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Friday Flash 10.8.21
Far & Beyond: Coalition Year-End Training and Meeting Schedule
As we begin a new government fiscal year and close out the 2021 calendar year, the Coalition is busier than ever providing valuable content on Federal contracting for our members! Just this week, the Coalition hosted an all-member training on GSA's e-Systems with Tim Dempsey, Lead Program Manager of the Operations Division in GSA's Office of Systems Management (OSM) and Josh Royko, Catalog Data Lead, FAS Catalog Management Office. They provided an extensive overview and update on GSA Advantage!, eBuy, eLibrary, Mass Mod System, and the Vendor Product Portal, in addition to discussing the upcoming Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) that will replace the use of DUNS, FAS ID, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and Schedule Refresh 7.
There is more in store for members over the next few weeks. Please mark your calendars for the following important committee meetings, trainings, and of course, our 2021 Fall Training Conference. We look forward to your participation!
October 8 at 10:00 am – Small Business Committee Meeting
The Small Business Committee will host a meeting to discuss barriers to entry for small business when working with the Department of Defense DoD. This discussion will be in preparation for the Coalition's response to DoD's request for comments released on September 8th. This input will be used to update the Department's Small Business Strategy led by the DoD Office of Small Business Programs. In addition, DoD is focusing on complying with recent Executive Orders, like EO 14017, "America's Supply Chains," to reduce entry barriers of small businesses. If you would like to attend the virtual meeting, please RSVP to Michael Hanafin at Mhanafin@thecgp.org.
October 12 at 12:00 pm EDT – Joint Cyber & Supply Chain Security Committee and Business Regulatory Issues Committee (BRIC) Meeting
During this meeting, members will learn about federal contractor telework policy, including cyber requirements, labor rates, workplace environment changes and more. The speakers for the meeting are Townsend Bourne, Jonathan Aronie, and Ryan Roberts from Sheppard Mullin. Please RSVP to Michael Hanafin at Mhanafin@thecgp.org if you would like to attend this event.
October 14 at 1:00 pm EDT – Joint IT/Services and GWAC/MAC Committee Meeting with Jeff Koses, GSA
Jeff Koses, Senior Procurement Executive for the General Services Administration (GSA), will provide an update on GSA's recent efforts/actions in support of the Biden Administration's policy priorities. The virtual session will include time for Q&As. If you are interested in attending the virtual meeting, please RSVP to Michael Hanafin at Mhanafin@thecgp.org.
October 27 at 9:00 am EDT – Assisted Acquisition Services Forum: Delivering Best Value Mission IT and Professional Services Support to Customer Agencies
The Coalition will be hosting senior leaders from the Federal Acquisition Service's Office of Assisted Acquisition Services (AAS) for a forum focusing on the AAS mission and the outlook for Fiscal Year 2022. The forum will provide an opportunity for AAS leadership to share updates on vehicle utilization strategies and current customer mission support opportunities and will include an update on ASTRO. AAS uses the IT GWACs, OASIS and the FSS to support customer agency needs. ASTRO joins this pool of contract vehicles.
The forum also will address procurement and management best practices and priorities from the regional offices and FEDSIM. AAS has seen unprecedented growth in its portfolio of customer agency support projects and will share insights on where things are headed over the next year from a business and organizational perspective. The event will feature two panels: 1) Vehicle Utilization and Customer Mission Support—the Picture for AAS, with speakers Chris Bennethum, Assistant Commissioner, AAS, and Chris Hamm, Director, FEDSIM; and 2) Best Practices and Priorities, with speakers Erin Quick, Acquisition Quality Director, FEDSIM, Kari Santora, AAS Director, Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic), Jack Wise, Director, Acquisition Operations, Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic), Garett Nelson, Branch Manager, Region 4 (Southeast Sunbelt), and Joel Fada, AAS Director, Region 9 (Pacific Rim).
This event will be complimentary for all Coalition Members, but registration is required. Please CLICK HERE to register.
November 17-18 – Fall Training Conference: What's Next for the Business of Government?
The 2021 Fall Training Conference's theme will continue the Coalition's focus on the Biden Administration's priorities for the federal acquisition system and what it means for government and industry. We have invited a host of speakers from across the federal acquisition community for a dialogue on key policy, operational, and management initiatives shaping the business of government. Topics will include, but are not limited to, the following:
Cyber and Supply Chain Compliance
DoD Cybersecurity Initiatives and CMMC
VA Procurement and Contracting
Future of VA Medical Logistics
GSA Interagency Contracting Portfolio Panel (GWACs, OASIS, and More)
Made in America/Buy American and Domestic Sourcing
Medical Supply Chain
Observations from FAS Commissioners – Present and Past
Priorities for IT Modernization Fund
View from the Hill
As always, both days will conclude with smaller breakout sessions where you will be able to ask your questions directly to the speakers covering topics such as GSA Systems; Office Products; Industrial Products/Update from the SSAC; Services on GSA Schedules; IT; VA Public Law Pricing; DLA MSPV and ECAT; Small Business Opportunities; VA MSPV – Operations; e-Commerce: Update on Commercial Platforms Initiative; Cloud Marketplace; DHA Pharmaceuticals; GWAC/MAC; Global Supply/4PL; Services MAC; and Furniture.
Please click HERE to see the full DRAFT agenda.
Please click HERE to register!
For sponsorship inquiries, please contact Matt Cahill at mcahill@thecgp.org or 202-315-1054.
December TBD – MAS Basic Training: The Nuts & Bolts
This training will be presented by numerous subject matter experts covering a wide range of topics, including an introduction to the GSA Schedules Program, obtaining your GSA Schedule or Schedule Modification, MAS audits, ethics and Schedule business, e-Tools, and option extensions.
As you can see, the Coalition will continue its non-stop business support until the end of the year. Our aim is to provide our members with as much actionable business information as possible to help navigate these challenging times.
In closing, we ask that you mark December 15 on your calendars. On that date, the Excellence in Partnership (EIP) Award nominations are due. The EIP Awards honor individuals and organizations in the acquisition community who have made significant contributions to the procurement system that deliver best value and meet agency missions. Historically, these awards have been given to individuals, organizations, and contractors involved in procurement with GSA, VA, DOD, DHS, and other government agencies. The nomination window and award categories will be announced shortly, and, again, all nominations will be due by December 15. Awardees will be announced in the Spring of 2022.
We hope to see you at all the aforementioned events over the remaining weeks of 2021!
GSA, DoD and VA Release COVID-19 Class Deviations
On September 30, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council released a memo providing guidance to agencies about how to incorporate a new FAR clause that requires certain contractors to comply with COVID-19 safety protocols, including vaccination, issued by the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force. The Task Force issued guidance based on Executive Order (EO) 14042, Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors, that requires all covered contractor employees follow the CDC guidance for masking and physical distancing at the workplace and be fully vaccinated by December 8, 2021. There are limited legal exceptions to the vaccination requirement for medical and religious reasons. Contractors must also designate a person to implement and comply with the workplace safety protocols within their organization. Agencies are required to implement the clause in:
New contracts awarded on or after November 14 from solicitations issued before October 15 (this includes new orders awarded on or after November 14 from solicitations issued before October 15 under existing indefinite-delivery contracts);
New solicitations issued on or after October 15 and contracts awarded pursuant to those solicitations (this includes new solicitations issued on or after October 15 for orders awarded pursuant to those solicitations under existing indefinite-delivery contracts);
Extensions or renewals of existing contracts and orders awarded on or after October 15, 2021; and
Options on existing contracts and orders exercised on or after October 15, 2021.
Agencies are encouraged to include the clause in contracts that will be or have been awarded prior to November 14 and in solicitations issued before October 15. The memo also suggests that agencies include the clause in contracts, that are not covered by EO 14042, because the contract or subcontract is under the simplified acquisition threshold or is for the manufacturing of products. Agencies are encouraged to include clauses in these contracts to increase vaccination and decrease the spread of COVD-19.
Class Deviations
General Services Administration (GSA)
On September 30, GSA released a memo that approves the class deviation from the FAR to implement EO 14042, Ensuring Adequate COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors. GSA's class deviation includes GSA-specific implementation timelines for solicitations, new contracts, and existing contracts. GSA is requiring the clause to be included in new solicitations issued on or after October 15, 2021 and amendments to existing solicitations that have not closed or been awarded by October 15, 2021. The amendment to existing solicitations will be sent as a cover letter and a modification request from the contracting officers (COs). COs will complete as many modifications as possible before November 14, 2021. For IDIQs, there may be interim actions taken if a signed modification is not returned to GSA by November 14, 2021. The class deviation also provides guidance to COs about which contracts they are required to apply the clause to and which contracts they are encouraged to implement the clause in (despite not being required per EO 14042).
The clause is not applicable to:
Micro-Purchases;
Site Acquisition;
Sales of surplus real and personal property;
Solicitations and contracts if performance is outside the United States or its outlying areas (the exclusion is limited to employees who are performing work only outside the U.S. or its outlying areas); or
Contracts and subcontracts with Indian Tribes under the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act (Public Law 93-638) (the exclusion would not apply to a procurement contract or subcontract under the FAR to an Indian-owned or tribally-owned business entity).
The deviation is effective immediately until the FAR and GSAR are amended or the deviation is cancelled.
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
On October 1, the VA released a class deviation implementing the FAR Council's COVID-19 memorandum immediately. The VA deviation applies to "solicitation[s] and contracts for services, including construction." The Coalition is awaiting guidance from the VA Federal Supply Schedules program about how the new contract clause will be implemented in VA Schedule contracts, especially whether certain services that support products will be covered.
Department of Defense (DoD)
DoD released a class deviation, on October 1, immediately implementing the FAR Council's COVID-19 memorandum. The clause may be inserted into:
Solicitations issued prior to October 15, 2021;
Contracts, task orders, or delivery orders awarded before November 14, 2021, resulting from solicitations issued before October 15, 2021;
Solicitations, contracts, task orders, and delivery orders that are valued at or below the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT) and are for services (including construction) performed in whole or in part within the United States and its outlying areas; or
Solicitations, contracts, task orders, and delivery orders for the manufacturing of products.
COs will use bilateral modifications when modifying existing contracts with the clause. The deviation will be in effect until incorporated into the FAR clause or otherwise rescinded.
GSA Industry Event on COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Contractors, Oct. 13
On Wednesday, October 13 at 1 pm EDT, GSA will host a Virtual Industry Engagement Event on Ensuring Adequate COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors. GSA's Senior Acquisition Officials will discuss the agency's implementation of Executive Order 14042 on Ensuring Adequate COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors. Registration for the event is available here.
Registration Now Open for the 2021 Fall Training Conference, Nov. 17-18
The Coalition for Government Procurement (Coalition) is pleased to announce that registration officially is open for our 2021 Fall Training Conference, What's Next for the Business of Government?  This two-day virtual conference will take place on November 17-18 and will utilize the same technology as our previous two conferences.
The Fall Training Conference's theme will continue the Coalition's focus on the Biden Administration's priorities for the Federal acquisition system and what it means for Government and industry. We have invited a host of speakers from across the federal acquisition community for a dialogue on key policy, operational, and management initiatives shaping the business of Government.
Of course, the agenda includes the critically acclaimed Legal Panel announcing this year's "The Rogers." In addition, cyber security and supply chain resilience, Buy America and Buy Allied, safe workplace implementation, the Multiple Awards Schedule consolidation, TDR, the Medical Surgical Prime Vendor program, GWACs, MACs, and more will be covered over the course of two-day virtual training conference. Here is a listing of just some of the subjects being address in the panels:
As always, both days will conclude with smaller breakout sessions where you will be able to ask your questions directly to the speakers covering topics such as GSA Systems; Office Products; Industrial Products/Update from the SSAC; Services on GSA Schedules; IT; VA PBM; DLA MSPV and ECAT; VA MSPV – Operations; Small Business Opportunities; the e-Commerce Update on Commercial Platforms Initiative; Cloud Marketplace; DHA Pharmaceuticals; GWAC/MAC; Global Supply/4PL; Services MAC; and Furniture!
Please click HERE to see the full DRAFT agenda.
Technology Modernization Fund Announces Seven Project Awards
Fedscoop reported that the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) Board has announced seven awards for agency IT modernization. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), GSA, and the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Education will receive support for new projects focused on cybersecurity, data privacy concerns, and the move to Zero Trust. The total amount awarded was $311 million. This is the seventh round of funding for projects by the TMF Board which responds directly to the Biden Administration's cybersecurity executive order mandating that agencies improve their digital security.
OPM will receive $9.9 million for a Zero Trust networking project focused on protecting the privacy of about two million civilian Federal employees. GSA will receive a total of $231.4 million for three projects, including one to improve its Zero Trust architecture, one to improve digital security for login.gov, and another to support the rollout of the interagency collaboration site max.gov. DHS is receiving $50 million to support a technology integration program intended to "more efficiently, effectively, and humanely process noncitizens encountered at our Southwest Border." Education will receive $20 million to assist with the adoption of Zero Trust architecture that will help protect the data of over 100 million students. There is also one classified project in which the Board has not provided further funding details.
In March, the TMF Board received $1 billion through the American Rescue Act for emergency relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and significant cybersecurity incidents. The boost was intended to support projects where service upgrades could be shared across agencies, that address cybersecurity gaps, and that improve the public's ability to access Government services.
GSA Launches Made in America Website
This week, GSA launched a new Made in America website pursuant to Executive Order (EO) 14005, Ensuring the Future Is Made in All of America by All of America's Workers. The site is designed to promote transparency in Federal procurement by allowing manufacturers and other stakeholders to easily identify opportunities by reviewing waivers to Made in America laws. The site provides initial information on historical and current waivers resulting from the initial implementation of Executive Order 14005.
DLA Briefs Industry on Demand Forecast
On October 6, DLA hosted a briefing to update Industry on their Demand Forecast. DLA gave an overview of the forecast environment, which includes strengthening the supply chain and the industrial base.
While DLA is still crunching the final numbers for FY21, they have exceeded their yearly small business goal for the ninth year in a row. DLA also exceeded its HUBZone goal for the first time in a few years. There has been a decline in supply chain demand, but there is an accelerated transition for Industrial Hardware items to move to Aviation and Land. The projected service contract spend for FY22 is $1.34 billion, which is a slight increase from FY21. DLA stated that every year they identify and achieve efficiencies. View slides from the briefing here.
GSA Polaris Industry Forum, Oct. 20
On Wednesday, October 20 at 1 pm EDT, GSA will be hosting a Polaris Industry Forum for small businesses and those interested in helping Federal agencies with IT services solutions. In this session, GSA will discuss the path forward for their new, innovative, and exciting small business Governmentwide Acquisition Contract, or GWAC, and what it could mean for your business. To register, click here.
Senators Rosen and Cassidy Introduce Medical Supply Chain Bill
On October 4, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Dr. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), both members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), announced the introduction of the Strategic Planning for Emergency Medical Manufacturing Act. This bipartisan legislation would direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop and maintain a voluntary list of domestic manufacturers to produce medical supplies during severe shortages, and create a streamlined process for U.S. manufacturers to work with the department to determine production capacity, technical assistance needs, and opportunities for Federal contracts.
The Strategic Planning for Emergency Medical Manufacturing Act would direct the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response to develop and maintain a voluntary list of domestic manufacturers interested in shifting production to critical supplies during times of need. Companies would have a direct point of contact within HHS and a streamlined process to work with the department to develop plans for production capacity, technical assistance needs, and opportunities for Federal contracts for the purchase of goods produced through this process. State, local, and Tribal governments, medical suppliers, hospitals, and other healthcare providers would also have access to this network as a back-up system when critical supply shortfalls are anticipated.
The Coalition has put together a list of current medical supply chain bills for members. To access the medical supply chain legislation chart, click here.
VA Modernization Effort Raises Concerns from Lawmakers
This week Federal News Network reported on concerns from members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee about the VA's supply chain modernization plans. Chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif) and ranking member Mike Bost (R-Ill.) and Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), chairman and ranking member of the upper chamber's Veterans Affairs Committee wrote to the VA in July requesting that VA explain its response to a recent Court of Federal Claims opinion and its overall supply chain strategy.
During a recent hearing on the VA's IT Infrasturucture, Todd Simpson, the deputy assistant secretary of DevSecOps, said the VA medical health centers in VISN 20 will transition to DMLSS during mid-fiscal 2022.
According to Federal News Network, "a committee aide for the minority said VA's current plan is to move fully to DMLSS by 2027, three years longer than initially planned." Further, "there are some discussions about accelerating the timeline to be completed by 2025 by skipping the initial on-premise implementation of data centers and moving directly to the cloud through the Defense Health Agency's system called LogiCole when it's available in 2025." For the full Federal News Network article, click here.
Legal Corner: Executive Order 14042 Survival Guide
Authored by Jonathan Aronie, Anne Perry, Nikole Snyder, Denise Giraudo, and Ryan Roberts
Sheppard Mullin
The Legal Corner provides the legal community with an opportunity to share insights and comments on legal issues of the day. The comments herein do not necessarily reflect the views of The Coalition for Government Procurement.
On September 9, 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) to implement COVID safety protocols for Federal service contractors and subcontractors. While the EO did not outline specific rules, it did direct a Federal task force (the "Safer Federal Workforce Task Force," created by Executive Order in January 2021) to issue COVID-19-related workplace safety guidance for prime contractors and subcontractors. On September 24, 2021, the Task Force issued that Guidance, setting out specific workplace safety protocols and providing a few Questions and Answers to aid in interpretation of those protocols. Most notably, the Guidance mandates that a wide swath of the federal contracting and subcontracting communities receive COVID vaccinations. The EO and Guidance are broadly worded; and, while they do NOT apply to all contractors, they will impose new compliance obligations upon many, including: • Businesses that sell to the Government, • Businesses that sell to businesses that sell to the Government, • Colleges and universities, • Hospitals and healthcare facilities, • Hotels, • Financial institutions, including participants in GSA's SmartPay program, • Concessionaires, and • Almost any other entity that receives Federal, non-grant dollars. At the same time President Biden announced the EO, he also announced that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will be developing an emergency standard that will require employers with more than 100 employees to mandate that employees be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing. While much remains unknown about the OSHA rule, we do know it does not preempt the EO.
Does The EO And Guidance Apply To Me?
It's likely. As discussed in more detail below, the new rules apply very broadly. If you sell a service to the U.S. Government or to a business that sells to the U.S. Government, you likely will be impacted by the rule in some way. Additionally, because the rule "urges" federal contracting officers to incorporate the new clause in contracts that go beyond the express scope of the rule, even product manufacturers are likely to be impacted in some way.
What Does The Rule Require?
Broadly speaking, the Task Force Guidance requires vaccinations (with certain limited exceptions), proper masking, and physical distancing. The specifics are spelled out in the Task Force Guidance and will not be repeated here. One point is worth emphasizing, though – all Covered Contractor Employees must be fully vaccinated by December 8, 2021 (unless entitled to a legal accommodation), including covered contractor employees working from home. If you do the math, this means contractors that will be covered by the rule better get started NOW because employees are only considered "fully vaccinated" once they are two-weeks past the second dose of a two-shot vaccine, or two weeks after receiving a one-shot vaccine. What this means is that October 27, 2021 is the last day a Covered Contractor Employee can receive the first shot of a Moderna two-shot vaccine in order to be in compliance with the new rules considering the four-week waiting period between shots, November 3, 2021 is the last day to receive the first shot of a Pfizer-BioNTech two-shot vaccine considering the three-week waiting period between shots, and November 17, 2021 is the last day to receive the Johnson & Johnson single shot vaccine. After December 8, all Covered Contractor Employees must be fully vaccinated by the first day the clause is incorporated into your contract(s) (e.g., the period of performance for a new contract, the first day of the period of performance on an exercised option or extended/renewed contract when the clause has been incorporated into the covered contract, or the first day the Government issues a modification to your contract incorporating the clause). The Guidance also requires Covered Contractors to follow the CDC's guidelines for masking and physical distancing at a Covered Contractor Workplace (including indoor and outdoor facilities), which applies to employees and visitors. The applicable guidelines depend on whether the Covered Contractor Workplace is located in an area of high or substantial community transmission. These guidelines also vary (i.e., are less stringent) depending on whether an individual is fully vaccinated.
Are There Exceptions To The Vaccination Requirement?
There are two types of exceptions to the vaccination requirement — employees who need to be accommodated due to their sincerely held religious belief and/or a disability/medical condition. The Guidance also includes an exception for an urgent or mission-critical need for a Covered Contractor to have Covered Contractor Employees begin work on a Covered Contract or www.sheppardmullin.com EXECUTIVE ORDER 14042 SURVIAL GUIDE | PAGE 5 in a Covered workplace prior to being fully vaccinated (but such employee must get fully vaccinated within 60 days thereafter). Keep in mind, these exceptions are different from "opting out." The Guidance does NOT permit individuals to opt-out of the vaccination requirements by subjecting themselves to regular testing (as will be permitted under the OSHA regulation). Further, the Guidance does not allow employees to demonstrate natural immunity via proof of prior COVID infection or positive results from an antibody test. The only actual exceptions are religious and medical exceptions. Frustratingly, the Guidance fails to provide the necessary details in two key areas. First, the Guidance does not provide any direction to Covered Contractors to assist with the evaluation of religious/medical exception requests, although Title VII and the Americans with Disabilities Act have guidance as to what can be considered by an employer. Covered Contractors will be required to evaluate these requests pursuant to the existing rules. This reality increases the likelihood of law suits against contractors: reject a request and risk being sued by the employee; grant a request and risk being sued by all other employees who work near the exempted individual. We have urged GSA to work toward providing at least some limited immunity to companies that make a good faith exemption decision, in the way the Government provides limited immunity under the Defense Production Act, the PREP Act, and the SAFETY Act, but we are not optimistic our advice will be adopted any time soon. Second, the Guidance fails to provide the parameters to assist Covered Contractors in understanding what types of accommodations can be made available to employees granted an accommodation due to a sincerely held religious belief and/or a disability/medical condition. For example, will the EO allow for an employee that meets the criteria for a religious accommodation to be in the workplace if they are masked at all times while distancing from others? Or, will the EO require that employee to work remotely? What if the position cannot be remote? These questions remain unanswered and we have urged GSA to provide guidance.
To view the entirety of the Executive Order 14042 Survival Guide, please click here.
DHA Establishes Central Texas Market
On October 4, the official website of the Military Health System reported thatThe Defense Health Agency (DHA) marked the establishment of the Central Texas Market, a critical milestone in once-in-a-generation Military Health System (MHS) reform effort to improve the readiness of the force and the healthcare service provided to warfighters, retirees, and military families. The Central Texas Market will enable greater collaboration across military hospitals and clinics in the Central Texas region to strengthen the medical readiness of service members and enable these facilities to deliver better care and a better patient experience. The MHS is transitioning administration and management of all military hospitals and clinics from the military departments to the DHA. To do so effectively, the DHA chose a "market approach" based on the six enhanced Multi-Service Markets already in place.
Markets are groups of hospitals and clinics in one geographic area working together with their TRICARE partners, VA hospitals, other Federal healthcare organizations, private sector teaching hospitals and medical universities, and other healthcare partners. They operate as a system, sharing patients, staff, budget, and other functions to improve the readiness, delivery, and coordination of health services.
These changes are designed to increase overall access to care for beneficiaries, as well as improve coordination, standardization, and best practices across the MHS. They also provide more opportunities for military medical providers to get the training they need to meet readiness goals.
For more information about the status of DHA's MHS transition, see the Coalition's recent paper on this topic here.
GSA Releases RFI on Governmentwide Cloud BPA
GSA posted a Request for Information (RFI) on its Governmentwide Cloud Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA). GSA's Information Technology Category (ITC) intends to establish, on a competitive basis, a Multiple Award BPA against the following MAS Special Item Numbers (SINs): 518210C "Cloud and Cloud-Related IT Professional Services", 54151S IT Professional Services, Ancillary, and Order Level Materials (OLM). The multiple award BPA will allow Federal agencies to acquire and implement secure, integrated commercial cloud service solutions.
The Coalition plans on submitting comments in response to the RFI. Please submit your input on the RFI to Mhanafin@thecgp.org by COB today, Friday, October 8. GSA's deadline for comments is 5pm next Thursday, October 14.
GSA Releases Plan to Address Climate Change Risk Management
On October 7, GSA announced the publication of its Climate Change Risk Management Plan. According to GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan, GSA wants to lead the way when it comes to making their facilities and supply chains more resilient to a changing climate states. The plan identifies and defines GSA's top vulnerabilities to climate change which are " real property, information and communications technology supply chains, water and wastewater utilities, transportation and transit access, and global supply chains and their infrastructure."
GSA also lays out strategies and actions to put climate risk management practices into the agency's operation. For example, to:
Develop criteria and metrics to consider environmental justice in real property, services, and supply business decisions.
Use climate science to partner with GSA customers on climate-ready facilities, products and services to achieve their missions in a changing climate.
Compile building elevation data across GSA's portfolio to assess flooding risks and integrate this data into information systems and asset business planning processes.
Integrate considerations for the financial effects of the physical and transition risks of climate change into formal agency decision-making processes.
Enhance GSA's Building Assessment Tool to identify, quantify and prioritize climate change risks and liabilities.
Review government-wide telecommunications and information technology acquisitions $100 million and greater to ensure climate risk is addressed in their supply chains.
GSA plans to work with customer agencies and industry partners to reduce climate risk across the Federal Government. While working on a comprehensive approach to addressing the climate crisis, GSA is also working on reducing the Federal Government's greenhouse gas emissions.
DISA Establishes New Cloud Office
Federal Computer Week reported that the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has reorganized its cloud and enterprise services offices, creating a new office named the Hosting and Compute Center (HaCC). HaCC combines the Cloud Computing Program Office (CCPO) with DISA's services directorate and ecosystem. Sharon Woods, Executive Director of the Cloud Computing Program Office, will serve as Acting Director of HaCC. Responsibilities for the new office include providing the warfighter with critical hosting and computing functions that use modern data and cloud capabilities. This reorganization is DoD's most recent effort in relation to cloud capabilities. In January, DISA gained full control of the former CCPO in an effort to centralize DoD's cloud buying capabilities. HaCC will continue the vision of providing multiple cloud hosting and computing platforms.
House VA Subcommittee Seeks True Costs of VA Electronic Health Records
On October 7, the House Veterans Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Technology Modernization held a hearing entitled, "Legislative Hearing on the VA Electronic Health Record Transparency Act of 2021 and IT Reform and Data Collection Bills." The Subcommittee on Technology Modernization oversees the VA's modernization effort and ensures that veteran information is secure. The focus of the hearing was on the VA Electronic Health Record Transparency Act of 2021. This bill will require the VA to look at all costs across the Veterans Health Administration, Office of Information Technology, and any other program for any amount expended on Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM). The hearing sought to find out the true cost of the large IT Modernization program.
They also considered a draft bill that focused on the collection of certain demographic data of beneficiaries of the VA. This bill would improve data collection by the VA for beneficiaries and provide a better understanding of who the VA is serving.
To hear the full legislative hearing, please click here.
GSA e-Systems 101 Training Recording and Slides
On October 7, the Coalition hosted a GSA e-systems 101 training conducted by Tim Dempsey, Lead Program Manager of the Operations Division in GSA's Office of Systems Management (OSM) and Josh Royko, Catalog Data Lead in the FAS Catalog Management Office. Our guest speakers provided an extensive overview and update on the following GSA e-systems:
GSA Advantage!
Mass Mod System
Vendor Product Portal
The training also included discussion on the upcoming Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) that will replace the use of DUNS, FAS ID, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Schedule Refresh 7. Click here to listen to the recording, and here to view the slides.
Off-The-Shelf: A Deep Dive into the MAS Program
Robin Bourne, Subject Matter Expert, Federal Acquisition, with the Gormley Group joined host Roger Waldron on this week's Off the Shelf for a deep dive into all things MAS.
Bourne discussed the impact and importance of schedules consolidation for GSA, customer agencies, and industry. He also provided his take on the recent decision to expand Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) across the MAS program and what it means for contracting officers and contractors.
Bourne shared insights on the administrative burdens and challenges associated with the Price Reduction Clause (PRC) and the Commercial Sales Practices (CSP) format. And, he discussed the role the Trade Agreements Act plays in the MAS program in ensuring access to compliant, secure products and services. To listen to the program, click here.
BRIC/Cyber Committee Meeting, Oct. 12
The Coalition will be hosting a joint BRIC and Cyber Committee meeting on Tuesday, October 12 at noon. During this meeting, members will learn about Federal contractor telework policy, including cyber requirements, labor rates, workplace environment changes and more. The speakers for the meeting are Townsend Bourne, Jonathan Aronie, and Ryan Roberts from Sheppard Mullin.
If you would like to attend the virtual meeting, please RSVP to Michael Hanafin at mhanafin@thecgp.org.
Joint IT/Services and GWAC/MAC Committee Meeting, Oct. 14
The Coalition is pleased to announce that the IT/Services and GWAC/MAC Committees will be holding a virtual joint meeting with guest speaker Jeff Koses, Senior Procurement Executive for GSA on October 14 at 1 pm EDT. Jeff Koses will provide an update on GSA's recent efforts/actions in support of the Biden Administration's policy priorities. The session will include time for Q&A.
Assisted Acquisition Services Forum: Delivering Best Value Mission IT and Professional Services Support to Customer Agencies
On October 27th, the Coalition will be hosting senior leaders from the Federal Acquisition Service's Office of Assisted Acquisition Services (AAS) for a forum focusing on the AAS mission and the outlook for Fiscal Year 2022. The forum will provide an opportunity for AAS leadership to share updates on vehicle utilization strategies and current customer mission support opportunities and will include an update on ASTRO. AAS uses the IT GWACs, OASIS and the FSS to support customer agency needs. ASTRO joins this pool of contract vehicles.
The forum will also address procurement and management best practices and priorities from the regional offices and FEDSIM. AAS has seen unprecedented growth in its portfolio of customer agency support projects and will share insights on where things are headed over the next year from a business and organizational perspective. The forum will feature the two following panel discussions:
9:00 am to 10:00am EDT – Vehicle Utilization and Customer Mission Support—the picture for AAS
Chris Bennethum, Assistant Commissioner, AAS
Chris Hamm, Director, FEDSIM
10:00am to 11:00am EDT – Best Practices and Priorities
Erin Quick, Acquisition Quality Director, FEDSIM
Kari Santora, AAS Director, Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic)
Jack Wise, Director, Acquisition Operations, Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic)
Garett Nelson, Branch Manager, Region 4 (Southeast Sunbelt)
Joel Fada, AAS Director, Region 9 (Pacific Rim)
DoD Request for Comments: Reducing Barriers for Small Businesses
On September 8, DoD released a request for comments. To increase opportunities for small businesses, DoD is requesting feedback on barriers small businesses are facing in working with them. According to DoD's request, the participation of dynamic, resilient, and innovative small businesses in the defense industrial base is critical to the United States' efforts to maintain its technological superiority, military readiness, and warfighting advantage. Industry's input will be used to update the Department's Small Business Strategy led by the DoD Office of Small Business Programs. In addition, DoD is focusing on complying with recent Executive Orders, like EO 14017 "America's Supply Chains," to reduce entry barriers of small businesses.
The Coalition will submit comments through the Small Business Committee. Please send any input to Samantha Holt at sholt@thecgp.org by COB, October 13. Comments are due to DoD by October 25.
Buy American Act NPRM Deadline for Comments Extended to Oct. 28
The FAR Council has extended the comment period on the amendments to the Buy American Act from September 28, 2021 to October 28, 2021 to give additional time for interested parties to develop comments on the proposed rule and provide feedback on the questions posed in the preamble. On July 28, the FAR Council published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would make changes to the implementation of the Buy American Act.
The proposed rule addresses section eight of Executive Order (EO) 140005, Ensuring the Future is Made in All of America by All of America's Workers signed by President Biden in January 2021. Specifically, the proposed rule calls for an increase to the domestic content threshold, a framework for application of an enhanced price preference for a domestic product that is considered a critical product or made up of critical components, and a post-award domestic content reporting requirement for contractors.
The Coalition is submitting comments in response to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by October 28. The Coalition's draft comments can be read here. Please submit any feedback on the draft comments to Tsisti@thecgp.org by COB Wed., October 20.
Proposed Rule: Accelerating Payments to Small Businesses
On September 29, the FAR Council released a proposed rule, which proposes to accelerate payments to small business contractors and subcontractors. The change will implement Section 873 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Fiscal Year 2020. Section 873 requires agencies to establish an accelerated payment date for small business prime business contracts. The goal is fifteen days after receipt of proper invoice unless a specific payment date is established by the contract. Section 873 requires that agencies establish an accelerated payment date for a small business subcontractor if a specific payment date is not established by contract and the prime contractor agrees to make accelerated payments without any additional consideration form or fees charged to the subcontractor.
Currently in the FAR clause 52.232-40, Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors, prime contractors are required to provide accelerated payments to their small business subcontractors when the prime is provided accelerated payments. The proposed changes to the FAR will include accelerated payments to small business contractors. While Section 873 does not include a specific number of days for the prime to make accelerated payments to the subcontractor, the FAR Council proposes that the prime contractor makes payment within 15 days of receiving accelerated payment if there is receipt of proper invoice and other required documents from the subcontractor.
The FAR Council wants to improve cash flow and access to the Federal Marketplace, so they want to receive comments on how to best achieve this goal. Comments on the proposed rule are due by November 29, 2021 and can be submitted here.


