongoing support of the
Imaging Processing Systems scanning services utilizing the Clarit
Software Package.
The objective of this task is to provide ongoing systems analysis,
design, programming and implementation expertise, and system
administration for the following systems: Clarit Imaging Systems
Software, Compaq/Digital Unix software, and scanning services
support for converting EPA Publications from hard copy to
electronic format and storing in identified file formats in one or
more databases on one or more PCs and Digital Unix File Servers.
The primary software packages are Compaq/Digital Unix and the
Clarit Software System located in the IRMD Computer Room and at
the National Technology Services Division (NTSD) at RTP, NC. The
milestones are as follows.
MILESTONE 1. Imaging Processing Systems (IPS) Scanning Support.
The contractor shall provide scanning services support during
prime time business hours, normally 8:00AM-5:00PM, Monday through
Friday, with the exception of Federal holidays. The detailed
procedures for providing this support are outlined in the IRMD
Image Processing Systems (IPS) Procedures (Attachment 1).
The contractor shall monitor for possible vendor repair the various
hardware components of all assigned equipment involved in the IPS
operation. The contractor shall notify the designated POC and/or
contact the appropriate vendor for repairs. The contractor shall
be provided with a list of appropriate vendors to notify and the
vendors will be informed by the EPA POC that contacts will be made
by the contractor.
The contractor shall control and monitor the operator consoles for
all Imaging Processing System servers (Pentium PC-types and
Digital Alpha Servers included) on a continuous basis throughout
the staffed hours of operation noted above. The contractor shall
assist EPA technical personnel in troubleshooting problems with
the Digital Computers/Imaging Processing System Server
configurations as directed by the EPA POC.
The contractor shall maintain a clean and orderly environment
within the IPS Operations area.
The contractor shall conform to all EPA policies and procedures
regarding information security, installation and use of software
packages, and disaster recovery. In addition, the contractor shall
conform specifically to the OARM Cincinnati Computer Software
Policy (Attachment 2).
The POC will inform the contractor when software upgrades, if
applicable to specific IPS Operations, are required. Notification
will occur through the use of the agency EMAIL system, the IRMD
Remedy Work Request System, or a combination of these.
The contractor shall operate Imaging Processing System configured
equipment and organize, transfer and manage associated Clarit
software image database files/directories between in-house
Internet Servers and PCs. The primary purpose of the hardware
operation is to use the equipment to scan and convert paper
documents to electronic format , and store on hard drives in the
designated directories on one or more Internet servers and PC hard
drives. This shall include proper document preparation before
scanning and all phases of the conversion process, adhering to
conversion standards, quality control, converting TIF file pages to
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) file pages, and disposition of
the original documents.
The contractor shall prepare and submit to the P.O., the Weekly
Deliverables Statistics Report as outlined in the detailed IRMD
Image Processing Systems Procedures (Attachment 1).
MILESTONE 2. Systems Analysis.
The contractor shall provide systems analysis, design, programming
and implementation support for the Compaq (Digital) UNIX OS and
Clarit Imaging System . The contractor shall provide end user
orientation and documentation support to the user community for
above systems.
MILESTONE 3. Unix Internet Server Support.
The contractor shall provide Unix Internet Server support on a
ongoing weekly basis during normal business hours of 8:00am to
5:00pm. Other than normal business hours of 8:00am to 5:00pm
times may be required, such as weekends and non-office hours, in
support of equipment installation/deinstallation and/or operational
support. The EPA POC will inform the contractor when other than
normal business hours are required.
The contractor shall perform tape backups of ; 1) all Imaging
Processing System Servers and Digital Alpha Servers on an as
required basis such as nightly/weekly/monthly intervals. Tapes
shall be stored in the AWBERC vault in Room G-14, or another
authorized designated area.
The contractor shall maintain a clean and orderly work environment
where the computer equipment and Imaging Systems Servers are
located.
