U.S. Information Agency, Office of Contracts, Room 1611, 330 C Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20547

D -- PDQ BASIS SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS POC Howard Cincotta, 202-619-4269 PDQ consists of four (4) functional on-line bibliographic and full-text databases, in the Resource Electronic Media division (IREM) of the Information Bureau which operate on an IBM 4381 mainframe in an MVS/XA environment utilizing Information Dimension's (IDL) BASIS information storage and retrieval software. The PDQ databases are updated daily and are available for on-line searching by USIS posts worldwide via Sprintnet dedicated lines in 3270 emulation and asynchronously over switched telephone lines. Technical support for PDQ's operation, development and maintenance requires software programming skills with in-depth knowledge and proficiency in the following areas: BASIS Release K, BASIS Plus (Release LIF), BASIS long text databases, XICS photocom position software, IBM TSO and ISPF interfaces, VS Fortran, C Language, Turbo-Pascal as well as experience with data communications between IBM MVS mainframe systems, MS-DOS personal computers and NOVELL Netware local area networks. Routine support requires modification to BASIS database design language (DDL) for each PDQ database, IBM Job Control Language (JCL) and customized software written in FORTRAN, C Language and Turbo Pascal that can download and format PDQ databases for CD-ROM productions with Meridian CD publishing hardware equipment and software to upload MARC standard library catalog records to PDQ databases as well as download them for use with automated library catalogs in USIS libraries worldwide. Only responses from responsible sources who are prepared to demonstrate their capabilities and technical knowledge of BASIS software will be considered for interview.(0117)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0017 19960429\D-0004.SOL)