Once again a new standard have been adopted by the US Federal Government designed to exchange schedule and cost data in a software-neutral format. This is an important feature for customers who work with US Department of Defense and other US government agencies because as of June 2012 they are required to submit their schedules in the UN/CEFACT XML schema format.

http://www.slideserve.com/liam/cost-and-schedule-standard
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E29618_01/English/User_Guides/PlayerPackage/da...

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http://mosaicprojects.wordpress.com/2013/02/09/the-uncefact-format-for-p...

http://www.projectacumen.com/news-item/acumen-launches-un-cefact-file-co...

I wonder if the requirement will also be applied to production contracts such as construction contracts and not only to development contracts such as weapons development.

Although it looks like finally the US Federal Government is to play fair game regarding the use of software-neutral data exchange I wonder if it is going to be enforced across the board at all agencies or if it is once again "words written in the air" as for decades there have been the Standard Data Exchange Format (SDEF) for the same purpose but was never enforced by most Government Agencies except for the USACE.

I cannot understand how it is possible that for so many decades so many software vendors were left out in favor of a single vendor by so many government agencies. It is not only a monopolistic practice but also there is reason to suspect there was some illegal kickbacks that must be investigated. The people involved in such practice should be held accountable for criminal as well as for civil damages if there was wrongdoing. There is no excuse for top management and board of directors not to know about it, there is no excuse for such negligence in the performance of their obligations.

Many of us do not like the idea of our government practice of Crony capitalism at all levels, Federal/State/Municipal levels.

Crony capitalism is a term describing an economy in which success in business depends on close relationships between business people and government officials. It may be exhibited by favoritism in the distribution of legal permits, government grants, special tax breaks, or other forms of dirigisme.^[1] Crony capitalism is believed to arise when political cronyism spills over into the business world; self-serving friendships and family ties between businessmen and the government influence the economy and society to the extent that it corrupts public-serving economic and political ideals.

For this reason I would like to hear comments from Federal Government Contractors as well as State Government Contractors doing work on jobs that receive federal funds such as infrastructure and transportation jobs.

• Do you believe the UN/CEFACT XML schema format is for real?

• Have any of you worked under such new requirement?

• Have any of you doing government work on US contracts awarded after June 2012 being requires to use Brand Name software specifications? Was it a production contract such as construction contract or a development contract such as weapons development?