MILESTONE 4. System Administration.
The contractor shall perform all technical or system administrator
activities for the various types of hardware, programming
languages, software systems and application systems listed above.
These currently include the following hardware systems: one or more
Imaging Processing System servers, Digital UNIX Alpha Servers and
Imaging System configured PC's. The contractor shall perform the
necessary software installations when new releases for the above
systems are received from the vendor for Compaq/Digital Unix and
the Clarit Software system. The POC shall inform the contractor
when software installation is required through the use of the
agency EMAIL system, the IRMD Remedy Work Request System, or a
combination of these.
The contractor shall organize, transfer and manage associated
Clarit software image database files/directories between in-house
Internet Servers and the Public Access Internet Servers at the
National Technology Services Division (NTSD).
Expertise: Personnel with a broad range of skills including
systems administration and maintenance experience with
Compaq/Digital Unix and Claritech's Clarit software system.
Experience with Microsoft Windows, manual dexterity, knowledge of
imaging systems concepts and data base management. Personal
Computer maintenance and operations experience and ADP
documentation skills are required.
Deliverables: All deliverables must meet normal professional
standards and the requirements set forth in the contractual
documentation.
1) The acceptance of deliverables as prescribed by this
Statement of Work (SOW) will be determined by the EPA P.O. The
criteria for acceptance will be based on, but not limited to,
completeness, clarity, technical correctness, relevancy to subject
matter, cosmetic in appearance, and adherence to government
regulations and standards. Deficiencies of a major nature
technical nature will be evaluated by the EPA Project Officer to
determine their significance, and forwarded to the Contracting
Officer for corrective actions.
Period of Performance:
The period of performance for this SOW shall commence after award
of the contract but not before an orientation meeting between the
contractor and the EPA POC, and not later than 30 days after
contract award.
Overtime: ( X ) not required ( ) required
Travel and Per Diem: ( x ) not required ( ) required
OTHER.
Security/ Privacy :
The contractor shall conform to all agency and IRMD security
policies. The Privacy Act of 1974 will be applicable to this SOW.
Government Furnished Resources:
The contractor shall retain and utilize all materials, information,
equipment and licensed software furnished by the government.
Office space, furniture, and imaging computer equipment shall be
provided for the performance of this task. The contractor shall
provide their own Personal Computer equipment for email and access
to the OARM IRMD LAN.
Standards and References:
GSA Regulations FPMR 101-35.203.9 AND 101-36.13 make FIPS PUBs
mandatory for all government agencies. The FIPS PUBs which
apply to this task are:
Software Summary for Describing Computer Programs and Automatic
Data Systems - FIPS 30.
Guideline for Documentation of Computer Programs and Automatic Data
Systems - FIPS 38.
Computer Security Guidelines for Implementing the Privacy Act of
1974 - FIPS 41.
OARM Cincinnati Computer Software Policy, dated December 1999.
EPA OARM Information Security Manual, 1999 Edition.
Attachment 1
IRMD IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEMS PROCEDURES
(Scanning Files Preparation and Creation)
Subsequent to new publications entering the National Service Center
for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) warehouse system, one
printed paper copy of each new EPA Publication is also delivered
to the IRMD Project Officer for the IRMD Image Processing Team to
scan and post to the EPA National Environmental Publications
Internet Site (NEPIS).
The documents from NSCEP are received in boxes or envelopes
on an irregular basis during the week(s). There are weeks
when there are no deliveries of new publications from
NSCEP.
The Project Officer receives the package via internal
mail from NSCEP. He records the date of receipt and
forwards the package to the computer center for input to
the Clarit Image Processing System. The ultimate objective
of the scanning procedures is to make EPA publications
available to the public via the Internet .
The computer center technician (contractor) receives the
package from the Project Officer. In the scanning room, the
contractor opens the package and checks the materials
against the included packing list to verify the contents
match the items shipped. Any variances or notes concerning
contents must be resolved with NSCEP.