text:
In the Doldrums
Contributor: Viola Lloyd | Published: 18 January 2012
Viola Lloyd 31 October 2016
Monday 16th January 2012 has been named 'Blue Monday', the most depressing day of the year, but research from leading office recruitment agency Office Angels suggests that the worst is yet to come, predicting a "less enjoyable" future for workers where employees never meet their colleagues and employee engagement drops to an all-time low.
To mark its 25th anniversary, Office Angels has launched a study exploring the likely evolution of working practices and culture within the UK over the next 25 years. The survey suggests that almost three quarters (71 percent) of workers believe that an increased number of people will work from home by 2036, thanks to a variety of new technologies improving flexibility and connectivity. While this may sound like a positive development to many employees, more than half (54 percent) of current workers believe that they may never meet any other members of their team, and 39 percent think that employees are unlikely to meet their bosses before starting work.
This lack of integration may lead to a possible reduction in knowledge sharing between employees, according to 30 percent of those surveyed, while 43 percent of employers worry that it may lead to a lack of engagement and loyalty which may affect employee turnover. This concern does seem to have foundations, as almost half of employees (46 percent) felt that remote workers might experience a loss of identity with the organisation they work for, and a further third (31 percent) predicted low levels of engagement.
David Clubb, Managing Director at Office Angels, said: "Employers and employees alike are painting a very bleak picture of a future where workers are disconnected from their companies and morale is suffering greatly as a result. Remote working can be a great tool for a business, offering a flexible working model which benefits its employees and allows access to a greater pool of talent, as location is less of an issue. However, it's essential that companies continue to support their staff and do not allow them to feel abandoned. Regardless of how advanced technology becomes, online conversation is no match for human interaction, and frequent face-to-face contact, as well as rewarding social events, will always be critical to engagement and good morale."
Unsurprisingly, the research also predicts that social interaction with colleagues will become much more difficult, with all conversations needing forward planning. A third of employees (33 percent) even predict that chats around the coffee machine will take place in virtual cafes. Overall, 39 percent of those surveyed felt that work in 2036 will be less enjoyable. On the back of this research, Office Angels is offering advice to businesses on the advantages, practicalities and challenges of achieving employee engagement across their organisations.
Office Angels suggests the following five steps to prepare businesses for a changing workforce whilst maximising employee engagement:
1: Measure the attitudes of your employees by conducting internal surveys on a regular basis. This will help you to identify how employees feel about their work on a range of issues including pay and benefits, learning and development, and work-life balance:
2: Make your employees feel valued by involving them in the decision making process: it's important to give workers the freedom to voice ideas which you as a manager can listen to and potentially action;
3: Ensure your workforce understands your company's vision and objectives: it's vital that employees are made aware of how their work contributes to larger organizational outcomes if they are to recognise their own worth;
4: Congratulate the success and achievements of your employees: one of the main drivers of employee engagement is feeling well-informed about what's happening in the organisation and celebrating when things are good; 5: Give your employees the opportunity to develop in their current roles: career progression is a major driver for many workers, and if you give your staff something to work towards and milestones to aim for, you'll help to make their roles far more meaningful and engaging.
The jobs that will take 100 years to save for a house deposit ARTICLE BY: Viola Lloyd | Published: 29 August 2018

