Taswiknet

The 22 million United States Government
purchase transactions each year present a market
opportunity within a new wave of technology
enabled trade, broadly defined as “Electronic
Commerce” (EC). Our vision is that, by the year
2001, all Federal agencies will support their
programs by making available customer-friendly
electronic purchasing tools integrated with end-toend
commercial electronic processing of payment, accounting and performance reporting information. In an
electronic environment, selling to the government will be simpler. Sellers of products and services will
enjoy easier access to market opportunities. Sellers will not have to disrupt existing and developing
commercial relationships for purchasing and payment support services. Within the government, buyers
should find buying simpler, faster and easier.
Turning the potential of EC into reality requires that sellers, service providers, and government buyers
see a strong business case for making investments in
EC development, operations and continuous
improvement. The Federal market can be viewed in
segments organized by such attributes as size of
purchase, frequency of purchase and buying technique
employed. Viewing market segments this way can
help both the government and private sector assess the
business case and rank order investments in EC for
each market segment.
This strategy -- based on building a business case for both buyers and sellers -- presumes program
managers will rely upon cost effective commercial ordering and payment transaction processing services for
high-volume activity. Government-unique EC systems will be developed only as a last resort for low
transaction volume activity, where industry has not
invested in platforms to provide commercial services.
Seven policy principles -- based on stakeholder
needs and driving forces in the environment -- will
guide EC investment. These principles will be used to
promote investment in EC projects that support
commercial service, market-based EC development policies. In the transition to EC, Federal agencies
should: (1) make the buying and paying process easier and more efficient; (2) facilitate best value buying
and paying; (3) take advantage of proven commercial applications; (4) outsource transaction processing;
(5) assign financial liability based on ability to manage risk; (6) monitor investments for return; and (7)
manage the change process.
The Electronic Processes Initiatives Committee (EPIC) of the President’s Management Council (PMC)
will provide leadership across organizational boundaries so that coordinated Federal EC work activities can
proceed along three related tracks: (1) fostering partnerships within the Federal Government, with states and
with the private sector during 1998; (2) reengineering and integrating buying for high-volume purchases with

end-to end ordering and payment processing through the use of purchase cards tied to payment utilities
and electronic catalogs by 2000; and (3) reeingineering additional buying and paying functions by 2001.
This vision is intended to capitalize on the common interests of buyers, sellers, information technology
providers and financial service providers by rapidly pursuing the largest segment of transactions. From
this base of operations, work will proceed to expand the list of buying and related paying functions that
can be performed by electronic means.
A number of building blocks will be required in order to achieve the EC goals and objectives in
this plan. The premise behind the building blocks is that the foundation of large-scale EC will be
commercial services. The building blocks include: expanding use of electronic catalogs, payment utility
services, services to authenticate buyers and sellers on the Internet, use of commercial software for
contract formation and administration, contract writing systems, Federal systems interfaces, and a
coordinated change management process. As efforts progress, the change management process will
include consideration to proposing additional legislation that would further facilitate the effective use of
EC. A general time table and list of responsibilities is presented in the migration path from current
operations to our future vision
Federal and Private Sector Partnerships
EC FOR BUYERS AND SELLERS
Building Blocks Federal System Interfaces Contract Formation/
Administration Payment Utilities
 ID and Authentication End-to-End
Processing Buying and











Strategic Position
Reengineer Key Functions of the Buying and Paying Process (e.g., strengthen market research
capabilities and facilitate more effective negotiations) by 2001.
EC can greatly enhance the government’s ability to simplify key functions of the acquisition cycle
for many different types of buys in different dollar ranges, even where "end-to-end" use of commercial
EC services is not yet possible or is otherwise impractical. For example, EC can be used to improve
market research; provide notice of contract opportunities; exchange data with vendors; and collect, use
and exchange data across functional offices within the government. Additional challenges remain
to implement end-to-end EC applications for new contracts over the micro-purchase
threshold.
The government’s current approach is to watch how the market is developing in these areas and adopt
best practices as they emerge. Beginning in fiscal year 1998 (FY 1998), the President’s
Management Council has begun to coordinate, on an interagency basis, reengineering efforts and EC
applications development for these functions of the buying and paying process. This will promote the
quicker development, for lower volume EC transactions, of applications that are modular in nature,
interoperable and replaceable without substantial investment loss.
Subsequent sections of this plan present the transaction market, the needs of stakeholders and
driving forces in the environment that will facilitate movement toward the strategic positions identified in
this document. The plan also identifies policy principles and building blocks of activities that need to be
accomplished to address these needs and driving forces in order to reach the strategic positions. The
principles should serve as investment decision-making criteria to help ensure that new EC-related projects
are pointed toward the strategic positions. Finally, a migration path lays out a general time table of event
milestones for the building block activities.
TRANSACTION MARKET