The technician must prepare the documents for scanning. The
first step is to check the publication number that is
printed for each item on the packing list against existing
publications in the Clarit data base index file to ensure
that the publication will not duplicate a document
presently existing in the system.
If there is a duplication, there are several decisions that
must be made BEFORE the process can proceed any further.
If there is a duplication of publications, the
publication with the most current printing date
should be chosen to remain in the database. If
this turns out to be the newly received
publication, the older publication will be
deleted from the database, and replaced with the
current document by scanning the newer document
into the slot where the older one was located.
Titles must be physically observed in the
database. While each publication number is
supposed to be unique, there has been more than
one occurrence where the same publication number
has been found to be assigned to two completely
different publications. When this situation
occurs, the titles must be reported to NSCEP to
determine how the two different publications
should be listed. This must be coordinated with
NSCEP in order to maintain the integrity of the
database.
The computer equipment to perform this verification check
is located in another area, the IRMD locked and secured
main computer room, (Room 308). This area houses the Unix
file servers containing the publications records posted to
the Internet. The file servers are locked in a secure
computer cabinet located in a designated area of the
computer room.
When the technician completes this check, he has verified,
one by one, that the packing list of EPA Publication
Numbers and the EPA Publication titles do not match any
of the existing Clarit database file of EPA Publication
Numbers or Titles. If there is any uncertainty, or if the
publication is already in Clarit (apparent duplicate),
further research and contact with NSCEP, or the technical
support contractor specialist, will be required to resolve
the issue before proceeding to scan any publication in
question.
Returning to the image processing scanning room the
technician performs the next phase of the pre-scanning
operation.
The contractor must note the size of the document;
undersized documents less than the 8.5 in. X 11 in.
size must be enlarged to 8.5 X 11 so that no large
black borders are observed on the final Internet
posted image. This requires the contractor to manually
take the documents to a central duplicating office
room and photocopy them individually. Oversized
documents or page
foldouts/inserts/maps/tables/graphics greater than
8.5 in. X 11 in. must be manually adjusted or trimmed
appropriately to scan at the size of 8.5 X 11 without
cutting off or omitting any detail of the page.
Bound documents must be properly prepared for loading
into the image scanner to prevent jamming, misfeeding
or misalignment of pages as they are scanned into the
computer. This requires that the bound edge of the
document be removed using one or more manually
operated cutting devices, paper trimmers, or stapler
removers. The technician must check the paper
cutter's highly sharpened blades frequently to ensure
that perfectly straight, square and evenly trimmed
paper edges are always maintained prior to loading the
trimmed documents into the automated document feeder
scanner hopper.
When the one of the blades does become dull, the
technician must change the blade in the cutter.
Significant caution must be observed at this point.
These blades are extremely sharp. Even though one or
more blades can be too dull to cut through documents,
the blades are still sharp enough to cause finger
dismemberment, and/or other very serious injury if
they are not properly handled.
The technician must visually determine how much of the
document's edge can be safely trimmed or removed,
preferably without the loss of any meaningful text or
graphical data. If meaningful text, data or graphics
is to be lost due to trimming the technician must
minimize the amount of desirable data that is
eliminated. The technician must make this decision as
the process is being performed. Acute visual
detection is used to determine the varying width of
printer glue that the printing vendor used to bind the
publication, or the indented location of one or more
vendor-inserted metal/plastic staplers or spiral
connectors binding the document together.
The documents are now ready to be scanned. Because
each separate publication number and title must be
manually keyed into the system database, only one
publication is scanned at a time. Multiple documents
cannot be loaded into the hopper, because the scanner
does not have the ability to recognize where one
publication ends and the new one begins. The scanner
is a duplex page scanner, therefore, the front and
back of each page must be prepared properly to avoid
loss of data. The technician must set up and prepare
the PC Image Processing personal computer system to
create a unique computer image database publication
file to identify the name, directory location and
scanned document name for each official EPA
Publication number and Title. The technician must
confirm that sufficient Clarit System database and
directory hard disk space is available to accept the
new scanned document prior to starting the scanning
process. Each scanned file will serve as the unique
identifying characteristic for the EPA Publication
item numbers that will be transferred and posted on
the official EPA Public Access Internet Site.