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Hey everyone, we hope you all are having a great 2019 & hope it continues the same way. We've received so much of emails stating that our previous blog on SEO trends for 2019 has proven to be helpful for many of our readers. We're glad that you guys loved it so much.
So in this read, we've decided to come up with something new. We decided to make this blog more effective with a trending topic that one of our readers have asked us to.
What is the SMM service in Kerala all about?
Without a due let's get started with our topic-SMM service Kerala.
SMM ( Social Media Marketing)- SMM stands for social media marketing. SMM simply means marketing on social media (networks), or it can be termed as the promotion of your goods/services by the means of digital media.
How SMM service Kerala will benefit your business?
Keralites compared to other state people are very much conscious about the products they purchase & use in their day to day life. It is very much hard to establish your brand value in Kerala as the competition is very much high & people are very choosy with what they select.
How can you establish your brand in Kerala?
Increases the brand awareness of your products among the people.
Improves your brand loyalty among the people.
Helps in creating more brand authority.
Vey much cost-effective compared to other means of marketing.
The above mentioned are the prime benefits of doing SMM service Kerala. If we look into the benefits of doing SMM service Kerala, the list is never ending but the above pointed are the highlights.
Social media marketing is something that can be learned & practiced by an individual. But, 90% of times most of us fail or may not get a satisfactory result. So, it is always good to get a helping hand from a professional SMM agency.
AdMonks Advertising LLC is one of the pioneers in the field of SMM services Kerala. We've been the most trusted & reputed agency with the prime social media marketing services Kochi, Kerala. We, Admonks have a 100% success track record.
Admonks never let our client's expectation go down.
Come join hands with us for a better tomorrow!