EC technologies can connect the government’s market
of procurement transactions with its market of related
finance transactions. To make a business case for these EC
technologies, the government must present its market in
segments to potential investors. Some market segments will
present a business case for end-to-end transaction processing
using EC. Others will attract investment into EC projects
that provide returns only for some parts of the buying and
paying process. The chart “Transaction Market and
Electronic Commerce Applications” illustrates how EC
applications can bring these market segments together.
Market of Procurement Transactions
Buying techniques form a basis for defining Federal buying and paying market segments.
Procurement transactions typically are conducted using one of four buying techniques, generally defined
by the size and frequency of the purchase, competition strategy and legal requirements. [1] For items
that cost under $2,500, purchases can be made from local sources offering a reasonably priced product or
service. [2] For individual purchases between $2,500 and $25,000, buyers must contact at least three
sources (i.e., obtain three quotes). [3] For high volume buys, rather than make individual purchases on
the open market, buyers may establish a single- or multiple-award indefinite-delivery, indefinite quantity
(IDIQ) contract (or a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) under a contract awarded by the General
Services Administration) to leverage buying power. Orders then may be made under these contracts
through simplified techniques that vary based on the size of the purchase and legal considerations. [4] For
individual purchases above $25,000, buyers must issue widespread notices of solicitation.
The nature of the purchase will shape further the buying technique. For purchases of products
under IDIQ contracts, a buyer may need only the seller’s electronic description and price/delivery terms
before placing an order. For services, though, buyers may need to develop (often with input from sellers)
statements of work before they can reach agreement with sellers on the contracted task and performance
requirements. For example, some pricing arrangements, e.g., fixed price or cost reimbursable, may be
easier than others to accommodate using EC.
Understanding differences in buying techniques is
critical to determining how EC can improve the
efficiency and effectiveness of the buying and paying
processes associated with those techniques. These
differences also can help technology and financial
service providers to determine what applications of
EC will likely hold the most promise within high

Email Solutions
Powerful and relevant direct marketing opportunity
for brands.
Effective email marketing campaigns reach the right
prospects with a timely, relevant message in a safe,
branded environment.
Our email solutions are designed to assist you with your
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We provide end-to-end campaign
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Benefits of MaxOnline Email List Services:
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DM_Email@askjeeves.com


building a sustainable program.

Search Engine Marketing
Reach qualified prospects further along in the buying cycle According to the Georgia Institute of Technology, 85% of prospective customers use the Internet to find information on products and services – and search engine marketing helps them find it. And in a recent Jupiter Research report released in May 2004, the key


Quality Traffic – Identifying and delivering prospects that are further along in the buying cycle while minimizing
less-targeted traffic. Traffic vs. Placement – Choosing keywords based on the ability to deliver potential conversions vs. the “need to be there.” Customized Search Listings – Designing each search listing (title and description) to match the specific intent and need of the user. Niche Keywords – Utilizing the keywords that competitors ignore because of low traffic levels; When aggregated, niche keywords drive high volumes of traffic from the most qualified prospects. Our search engine marketing is guided by 25+ years of direct
marketing expertise with a focus on delivering ROI. Our experience, coupled with our methodology and account management capabilities, enable us to manage your search engine marketing campaigns with an attention to detail that is unmatched.Our SEM campaign deliverables go beyond setting up and monitoring your campaigns. We have relationships with a broad range of search engines and related technologies. We leverage these relationships to help you maximize targeted site traffic from






















.