If the physical size of a publication is larger than
the ability of the scanner feeder to handle at once,
the publication should be placed into the hopper in
sections. The contractor must maintain the direction
of the print and the order of the page numbers from
one portion of the publication to the other to insure
the integrity of the document.
The documents are scanned into, read and stored in the IRMD
customized and configured image processing equipment
cluster from paper document pages and converted to file
images using an industry standard file format referred to
as Tagged Image File Format. These files have a .TIFF file
extension names. One computer .TIFF file will be created
on disk for each physical page scanned, one for the front
and one for the back even if one or both sides of one or
more pages are blank.
The scanning technician shall maintain a computer generated
list of all EPA Publications scanned, and produce a Weekly
Deliverable Statistics Report in electronic format via E-
mail to the Project Officer. The report shall contain the
following data at a minimum:
EPA Publication Number and Title.
Number of pages scanned.
Date and Time scanned.
Clarit .TIFF database name scanned into.
Clarit .TIFF directory scanned into.
Clarit OCR database file name generated for each
.TIFF file.
Clarit disk file space used to store each
publication's total pages.
Projected amount of free Clarit disk space
available for future scanning to aid in planning
for purchasing additional disk drives.
Total number of EPA Publications and total pages
scanned into Clarit System since system was begun
in 1995, and total Fiscal Year-To-Date numbers
for Publications scanned and total pages scanned.
Cumulative initial values will be given at
contract award time.
Number of weekly hours worked.
As the process is underway the technician must observe
images created by the scanner to ensure that one page at a
time is being scanned and stay alert to the quality of the
images so that the process can be interrupted if the
scanned page images appear unclear, grey, fuzzy or contain
black streaks, etc. One or more of these faults will
indicate the internal scanner rollers/bulbs/glass pieces
need replacement or cleaning. Proper operating conditions
of all configured image processing scanning equipment, i.e,
scanner, computer monitors, Personal Computers, Unix
servers, telecommunication connecting lines are the
responsibility of the contractor technician. EPA has
available annual maintenance contracts with appropriate
hardware vendors in the event maintenance or repair of a
covered maintenance item is required. The technician
should inform the Project Officer when contract maintenance
service is required.
Each EPA scanned publication must be manually run through
an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) conversion program
during each scanning production work day. The contractor
technician will run a special customized Clarit configured
computer OCR equipment program located on the attached
image cluster equipment. It is the responsibility of the
contractor technician to set up, run and monitor each OCR
production job to successful completion using the
customized computer video monitors attached to the Clarit
System equipment configuration. It has been found that
other brands of computer video monitors or software will
not work in conjunction with this equipment as it will make
the process inoperable and compromise the integrity of the
customized hardware and software configuration.
The unique Clarit System OCR program will convert the .TIFF
files into a Clarit System English text file format that
will be legible and searchable based on a historical 92%-
plus successful text conversion rate from scanned page
images. The OCR text files are internally converted,
maintained and directly associated (connected) to each
corresponding scanned .TIFF page within the Clarit System
and proprietary Claritech Corporation Clarit Search Engine
and data base index system.
The scanned .TIFF page files, OCR text page files, Clarit
data bases and directories are stored on two IRMD Clarit
configured Unix Alpha 1000 computer system servers located
in the IRMD Computer Room 308. New publication files are
grouped and saved until they can be scheduled for addition
to the existing cumulative Clarit System Databases.
The contractor shall schedule in-house Clarit System
Index Build batch jobs to run on an as needed basis,
usually weekly, however this can vary. This process
requires that at least one eight hour (8) day of the week
will be dedicated to running the Clarit System Index Build.