Contact R&G RacingSetting the standard in crash protection and bolt-on motorcycle accessories.
If you are looking to purchase any of our products, please do so via our website.
If you have any questions please check out the product detail pages. If you do not find what you're looking for drop us an email and we will get back to you as soon as we can!
If you have a product you would like to return, please give us a call (01420 89007 option 5) first, so that we can authorise the return. You will be given all the details you need to make the return as quick and efficient as possible.
Alternatively if you cannot phone us during our working hours, please send an email to info@rg-racing.com and we will reply with the necessary details. Please have your delivery note or invoice to hand when getting in touch. If you purchased the product from one of our dealers, please contact them to process the return.
If you are looking to open a UK trade account, please get in touch with Alan Garrett on alan.garrett@rg-racing.com or give him a call on 01420 89007.
If you have any international trade account queries, please get in touch with Martin Jones on martin.jones@rg-racing.com.
If you have any web order enquiries or would like an update on your order, please get in touch with Tony Heap on tony.heap@rg-racing.com.


text:
#ifndef _CUMATH_H_
#define _CUMATH_H_

#include "cumatrix.h"

#include "Timer.h"
#include "cudevice.h"

namespace TNet {

  /**
   * Group of Math operations for the NN training
   */
  template<typename _ElemT>
  class CuMath
  {
   public:

    /// Y = Sigmoid(X)
    static void Sigmoid(CuMatrix<_ElemT>& Y, const CuMatrix<_ElemT>& X)
    { Error("__func__ Not implemented"); }

    /// Eout = E(1-E) * Y
    static void DiffSigmoid(CuMatrix<_ElemT>& Eout, const CuMatrix<_ElemT>& Ein, const CuMatrix<_ElemT>& Y)
    { Error("__func__ Not implemented"); }

    /// Y = Softmax(X)
    static void Softmax(CuMatrix<_ElemT>& Y, const CuMatrix<_ElemT>& X)
    { Error("__func__ Not implemented"); }

    /// for DCT in FeaCat
    static void BlockLinearity(CuMatrix<_ElemT>& Y, const CuMatrix<_ElemT>& X, const CuMatrix<_ElemT>& block_transf)
    { Error("__func__ Not implemented"); }

    static void Expand(CuMatrix<_ElemT>& Y, const CuMatrix<_ElemT>& X, const CuVector<int>& frameOffsets)
    { Error("__func__ Not implemented"); }

    /// ie. switch cols according to copyFrom
    static void Rearrange(CuMatrix<_ElemT>& Y, const CuMatrix<_ElemT>& X, const CuVector<int>& copyFrom)
    { Error("__func__ Not implemented"); }

    /// ie. switch rows according to copyFrom
    static void Randomize(CuMatrix<_ElemT>& Y, const CuMatrix<_ElemT>& X, const CuVector<int>& copyFrom)
    { Error("__func__ Not implemented"); }

    /// check match in the classification for Xentropy
    static void CheckClass(const CuMatrix<_ElemT>& out, const CuMatrix<_ElemT> &des, CuVector<int>& match)
    { Error("__func__ Not implemented"); }

    /// gemm with offset for CuSharedLinearity
    static void OffsetGemm(char transA, char transB, _ElemT alpha, const CuMatrix<_ElemT>& A, const CuMatrix<_ElemT>& B, _ElemT beta, CuMatrix<_ElemT>& C, int offA, int offB, int offC)
    { Error("__func__ Not implemented"); }

    /// gemv with offset for CuRecurrent
    static void OffsetGemv(char trans, _ElemT alpha, const CuMatrix<_ElemT>& A, const _ElemT* x, size_t dimX, _ElemT beta, _ElemT* y, size_t dimY, size_t offsetY)
    { Error("__func__ Not implemented"); }

    /// ger for weight updates in CuRecurrent
    static void BlasGer(_ElemT alpha, const _ElemT* x, size_t dimX, const _ElemT* y, size_t dimY, CuMatrix<_ElemT>& A)
    { Error("__func__ Not implemented"); }

    /// concatenate one vector several times for CuSharedLinearity
    static void VecExpand(const CuVector<_ElemT>&in, CuVector<_ElemT>&out)
    { Error("__func__ Not implemented"); }

    /// sum the vector as if it was matrix data for CuSharedLinearity
    static void VecAddColSum(_ElemT alpha, const CuVector<_ElemT>&in, _ElemT beta, CuVector<_ElemT>&out)
    { Error("__func__ Not implemented"); }

  }; //class CuMath::

  //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
  //// CuMath<> Template specializations (float)
  ////
  template<>
  void CuMath<float>::Sigmoid(CuMatrix<float>& Y, const CuMatrix<float>& X);

  template<>
  void CuMath<float>::DiffSigmoid(CuMatrix<float>& Eout, const CuMatrix<float>& Ein, const CuMatrix<float>& Y);

  template<>
  void CuMath<float>::Softmax(CuMatrix<float>& Y, const CuMatrix<float>& X);

  template<>
  void CuMath<float>::BlockLinearity(CuMatrix<float>& Y, const CuMatrix<float>& X, const CuMatrix<float>& block_transf);

  template<>
  void CuMath<float>::Expand(CuMatrix<float>& Y, const CuMatrix<float>& X, const CuVector<int>& frameOffsets);

  template<>
  void CuMath<float>::Rearrange(CuMatrix<float>& Y, const CuMatrix<float>& X, const CuVector<int>& copyFrom);

  template<>
  void CuMath<float>::Randomize(CuMatrix<float>& Y, const CuMatrix<float>& X, const CuVector<int>& copyFrom);

  template<>
  void CuMath<float>::CheckClass(const CuMatrix<float>& out, const CuMatrix<float> &des, CuVector<int>& match);

  template<>
  void CuMath<float>::OffsetGemm(char transA, char transB, float alpha, const CuMatrix<float>& A, const CuMatrix<float>& B, float beta, CuMatrix<float>& C, int offA, int offB, int offC);

  template<>
  void CuMath<float>::OffsetGemv(char trans, float alpha, const CuMatrix<float>& A, const float* x, size_t dimX, float beta, float* y, size_t dimY, size_t offsetY);

  template<>
  void CuMath<float>::BlasGer(float alpha, const float* x, size_t dimX, const float* y, size_t dimY, CuMatrix<float>& A);

  template<>
  void CuMath<float>::VecExpand(const CuVector<float>&in, CuVector<float>&out);

  template<>
  void CuMath<float>::VecAddColSum(float alpha, const CuVector<float>&in, float beta, CuVector<float>&out);

  //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
  //// CuMath<> Template specializations (double)
  ////
  template<>
  void CuMath<double>::Sigmoid(CuMatrix<double>& Y, const CuMatrix<double>& X);

  template<>
  void CuMath<double>::DiffSigmoid(CuMatrix<double>& Eout, const CuMatrix<double>& Ein, const CuMatrix<double>& Y);

  template<>
  void CuMath<double>::Softmax(CuMatrix<double>& Y, const CuMatrix<double>& X);

  template<>
  void CuMath<double>::BlockLinearity(CuMatrix<double>& Y, const CuMatrix<double>& X, const CuMatrix<double>& block_transf);

  template<>
  void CuMath<double>::Expand(CuMatrix<double>& Y, const CuMatrix<double>& X, const CuVector<int>& frameOffsets);

  template<>
  void CuMath<double>::Rearrange(CuMatrix<double>& Y, const CuMatrix<double>& X, const CuVector<int>& copyFrom);

  template<>
  void CuMath<double>::Randomize(CuMatrix<double>& Y, const CuMatrix<double>& X, const CuVector<int>& copyFrom);

  template<>
  void CuMath<double>::CheckClass(const CuMatrix<double>& out, const CuMatrix<double> &des, CuVector<int>& match);

}

#endif

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The gates to Ragley Hall are in the village of Arrow. This is in the Stratford-upon-Avon district, close to the border with Worcestershire; it is near both Redditch and Evesham.
This map shows markers for every photo, article, historic site and catalogue record within the Ragley Hall category.


Expressing the love you have for your spouse-to-be through words is one of the most beautiful things you can share during your ceremony, and when done right can be written in less time than you might think. Today, I'm going to share the 3 simple steps to writing your own wedding vows.
Find out what other couples are doing by reviewing vow examples on Pinterest and popular wedding websites like The Knot and Wedding Wire.
Reading vows others have used can help the two of you decide the overall tone or the "feel" of your vows. Do you want them to be romantic and heartfelt, or lighthearted and fun? Find a style that best compliments your personalities together.
While there may be many reasons you love your spouse-to-be, there's usually one defining moment in a couple's relationship that clearly stands out, and that's when they realized they were falling in love. There's a story in that "moment", and it's worth sharing with the world.
Vows are really promises. What do you promise to "do" or to "be" for your spouse in your marriage journey? What assurances about your relationship do you want them to have from you? Be creative as you want to be here and don't be afraid to let your personality shine through. This is the part of the ceremony where your words will make the biggest impact!
Want a few other tips to make your vows sparkle and shine on your big day?
Vows don't have to be drawn out to be memorable. Try limiting your vows to 2 to 3 minutes maximum to keep your bride or groom and guests engaged.
Read your vows aloud a few times to get comfortable with the words so they flow more naturally.
Some might say not to use cliche's and to keep things on the serious side, but I don't necessarily agree.
The ultimate goal when writing your vows is to be authentic; to be you! If you're more of a free spirit with a fun, laid back personality, let that show through in the words you use.
So what do you think? Are you ready to take the leap and write your own wedding vows? If not, what's holding you back from doing so? Share your thoughts below and let's get the conversation started!


Yesterday, we published a guide to getting the most out of the Dreamforce experience — How Not to Be a Monkey Wrench at Dreamforce.
After it was published, shared, and retweeted several times over, we realized that we'd left out the third of five tips. And, upon reflection, it turns out that we missed the most important key to the Dreamforce experience.
Just what could that be? Here it is in all its glory: Have fun!
Sure, you are at Dreamforce ostensibly for work purposes. But having fun is key to having a great experience, connecting with others, and making your world smaller.
Apptus has done something really smart and carved out a niche as the go-to place to find all of the best parties. Check out their party aggregator to make sure you're not missing out on any places that you should be.
Tonight, along with Marketo, we're throwing it back to the Mad Men Era with the Madison Avenue Mixer at Restaurant Lulu. Details can be found here.
Seeing the Foo Fighters with upcoming guitar hero Gary Clark, Jr. is a must-see. In case it's not already on your list, you can find more information here.
Bonus: One of the biggest highlights to us so far was Uber CEO Travis Kalanick's Fireside Chat. If you missed out, you can read a great recap of the insights he shared here.
Did we miss anything? Tweet to us at @myleadmd.


text:
William Warren (Cambridge, 1839 - 1914) va ser un entomòleg anglès especialitzat en lepidòpters.

William Warren va ser educat per primera vegada a Oakham School, i posteriorment es va graduar a la Universitat de Cambridge, obtenint els honors clàssics de primera classe. Després va ensenyar al Grammar School de Doncaster. Va fer àmplies recol·leccions de microlepidòpters a les Illes Britàniques, especialment a Wicken Fen. Després d'abandonar l'escola de Doncaster, va viure a Chiswick, Londres, on va treballar amb piràlids i geomètrids al Museu d'Història Natural de Londres, i més tard, amb la intervenció d'Albert Günther, per al Museu d'Història Natural de Tring. Warren va realitzar recol·leccions per Panjab, Brasil i Japó. Va ser membre de la Royal Entomological Society de Londres.

Obres (llista parcial)
 1894 New genera and species of Geometridae. Novitates Zoologicae, 1(2): 366–466.
 1895 New species and genera of Geometridae in the Tring Museum. Novitates Zoologicae, 2: 82–159.
 1896 New Geometridae in the Tring Museum. Novitates Zoologicae, 3: 99–148.
 1896 New species of Drepanulidae, Uraniidae, Epiplemidae, and Geometridae from the Papuan region. Novitates Zoologicae, 3: 272–306.
 1896 New species of Drepanulidae, Thyrididae, Uraniidae, Epiplemidae, and Geometridae in the Tring Museum. Novitates Zoologicae, 3: 335–419.
 1897 New genera and species of moths from the Old-World regions in the Tring Museum. Novitates Zoologicae, 4: 12–130.
 1897 New genera and species of Thyrididae, Epiplemidae, and Geometridae from South and Central America and the West Indies, in the Tring Museum Novitates Zoologicae 4 : 408-507
 1898 New species and genera of the families Thyrididae, Uraniidae, Epiplemidae, and Geometridae. Novitates Zoologicae, 5: 5–41.
 1898 New species and genera of the families Drepanulidae, Thyrididae, Uraniidae, Epiplemidae, and Geometridae from the Old-World regions. Novitates Zoologicae, 5: 221–258.
 1899 New species and genera of the families Drepanulidae, Thyrididae, Uraniidae, Epiplemidae, and Geometridae from the Old-World regions. Novitates Zoologicae, 6(1): 1–66.
 1899b New Drepanulidae, Thyrididae, and Geometridae from the Aethiopian region. - Novitates Zoologicae 6(3):288–312
 1900 New genera and species of Thyrididae and Geometridae from Africa. Novitates Zoologicae, 7: 94–98.
 1900b New Genera and Species of Drepanulidae, Thryrididae, Epiplemidae and Geometridae from the Indo-Australian and Palaearctic Regions. Novitates Zoologicae, 7:98-116
 1901 New Thyrididae, Epiplemidae and Geometridae from the Ethiopian region. Novitates Zoologicae, 8: 6–20.
 1901 Drepanulidae, Thyrididae, Epiplemidae, and Geometridae from the Aethiopian region. Novitates Zoologicae, 8: 202–217.
 1901 New American Moths. Novitates Zoologicae, 8: 435–492.
 1902 New African Drepanulidae, Thyrididae, Epiplemidae, and Geometridae in the Tring Museum. Novitates Zoologicae, 9: 487–536.
 1904 New Drepanulidae, Thyrididae, Uraniidae, and Geometridae from the Aethiopian Region. Novitates Zoologicae, 11: 461–482.
 1905a New species of Thyrididae, Uraniidae, and Geometridae, from the Oriental Region. Novitates Zoologicae, 12: 6-15
 1905b Lepidoptera from the Sudan. Novitates Zoologicae, 12: 21-23 pl.IV
 1905c New Species of Geoometridae from the Aethiopian Region. Novitates Zoologicae, 12: 34-40
 1905d New American Thyrididae, Uraniidae, and Geometridae. Novitates Zoologicae, 12:307-379
 1905e New African Thyrididae, Uraniidae, and Geometridae. Novitates Zoologicae, 12: 380–409.
 1905f New species of Thyrididae, Uraniidae and Geometridae from the Oriental Region. Novitates Zoologicae, 12 :410-447
 1905g Lepidoptera collected by Mr.W.R.Ogilvie-Grant on the Azores and Madeira in 1903. Novitates Zoologicae, 12: 439-447
 1909 New species of Uraniidae and geometridae from the Aethiopian region. Novitates Zoologicae, 16: 110–122.
 1909 Noctuae in Seitz, 1909 Die Gross-Schmetterlinge des Palaearktischen Faunengebietes. 3. Die eulenartigen Nacthfalter Gross-Schmett. Erde 3 : 1-511, pl. 1-75.
 1911 Description of some new Geometridae and Pyralidae from South Africa. Annals of the South African Museum, 10(1): 19–30.
 1912 New Noctuidae in the Tring Museum mainly from the Indo-Oriental Region Novitates Zoologicae, 19: 1-57.
 1912 New Geometridae in the Tring Museum from new Guinea. Novitates Zoologicae, 19: 68-85.
 1914 New species of Drepanulidae, Noctuidae and Geometridae in the Tring museum. Novitates Zoologicae, 21: 401-425.
 1915 Some new oriental Cymatophoridae in the Tring museum. Novitates Zoologicae, 22: 154-159.

Referències

Bibliografia
 Anon 1914 Obit. Entomologist's Monthly Magazine Second Series XXV (25) : 294
 Karl Jordan Novitates Zoologicae 1914 : 160- 166 Obituary includes publication list

Entomòlegs anglesos
Alumnes de la Universitat de Cambridge
Alumnes del St John's College (Cambridge)
Alumnes de l'Oakham School
Persones de Cambridge

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Reminds me of when Fox News calls themselves "America's Election HQ"
My only response to that is "OH REALLY?"
2 + 2 = 5. Change my mind!
He lost it years ago; nowadays he's just rendering himself unable to ever get it back.


No other hypercar puts the driver centre-stage in the way the Speedtail does. The central seat provides a perfectly symmetrical view of the cabin – and an uninterrupted vista of the road ahead. Everything in the Speedtail's interior is positioned for driver convenience and betterment. With controls placed in an overhead console. And rear-view camera screens located by the windscreen A-pillars for maximum, ergonomic efficiency.
The theme is continued in the extraordinary levels of quality and innovation in the materials. Next-generation carbon fibre. Leather that has been honed to hold the driver in their seat. The incorporation of precious metals. Everything about the Speedtail's cabin exudes excellence and ultimate elegance.
Innovation runs through every aspect of the Speedtail. And there are few places it's as clear to see as in the car's glazing. Interior illumination is provided by LEDs integrated into the glass. While advanced electrochromic technology darkens the windscreen at the touch of a button. No sun visors. Less visual interruption. The windscreen itself seamlessly curves over the driver and passengers to meet the unique porthole. The glazing continues in the upper sections of the doors to each side. And stretches rearward – almost to the rear axle. The result is a panoramic glass canopy that offers unbelievable light and space. And unimpeded visibility. Out in front. All around. Even up above.
There is an elegance to simplicity. The Speedtail dashboard is clean. Pure. Gone is the visual interruption of buttons and switches. Instead, a state-of-the-art control system takes their place. Almost every control is replicated by touch-sensitive, high-definition driver displays either side of the steering wheel. Each has a separate, dedicated function. To the [left], vehicle controls. To the [right], infotainment. These are paired with additional displays fed by the car's wing mirror cameras. Powerful innovation stretches across the Speedtail's cockpit. It creates a flowing, ultra-modern driver interface. Effortlessly functional. Simply beautiful.
The influence of symmetrical design can be seen throughout the Speedtail. In the striking rear light, for example, that pinpoints the central axis of the car. But open the Speedtail's dihedral doors, and the most iconic reference is revealed – the central driving seat, which positions the driver directly upon this line. The central driver's seat is synonymous with the legendary F1. But in the Speedtail, it becomes even more extraordinary. It's not simply about better visibility. Better awareness. Or even better positional accuracy. It's more than this. It affords a truly natural balance to the car. And places drivers centre-stage... in an unparalleled automotive experience.
Inside the Speedtail there is room for three people. Yet, for the driver, the same interior feels like a single-seater cockpit. One in which they are truly at the heart of the action. This is not simply achieved through the central driving seat. But also through repositioning core car controls from the dashboard to an overhead console. These are dedicated driver's controls. Positioned above them. Accessible only by them. Inspired by the world of aviation – and milled from aluminium – the overhead console provides instant, distraction-free access to Active Dynamics settings. The engine start button. The switches and dials to engage Velocity mode. To release the doors. And to control the side windows. The result is a decluttered interior environment. That delivers pure driving focus.


In Ancient Rome, important people of the time had elaborate funerals. The funerals themselves were part of a tradition from the early Roman Republic, whereby the achievements of the dead man were celebrated alongside those of his ancestors. Hired mourners were at the front of the procession. These mourners would wear the masks (imagines) of the dead's descendants who had served as magistrates. The emphasis of the funeral therefore, was put on the achievements of the dead. The body of the dead person was behind the mourners. A eulogy (praise for the dead person) was read during the procession. After the funeral, the body was buried or cremated (burnt). If the body was cremated, the ashes were put in a container and the container was buried. If a family did not have enough money to afford a proper funeral, they simply put the corpse in a casket and threw it in a creek where other poor dead people had been thrown. The Egyptian goddess Isis promised the Romans life after death, but this was a much later addition to the Roman belief system, and was not present during the Republican period.
During the first and second centuries AD, cremation was the most common burial practice in the Roman Empire. Ultimately, inhumation would replace cremation; a variety of factors, including the rise of Christianity among Romans and changes in attitudes to the afterlife, would contribute to this marked shift in popular burial practices.
Also, coins would be placed in the mouth to ensure a safe journey to the underworld. This was, so we are informed by several ancient sources, most notably Virgil in Aeneid Book 6, to pay the boatman Charon, to take them across the river Styx into the underworld itself. There would be food and drink offerings to the dead, for it was thought that the dead could affect the living. Festivals would be held for important members of the family.


text:
Q: Having issue with the alert of notification So It's my first time when I try to implement notification on an app ..I've managed to receive it and see it in userInfo but I don't receive it as an alert from the top as I receive it from the cloud messaging from Firebase.
import UIKit
import FBSDKCoreKit
import FBSDKLoginKit
import UserNotifications
import Firebase
import FirebaseMessaging
import NotificationCenter
import CoreData

@UIApplicationMain
class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate {

    var window: UIWindow?

    func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplicationLaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {

        FBSDKApplicationDelegate.sharedInstance().application(application, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions: launchOptions)

        FirebaseApp.configure()

        let userToken = userDefaults.value(forKey: "user_token")
        if userToken == nil {
            //User is logged in
            showLoginVC()
        }
        else {
            //Show login Screen
            showHomeVC()

            Helper.registerDevice()
        }
        return true
    }

    func showLoginVC() {

        FBSDKLoginManager().logOut()

        let loginViewController = storyboard.instantiateViewController(withIdentifier: "loginVC")

        appDelegate.window = UIWindow(frame: UIScreen.main.bounds)
        appDelegate.window?.rootViewController = loginViewController
        appDelegate.window?.makeKeyAndVisible()
    }

    func showHomeVC() {

//        let voiceMoRecents = storyboard.instantiateViewController(withIdentifier: "MainVC")
//                appDelegate.window = UIWindow(frame: UIScreen.main.bounds)
//                appDelegate.window?.rootViewController = voiceMoRecents
//                appDelegate.window?.makeKeyAndVisible()

        let swRevealViewController = storyboard.instantiateViewController(withIdentifier: "SWRevealViewController")

        appDelegate.window = UIWindow(frame: UIScreen.main.bounds)
        appDelegate.window?.rootViewController = swRevealViewController
        appDelegate.window?.makeKeyAndVisible()

        if userDefaults.value(forKey: "deviceToken") == nil {
            // MARK:  PushNotification
            registerForPushNotifications()
            UNUserNotificationCenter.current().delegate = self
            GlobalMainQueue.async {
                UIApplication.shared.registerForRemoteNotifications()
            }
        }
    }

    func applicationWillResignActive(_ application: UIApplication) {
        // Sent when the application is about to move from active to inactive state. This can occur for certain types of temporary interruptions (such as an incoming phone call or SMS message) or when the user quits the application and it begins the transition to the background state.
        // Use this method to pause ongoing tasks, disable timers, and invalidate graphics rendering callbacks. Games should use this method to pause the game.
        FBSDKAppEvents.activateApp()
    }

    func applicationDidEnterBackground(_ application: UIApplication) {
        // Use this method to release shared resources, save user data, invalidate timers, and store enough application state information to restore your application to its current state in case it is terminated later.
        // If your application supports background execution, this method is called instead of applicationWillTerminate: when the user quits.
    }

    func applicationWillEnterForeground(_ application: UIApplication) {
        // Called as part of the transition from the background to the active state; here you can undo many of the changes made on entering the background.
    }

    func applicationDidBecomeActive(_ application: UIApplication) {
        // Restart any tasks that were paused (or not yet started) while the application was inactive. If the application was previously in the background, optionally refresh the user interface.
    }

    func applicationWillTerminate(_ application: UIApplication) {
        // Called when the application is about to terminate. Save data if appropriate. See also applicationDidEnterBackground:.
    }

    // MARK:  Facebook Login
    func application(_ app: UIApplication, open url: URL, options: [UIApplicationOpenURLOptionsKey : Any] = [:]) -> Bool {
        return FBSDKApplicationDelegate.sharedInstance().application(app, open: url, options: options)
    }

    // MARK:  PUSH NOTIFICATION FUNCTIONS

    func registerForPushNotifications() {
        UNUserNotificationCenter.current().requestAuthorization(options: [.alert, .sound, .badge]) {
            (granted, error) in
            print("Permission granted: \(granted)")

            guard granted else { return }
            self.getNotificationSettings()
        }
    }

    func application(_ application: UIApplication, didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken deviceToken: Data) {
        if let instanceIdToken = InstanceID.instanceID().token() {
            print("Device token which is good to use with FCM \(instanceIdToken)")
            userDefaults.setValue(instanceIdToken, forKey: "deviceToken")
        }

        if userDefaults.value(forKey: "callToRegisterDevice") != nil {
            Helper.registerDevice()
            userDefaults.removeObject(forKey: "callToRegisterDevice")
        }
    }

    func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFailToRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithError error: Error) {
        print("Fail to register for remote nottification \(error)")
    }

    func application(_ application: UIApplication, didReceiveRemoteNotification userInfo: [AnyHashable : Any], fetchCompletionHandler completionHandler: @escaping (UIBackgroundFetchResult) -> Void) {

        print(" Entire message \(userInfo)")
        print("Article avaialble for download: \(userInfo)")

        let state : UIApplicationState = application.applicationState
        switch state {
        case UIApplicationState.active:
            print("If needed notify user about the message")
        case UIApplicationState.inactive:
            print("UIApplicationState.inactive")
        case UIApplicationState.background:
            print("UIApplicationState.background")
        default:
            print("Run code to download content")
        }

        completionHandler(UIBackgroundFetchResult.newData)
    }

    func getNotificationSettings() {
        UNUserNotificationCenter.current().getNotificationSettings { (settings) in
            print("Notification settings: \(settings)")
            guard settings.authorizationStatus == .authorized else { return }
            DispatchQueue.main.async(execute: {
                UIApplication.shared.registerForRemoteNotifications()
                Helper.registerDevice()
            })
        }
    }

    // MARK: - Core Data stack

    lazy var persistentContainer: NSPersistentContainer = {
        /*
         The persistent container for the application. This implementation
         creates and returns a container, having loaded the store for the
         application to it. This property is optional since there are legitimate
         error conditions that could cause the creation of the store to fail.
         */
        let container = NSPersistentContainer(name: "VoiceMe")
        container.loadPersistentStores(completionHandler: { (storeDescription, error) in
            if let error = error as NSError? {
                // Replace this implementation with code to handle the error appropriately.
                // fatalError() causes the application to generate a crash log and terminate. You should not use this function in a shipping application, although it may be useful during development.

                /*
                 Typical reasons for an error here include:
                 * The parent directory does not exist, cannot be created, or disallows writing.
                 * The persistent store is not accessible, due to permissions or data protection when the device is locked.
                 * The device is out of space.
                 * The store could not be migrated to the current model version.
                 Check the error message to determine what the actual problem was.
                 */
                fatalError("Unresolved error \(error), \(error.userInfo)")
            }
        })
        return container
    }()

    // MARK: - Core Data Saving support

    func saveContext () {
        let context = persistentContainer.viewContext
        if context.hasChanges {
            do {
                try context.save()
            } catch {
                // Replace this implementation with code to handle the error appropriately.
                // fatalError() causes the application to generate a crash log and terminate. You should not use this function in a shipping application, although it may be useful during development.
                let nserror = error as NSError
                fatalError("Unresolved error \(nserror), \(nserror.userInfo)")
            }
        }
    }
}

@available(iOS 10, *)
extension AppDelegate : UNUserNotificationCenterDelegate {
    // iOS10+, called when presenting notification in foreground
    func userNotificationCenter(_ center: UNUserNotificationCenter, willPresent notification: UNNotification, withCompletionHandler completionHandler: @escaping (UNNotificationPresentationOptions) -> Void) {
        let userInfo = notification.request.content.userInfo
        print("[UserNotificationCenter] applicationState:  willPresentNotification: \(userInfo)")
        //TODO: Handle foreground notification
        completionHandler([.alert])
    }

    // iOS10+, called when received response (default open, dismiss or custom action) for a notification
    func userNotificationCenter(_ center: UNUserNotificationCenter, didReceive response: UNNotificationResponse, withCompletionHandler completionHandler: @escaping () -> Void) {
        let userInfo = response.notification.request.content.userInfo
        print("[UserNotificationCenter] applicationState:  didReceiveResponse: \(userInfo)")
        //TODO: Handle background notification
        completionHandler()
    }
}

extension AppDelegate : MessagingDelegate {
    func messaging(_ messaging: Messaging, didRefreshRegistrationToken fcmToken: String) {
        NSLog("[RemoteNotification] didRefreshRegistrationToken: \(fcmToken)")
    }
}

    class func registerDevice() {
    if let deviceToken = userDefaults.value(forKey: "deviceToken") as? String {
        let callUrl = URL(string: Helper.apiUrl + "auth/register-device")
        let appVersion = Bundle.main.infoDictionary!["CFBundleShortVersionString"]
        let data2send: Dictionary<String, Any> = ["device_token" : deviceToken,
                                                  "user_token" : userDefaults.value(forKey: "user_token") as! String,
                                                  "source":"ios",
                                                  "version":"\(String(describing: appVersion!))"]

        Alamofire.request(callUrl!, method: .post, parameters: data2send).validate().responseJSON { response in
            print(response)
            if response.result.isSuccess {
                let resultObj = JSON(response.result.value!)
                if let _ = resultObj["data"].rawString(){
                    DispatchQueue.main.async {
                        print("device registered successfully")
                    }
                }
            } else {
                print("Error : \(String(describing: response.error))")
            }
        }
    } else {
        userDefaults.setValue("yes", forKey: "callToRegisterDevice")
    }
}

Possible to have redundant code..not really necessary
From console:

Entire message [AnyHashable("data"): {"duration":"1346","updated_at":"2018-05-04 18:53:54","status_type":2,"conversation_id":"8","owner_id":13,"status_name":"Read","message_token":"2018050421535268819","created_at":"2018-05-04 18:53:54","message_id":156,"url":"https://voicemo.site/media/files/8/201805042153526881915613.amr"}, AnyHashable("push_id"): ios_fIpMjYVprDSxrp3LWbV4QOIms452WUsT, AnyHashable("gcm.message_id"): 0:1525460034407947%cef2e812cef2e812, AnyHashable("notification_type"): message, AnyHashable("params"): {"color":"#009687","conversation_id":"8","subject":"new voice message","sound":"default","icon":"https://voicemo.site/media/photos/users/img_2c9b5.jpg","title":"CabuZZ"}, AnyHashable("aps"): {
      "content-available" = 1;
  }]

A: 1) When app is in background:
Correct format to appear notification when app is in background is in aps dictionary as:
{
  "aps": {
      "alert": {
          "title": "",
          "subtitle": "",
          "body": ""
      },
      "badge": 1,
      "sound": "default",
      "content-available": 1,
  }
  // Other data here...
}

So, in your case update the payload for aps key as:
  "aps": {
      "alert": {
          "title": "CabuZZ",
          "body": "new voice message"
      },
      "badge": 1,
      "sound": "default",
      "content-available": 1,
  }

2) When app is in foreground:
You will receive the data in userInfo in following function, you need to show and handle the view manually. iOS will not present the view when app is in foreground.
func application(_ application: UIApplication, didReceiveRemoteNotification userInfo: [AnyHashable: Any]) {

    // Handle your view here (app in foreground)

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar or TVK Nagar or Thiru. V. Kalyaanasundaram Nagar, named after the Tamil scholar Thiru. V. Kalyanasundaram, is a developed residential area in North Chennai, a metropolitan city in Tamil Nadu, India.

Location
The neighbouring places of Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar are :
Peravallur (0.5 km),
Agaram (0.8 km),
Sembium (1 km),
Periyar Nagar (2 km),
Kolathur (Chennai)|Kolathur (2 km),
Moolakadai (2 km),
Kodungaiyur (3 km),
Ponniammanmedu (3 km),
Vyasarpadi (4 km),
Madhavaram (5 km),
Madhavaram Milk Colony (5 km),
Vinayagapuram (5 km),
Doveton(5 km),
Purasaiwalkam (5 km),
Vepery (5.5 km),
Mathur MMDA (6 km),
Manali (7 km),
Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central railway station (8 km),
Sengundram (Red Hills) (11 km)
Chennai Egmore railway station (9 km),
Broadway Bus Terminus (10 km).

Constituency
Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar is located within the new Kolathur Constituency created after the delimitation of constituencies in 2008. Another constituency named after Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar is , Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar Constituency which is also created after the delimitation of constituencies in 2008. Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar is  not represented in Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar Constituency which represents the areas of Perambur(part), Ayanavaram, Otteri, Pattalam, Pulianthope.

Greater Chennai Corporation Zone
Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar is also a zone in the Greater Chennai Corporation. It is one of the 15 zones of the Greater Chennai Corporation in which, it contains wards 64 to 78. It is named as the 6th Zone of the Greater Chennai Corporation in Central Chennai Region.

Entertainment
Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar has a wide range of entertainment venues such as cinemas and parks nearby. Perambur has the first shopping mall of the north Chennai Spectrum Mall. It also consists of a 5 screen Multiplex named S2 Cinemas which is controlled by theater franchise SPI Cinemas. Other nearby theatres are Sri Brinda Theatre (Perambur), Ganga Cinemas (Kolathur, (Chennai)), Sri Shanmuga Cinemas (Moolakadai), Pandian Theatre (Kodungaiyur), Iyyapa Theatre (Erukkancherry). Perambur has also got Chennai's first Disco Water park named Murasoli Maran Flyover Park which is always crowded in the weekends.

Transportation

Railways

Perambur is served by three railway stations. They are Perambur, Perambur Carriage Works and Perambur Loco Works. Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar can be easily accessed from any of the three stations.

MTC Buses
MTC has a bus terminus in Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar. The bus terminus is located on  Sundararaja Perumal Koil street ( North ) amidst Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar. Ayanavaram, Perambur, Madhavaram, Alandur depots of MTC operate buses to Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar .

Sub-neighbourhoods
 Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar
 Gandhi Nagar
 Anbazhagan Nagar
 Ramamurthy Colony
 Vetri Nagar
 Kennedy Square
 Gopalapuram
 Krishna Nagar

Roads and Streets
Pallavan salai
SRP koil street (North)
Bashyam street

Adjacent communities

References

Neighbourhoods in Chennai
Cities and towns in Chennai district


text:
Q: Get unix timestamp of only date in node js I have a problem in getting unix timestamp on only date(Without time) in node js. I tried with moment js
I have tried this,
moment.unix();// which gives,1446090606

If i use the same i php,
 echo date("Y-m-d H:i:s", 1446090606);// echoes 2015-10-29 04:50:06

But actual time stamp of today's date is 1446073200
echo date("Y-m-d H:i:s", 1446073200);// echoes 2015-10-29 00:00:00

I even tried with Date() in javascript,
I referred this, this but no use.
EDIT
I even tried like this,
console.log(moment("2015-10-29 00:00:00").unix());// which gives 1446057000

echo date("Y-m-d H:i:s", 1446057000);// echoes 2015-10-28 19:30:00

It echoes yesterday's date
To summarize what i want is, timestamp of only date without time.
Thank you.

A: So first you need to ask yourself what you are looking for ultimately.  It's really in your best interest to keep all your timestamps in standard UTC format and, if you are storing strings, use the ISO8601 standard. For fun: XKCD on ISO8601
It will make your life so much easier to pass around dates in only one format (UTC timezone / ISO8601 format if a string) until just before you display them to a user.
Only then should you format the date as a user would expect it to be formatted to represent the local time, and you should write a date formatter to ensure this conversion is always done consistently.
On the client side, convert the date to this standardized format the moment it is captured by the user and before it is sent to the server (effectively a reverse of the formatter described above).
All of your server date logic beyond that will typically be calculating time differences without needing to worry about timezone conversions. /rant
Now to discuss your question in a bit more detail and why you are facing issues.
According to moment.js docs:

By default, moment parses and displays in local time.

So when you do this:
moment.unix();

Know that this is relative to the local time.  Also unix time is the number of seconds relative to one singular point in time, an epoch which happens to be January 1st, 1970 00:00:00 (when put into the UTC timezone).
To make this hit home.  Use your PHP date function and input "0" as the unix timestamp.  What do you get? It will depend on the default timezone set in your PHP environment.
For me, the output of the online PHP sandbox I used:
<?php echo date('Y-m-d H:i:s', 0); ?>
// 1969-12-31 16:00:00

Uh oh.  What's going on here?  That's before epoch time, and I definitely just put a big fat ZERO there.
So this is the importance of keeping your date formats consistent across the board. It will make your life a lot easier.
Here is what you need to do and why:
1. Get the local date's midnight.  This is the first piece of information you need to capture in a moment variable because it represents what you are interested in.  Once you have that, the rest is just understanding how to format that date how you want.

var lastLocalMidnight = moment().startOf('day')
var lastUTCMidnight = moment.utc().startOf('day')

For the sake of argument and your understanding, I have included another variable which captures and converts "now" into the UTC timezone before getting "midnight".
So what's the difference here? Read the moment.js docs on UTC further:

Any moment created with moment.utc() will be in UTC mode, and any moment created with moment() will not.
To switch from UTC to local time, you can use moment#utc or
  moment#local.

moment.js variables have timezone information self-contained within them when you perform other operations on them.  It is important to distinguish the difference between this and the standard PHP Date behavior which treats  dates the same (unless you explicitly say otherwise).
The timezone being used in every case needs to be known or set. Not understanding these two behaviors completely is most likely the source of your confusion.
A "date is a date is a date".  A moment in time, hence the library name "moment.js". It needs to be stated or set what timezone that date is in.  There are different formats to capture this information, but just understand that "2015-10-29 04:50:06" doesn't tell you anything until you know the timezone.  It's basically the same as how 12:00 doesn't tell you anything until you know AM or PM (assuming you are not using military time).
2. Now that you have a midnight representation (whichever you deem is the correct one for your purposes), you can convert that to a UNIX timestamp because it is relative to a timezone  you know you are interested in and represents the exact moment you want.

console.log(lastLocalMidnight.format());
// e.g. - 2015-10-28T00:00:00-06:00
console.log(lastUTCMidnight.format());
// e.g. - 2015-10-29T00:00:00+00:00

console.log(lastLocalMidnight.unix());
// e.g. - 1446012000
console.log(lastUTCMidnight.unix());
// e.g. - 1446076800

$timezoneBeforeSet = date_default_timezone_get();
echo $timezoneBeforeSet."\n";

Notice how moment.js's format() function displays the UTC offset by default.  So even printing in that way looks like the midnight you want, but you know it wouldn't end in 00:00:00 if you formatted it to be in UTC (or any timezone other than the one you requested the date in originally).
For the moment converted to UTC ahead of time, there is no offset. If you later formatted that one in your local timezone, it would not be at 00:00:00, and the output of moment.js format() would indicate a timezone offset based on the timezone you set (-06:00, for example).
3. On the PHP side of things, you have a default environmental timezone set, as we demonstrated by seeing what PHP thought of the unix timestamp "0".  So, knowing a little more about what they represent now, let's take the unix timestamps we obtained from moment.js and try to format them with PHP's date.

// Timestamps obtained from moment.js
$unixTimestampLocalMidnight = 1446012000;
$unixTimestampUTCMidnight = 1446076800;

// Relative to untampered timezone set in your PHP environment
$phpLocalMidnightUnchangedTZ = date('Y-m-d H:i:s', $unixTimestampLocalMidnight);
echo $phpLocalMidnightUnchangedTZ."\n";
// 2015-10-27 23:00:00

$phpUTCMidnightUnchangedTZ = date('Y-m-d H:i:s', $unixTimestampUTCMidnight);
echo $phpUTCMidnightUnchangedTZ."\n";
// 2015-10-28 17:00:00

So yeah.  Those are totally not what we were wanting, right? Actually they are. It's 23:00:00 somewhere and 17:00:00 somewhere when it's midnight somewhere else, right?
We need to be sure where PHP thinks we are right now. We could output that timezone information using Date, but we don't care to see it in our final output (understandable). So how do we find out, otherwise?  Glad you asked:

$timezoneBeforeSet = date_default_timezone_get();
echo $timezoneBeforeSet."\n";
// US/Pacific

I'm in Colorado which is US/Mountain, so what's the deal? Well, this must mean the online PHP sandbox I was using is hosted over in California or something. Makes sense. Know where your code is running.
But don't get too caught up worrying about that. This is why we capture and convert to a consistent format upfront and worry about formatting only at which point we really need it. That way, if you did your conversion wrong, you only need to change it in one or two places at most.
For a complete reference to PHP timezones, click here.
4. If you have any control of your PHP environment, you should be setting the default timezone to UTC (one of the very first things you do in your project bootstrapping or in your PHP environmental config file).

// Explicitly set PHP default timezone to UTC
date_default_timezone_set('UTC');
$timezoneAfterSet = date_default_timezone_get();
echo $timezoneAfterSet."\n";
// UTC

$phpLocalMidnight = date('Y-m-d H:i:s', $unixTimestampLocalMidnight);
echo $phpLocalMidnight."\n";
// 2015-10-28 06:00:00

$phpUTCMidnight = date('Y-m-d H:i:s', $unixTimestampUTCMidnight);
echo $phpUTCMidnight."\n";
// 2015-10-29 00:00:00

So this makes sense. We are showing a time relative to UTC now.  If I had originally captured a midnight in US/Mountain time, I would expect to see a time of day that corresponds to that over in Greenwich, England.
When you know a date is formatted with a timezone, think of reading that date-time in the place the timezone indicates. We know PHP is spitting out UTC stuff, so I can imagine I'm in Greenwich, England when I see the output.
If it's 06:00 in the morning and I am in Greenwich, it should be 6 hours earlier in Colorado (-6:00) <-- remember that useful timezone suffix moment.js outputs with .format()? The sun hasn't quite risen yet in Colorado because the sun rises in the East and sets in the West.  So what time is 6 hours before 6AM? Midnight!
And of course the date we explicitly converted to UTC upfront comes back out looking like an actual midnight. Why? Because PHP is set to format dates in UTC.  Also notice it's a day ahead. You should know enough now to explain that yourself =)
Make sense?

A: You have to create the date without the hour part first, something like this:
var moment = require("moment");
var unixTime = moment().startOf('day').unix(); //last midnight in local time

  console.log("Your timestamp: " + unixTime + " And your date: " + day);

Now, let's see your examples.
Yo said that this unix timestamp 1446073200 but, you when you check here, you can see that this is the date that represents:
UTC: Wednesday 28th October 2015 11:00:00 PM

And also gives you another date with your local time, which in my case:
In your local time zone: Wednesday 28th October 2015 05:00:00 PM

So, my guess is that you are getting that unix timestamps in a place with timezone UTC + 1 and that's why you believe that this unix timestamp 1446073200 has no the hour part.
In my previous example you will get a unix timestamp in your local time, which in my case is: 1446098400, but you will probably want the UTC time, so you should change the code a little bit, like this:
var moment = require("moment");
var unixTime = moment.utc().startOf('day').unix(); //last midnight in UTC time

  console.log("Your timestamp: " + unixTime + " And your date: " + day);

That will give you this unix timestamp: 1446076800which is the one you need. You can check it here.
UTC: Thursday 29th October 2015 12:00:00 AM

I simplified my code using @forgo answer.

A: This is how I do in pure Javascript:
var today = new Date()
today.setUTCHours(0, 0, 0, 0)
var today_timestamp = Math.floor(today.getTime() / 1000)

If you want to get the value for the current timezone, use setHours instead.