Today, it seems that every company has a “green” story. And no wonder. Not only does the development and offering of “green” products and services positively impact consumer and investor perceptions of a company, it can also improve the bottom line.
So it’s only natural that businesses in almost every industry are touting the “green” aspects of their products and services every chance they get. But embarking on an uninformed and poorly prepared “green” advertising initiative can severely backfire, exposing a company to investigations and penalties by federal and state agencies, false advertising lawsuits by competitors, and perhaps worst of all, charges of “greenwashing” from the media and the blogosphere. Any one of these consequences can harm corporate identity and brand value, effectively eliminating any benefits that a green marketing campaign may have conveyed.
Holland & Hart can help clients avoid these pitfalls. Our attorneys are knowledgeable in the laws and regulations guiding green marketing and have experience advising clients on issues relating to all kinds of advertising and promotions, including green advertising. This paper is designed to provide some general guidance on developing your company’s green advertising.
Green advertising, like all other forms of advertising, should be truthful and not deceptive or misleading to reasonable consumers. While a determination of whether a promotion or advertising claim is “misleading” to a reasonable consumer is more art than science, the following guidelines can help you minimize the legal and public relations risks associated with a green marketing campaign. These guidelines apply to advertising as well as any form of promotional materials, including product packaging and websites. They also apply to business‐to‐business promotional materials and claims.1
Your Environmental Claims Must Be Accurate and Not Misleading
While the technical accuracy of your advertising is important, technical accuracy will not necessarily insulate your company from legal liability.
1 Of course, these guidelines are no substitute for legal advice or a thorough legal review of your advertising. You should have an attorney review every advertising claim before you make it.

This is because the “accuracy” of an environmental claim is evaluated from the average consumer’s point of view. Therefore, even if your claim is technically accurate, if a reasonable consumer would interpret the claim to mean something different, and this different interpretation is inaccurate, you are liable for deceptive advertising. For example, the Federal Trade Commission has determined that consumers think the phrase “please recycle” on a product means that a product is recyclable. Therefore, if product or packaging bearing this phrase is not completely recyclable, the advertising message is deceptive.
Substantiate Your Environmental Claims
You should substantiate all claims regarding the environmental benefits of a product before you make them. This includes specific, explicit claims as well as implicit claims. If you don’t have solid evidence to support an environmental claim, don’t make it. And remember that many environmental claims like “degradable” or “compostable” must be substantiated through scientific evidence, such as tests, analyses, research, or studies.
Make Your Claims Clear and Specific
The more specific an environmental claim is the less likely it is to be misleading. Vague claims that are open to varying interpretations are more likely to be deemed misleading. For example, a claim like “zero carbon” on a product could lead consumers to believe that no carbon dioxide is omitted during the production of the product, when in fact a company merely purchases credits to offset its carbon production. Other environmental claims like “sustainable” or “green powered” are also problematic because they are not clearly defined.
Vague generalized claims are also difficult to substantiate. For example, to substantiate a claim that a shirt is “sustainably produced” could involve an in‐depth analysis of every environmental impact associated with the shirt’s materials, manufacture, and distribution.
On the other hand, specific claims that can be easily substantiated are less likely to be deemed misleading. For example, the following claims are sufficiently specific:
▪
“This cloth bag is reusable and made from 100% recycled fibers.”
▪
“Printed in the USA on recycled paper that contains 30% post‐consumer waste.”
Green Marketing

Qualify and Limit General Terms
If you do use general terms or catch phrases like “eco‐friendly,” “environmentally friendly,” or “sustainable,” you should qualify and explain them clearly so that consumers can understand the nature of your claim.
For example, the following claim that a product is “earth conscious” is specific and qualified and should not be deemed deceptive:
Although the claim includes the vague and non‐specific term “earth conscious,” it goes on to qualify the term so that consumers can understand the exact nature of the environmental benefit that the product and its packaging convey.
Avoid Fine Print

Although general environmental claims like “eco‐friendly” and “earth conscious” may be acceptable when qualified and explained, any “qualifications,” “explanations,” or “disclaimers” need to be clear and prominent so that they are easy for consumers to read and understand. This means that the explanations should be placed near the claims in an equivalent font size. Referring consumers to the company website for a full clarification of a claim made on packaging or advertising would probably not be sufficient.
Take Care with Comparative Claims
Claims comparing your product to a competitor’s are particularly tricky and should be rock solid. If you say your detergent biodegrades faster than your competitor’s, you should have scientific evidence such as test results

