myPay Wins a Gracie from the Academy of Technology Leadership

myPay Wins a Gracie from the Academy of Technology Leadership

ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Challenging conventional thinking and using technology to improve services is exactly what gained the myPay Project of the Defense Finance and Accounting Services, a 2004 Grace Hopper Government Technology Leadership Award.

"The myPay Project is considered outstanding by a distinguished panel of government experts in the area of federal technology advancement," said Timothy Clark, editor and president of Government Executive. "The winners of this year's Government Technology Leadership Awards are proof that some agencies have come into their own and, in some cases, can compete technologically with the private sector." Of the 260 nominations submitted in this year's contest, myPay is one of nine projects chosen to receive the award.

"We are honored and proud to receive such an outstanding recognition," said Zack Gaddy, director of DFAS. "DFAS makes every attempt and effort to provide our customers with products that are at the forefront and cutting edge of technology which is a critical element of our mission."

To win a Gracie, a federal, state or local agency or organization must show how its idea challenged conventional thinking and how it used technology to solve it in a new way. Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, a gutsy technology trailblazer and 43-year Navy veteran, was known for saying "it's easier to apologize than it is to get permission."

Hopper was the Navy's oldest active duty officer before retiring in 1986. She helped develop the COBOL programming language of the 1950s. Known as "Amazing Grace," Hopper was deeply committed to promoting innovation and bucking bureaucracy. She set her clock counterclockwise to remind subordinates, peers and bosses alike of the benefits of unconventional thinking.

She was known for shunning the conventional and challenging her subordinates to think creatively. She also was one of the most highly regarded technology thinkers and tinkerers in government.

myPay delivers personal pay information and provides the ability to process pay-related transactions timely, safely and securely to all its members. The Web-based system eliminates the risks associated with postal delivery by allowing members to access electronic tax statements and other financial information online. myPay matches existing industry standards for the highest level of encryption and security. This prevents customer information from being accessed by others on the Internet. myPay provides members up-to-date information on pertinent changes by delivering notices to users' email addresses.

Today, myPay has nearly three million users with customized PINs and serves all military members, military retirees and annuitants, Department of Defense civilian employees and Department of Energy employees.

About DFAS

The Defense Finance and Accounting Service is the world's largest finance and accounting operation. It provides responsive, professional finance and accounting services to the men and women who defend America. In Fiscal Year 2004, DFAS made 104 million pay transactions to about 5.9 million people, processed more than 12.6 million invoices from defense contractors, disbursed more than $455 billion and managed more than $234 billion in military trust funds. For more about DFAS visit http://www.dfas.mil/.


Source: Defense Finance and Accounting Service

CONTACT: Roger Still of Defense Finance and Accounting Service,
+1-303-676-7741

Web site: http://www.dfas.mil/


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