During this period of time the Image Processing System
scanning operation and data base number/title verification
steps noted earlier are unavailable.
The contractor shall maintain, manipulate and re-organize
the cumulative Clarit System Database files on the IRMD
Clarit Compaq/DigitalUnix Alpha 1000 Intranet Servers
before copying and integrating the local IRMD updated files
to the EPA Public Access Internet Server(s) at the National
Technology Services Division (NTSD) located at RTP, NC.
These updated files and databases containing over 8,000 EPA
publications are made available to the public at the EPA
National Environmental Publications Internet Site (NEPIS)
via the Internet's World Wide Web. Attachment 2
OARM Cincinnati Computer Software Policy
December 1999
1. Purpose:
This policy covers the use of software products on OARM-Cincinnati
desktop and laptop computers. It defines: (a) user
responsibilities regarding the proper use of software (b) informs
users that there are criminal and civil penalties relating to the
improper use of software; and (c) explains the consequences of non-
compliance.
2. Applicability and Scope:
This policy applies to all users of OARM-Cincinnati PC's and
laptops; ie, federal employees , grantees and contractors.
3. Authority for Policy:
Public Law 94-553, copyright act of 1976 (amended 1994)
Public Law 100-235, Computer Security act of 1987.
EPA Information Security Manual
EPA Policy Manual (Directive 2100)
EPA Standards of Behavior for Security of Information
Resources
EPA CIO Memorandum, Personal Use of Agency Equipment (6-98)
4. Policy:
1. Only authorized software shall be installed or used on OARM-
Cincinnati computers. Authorized software is defined as
software for which EPA has acquired a licensed copy; and
which is used strictly in accordance with the terms of that
license.
2. Authorized software may only be used for official EPA
business.
3. Entertainment software; screen savers; personally owned
software (licensed or free-ware) of any kind shall not be
installed on OARM-Cincinnati computers.
4. Software shall not be downloaded from the Internet even if
free-ware, onto any OARM-Cincinnati computer.
5. Software may only be installed on OARM-Cincinnati computers
by authorized representatives of IRMD. No other OARM-
Cincinnati Federal employee, grantee or contractor shall
install software of any kind on any OARM computer.
6. IRMD shall maintain a standard desktop configuration on all
OARM- Cincinnati computers, consistent with current EPA
desktop standards.
5. Exceptions:
If any OARM-Cincinnati computer user has a business need for any
software that differs from the current standard desktop
configuration, the following procedures shall apply.
7. Forward a written statement through your Division Director
to the Director, IRMD stating:
1. Why the standard configuration will not meet your
business need.
2. What software you would recommend and why it meets
your
specialized need.
3. Contractors and Grantees shall forward this
information to their project
manager who will forward it through the cognizant
Division Director.
IRMD will evaluate the request, purchase any software required and
install the software on the LAN or the individual desktop as
warranted.
5. Enforcement:
It is the responsibility of each OARM computer user to comply with
the provisions of this policy.
The OARM Information Security Office in conjunction with the OARM
LAN Administrator shall deploy systems software to identify
unauthorized software installed on any OARM computer. All
incidents shall be reported to the Director, IRMD. Willful
violations of this policy will be reported to the cognizant
Division Director by the Director of IRMD. IRMD reserves the right
to remove all unauthorized software from OARM computers. Use of
"illegal" software on OARM computers may result in disciplinary
action as prescribed by current Agency policy.
Effective Date:
This policy is in effect immediately upon issuance and will remain
in effect until modified in writing by the Director, IRMD.
William J. Bailey,
Director, IRMD
--
Janina Sajka, Director
Technology Research and Development
Governmental Relations Group
American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
janina at afb.net
(202) 408-8175
http://www.afb.org/gov.html
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Read http://www.afb.org/technology/accessapp.html to learn how.
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