conducted by a professional testing facility to back up your statement. If your substantiation data is thin or open to varying interpretations, expect a lawsuit.
Other comparative claims not involving competitors should be sufficiently explicit so that consumers can readily understand the basis for the comparison. For example, a claim that a shampoo bottle contains “20% more recycled content” is ambiguous and potentially deceptive because it doesn’t tell consumers what is being compared. On the other hand, the statement “20% more recycled content than our previous package” should provide sufficient data for consumers to understand the claim.
Choose Your Certifying Partners Wisely
Over the past several years, numerous private certifying organizations have surfaced that offer environmental “certification” services for products. Before you decide to partner with one of these organizations, understand that you are responsible for any explicit or implicit environmental claims that they make about your products. For example, if a certifying organization gives your product a rating of “carbon neutral,” you are on the hook if this claim turns out to be less than 100% accurate. Therefore, choose certifying agencies and partners with care. Work with reputable industry leaders that have established track records.
Don’t Take Your Suppliers’ Claims at Face Value
Similarly, if a vendor, supplier, or manufacturer makes a deceptive environmental claim to you about its product, and you repeat that claim to consumers, you (in addition to your supplier) are liable for false advertising. It makes no difference that you were also misled. Therefore, demand substantiation of all environmental claims made by suppliers and vendors before you include these claims in your advertising.
Take Extra Care with “Hot-Button” Terms
The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) has provided detailed guidance for the use of several popular advertising terms, and failure to comply with this guidance could result in a finding that your advertisement is false or deceptive.

Degradable
A product or package advertised as degradable or biodegradable must completely break down and return to nature in a reasonably short period of time after customary disposal. For example, a trash bag marketed as “degradable” should completely break down in a landfill where trash bags normally end up after consumer use. It is not sufficient that the bag breaks down when buried in soil.
Compostable
Product or packaging advertised as compostable must break down into usable compost in a safe and timely manner in a composting facility or in a home compost pile or device. If the material will not break down through typical home composting, the advertiser must qualify the claim to state this fact.
Recyclable

A product or package can be marketed as recyclable only if it can be collected, separated, or otherwise recovered from the solid waste stream through an established recycling program. If the product is comprised of both recyclable and non‐recyclable components, the advertising claim should make this clear. And you should make clear whether the claim refers to the product, the package, or both. Recyclable claims are only appropriate when the product or packaging is made from materials that are accepted by recycling programs in a substantial majority of communities.
Recycled
A claim that a product is produced from recycled content is appropriate only where materials have been recovered or otherwise diverted from the solid waste stream, either during the manufacturing process (pre‐consumer) or after consumer use (post‐consumer). If the product or packaging is only partially constructed from recycled material, this must be clear. Where a product’s content consists of used, reconditioned, or remanufactured components, the “recycled” claim should be qualified.
Refillable
A “refillable” claim is appropriate only where a system is provided for the collection and return of the packaging for refill by consumers. You should not make “refillable” claims where it is up to the consumer to find new ways to refill the package.

Please Recycle
You should use this phrase only if your product or packaging is recyclable through recycling programs in a substantial number of communities.
Similarly, the recycling symbol implies that a product is recyclable, and should only be used where the product or its packaging is completely recyclable, unless you use prominent qualifying language or disclaimers.
Organic
The FTC has not issued guidance regarding the term “organic.” However, the U. S. Department of Agriculture regulates the use of the term in connection with “agricultural products.” Before you claim that your product incorporates an “organic” agricultural product, like cotton, you should confirm that the product satisfies USDA standards. The term “organic” is not regulated for personal care and cosmetic products, but producers of these products may seek “USDA Organic” certification.
Ozone Safe/Friendly
This claim is inappropriate and deceptive where the product contains chemicals that contribute to ozone formation at lower levels (smog) even where the product does not harm the upper ozone layer.
Watch this Space For Future Developments


Since that time, many environmental claims like “sustainable,” “renewable,” “carbon neutral,” “zero carbon,” “wind powered,” and “zero waste” have emerged that the FTC has not addressed.

Viral marketing campaigns (e-cards, movies) Etc.
crawlers, spiders and robots use algorithms to establish Link Popularity and Keyword Relevance of a Website. Keyword relevance is dictated by the location and frequency of keywords on a web page. To optimise a website for ranking in a search engine you must choose the right keywords and implement them properly. Not all keywords are equally effective. Effectiveness depends on the
Viral marketing campaigns (e-cards, movies) Etc.
crawlers, spiders and robots use algorithms to establish Link Popularity and Keyword Relevance of a Website. Keyword relevance is dictated by the location and frequency of keywords on a web page. To optimise a website for ranking in a search engine you must choose the right keywords and implement them properly. Not all keywords are equally effective. Effectiveness depends on the



looking at the website Some important issues:   Use clean code, Simplify table structures, Place visible content on top,  Be careful with frames, Javascript or Flash Checking the position of your website Search Engine Ranking Position in a search engine based on a particular keyword phrase. Online tool: www.rankpilot.com (not online anymore?) Search Engine Saturation The number of webpages of a website which are indexed by a particular search engine. Online tools: www.seotoolkit.co.uk (“Index Visibility Checker”). In Google: