R 081225Z JAN 98 ZYB
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//ARAE//
TO ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS //N05213//
ALMAR 018/98
MSGID/GENADMIN/ARAE//
SUBJ/MCBUL 5213 MARINE CORPS ELECTRONIC FORMS SYSTEM (MCEFS)//
REF/A/MSG/CG MCCDC REQR/310925Z/970331//
REF/B/DOC/MCO 5213.7C/900509//
REF/C/MSG/ALMAR 073 97/970315//
NARR/REF A ESTABLISHED CURRENT USMC COMMERCIAL OFF-THE-SHELF (COTS)
AND GOVERNMENT OFF-THE-SHELF (GOTS) REQUIRED OR SUGGESTED SOFTWARE
PRODUCTS.  REF B PROVIDED POLICY/GUIDANCE ON THE MARINE CORPS FORMS
MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.  REF C ANNOUNCED IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ENTERPRISE
LICENSE FOR MCEFS//
POC/LAURIE A. SOMERS/GS12/PRIPHN:703-614-3076/-/ARLEX RM 2130
/SECPHN:703-613-1081//
RMKS/1.  THE PURPOSE OF THIS BULLETIN IS TO ANNOUNCE THE UPGRADE OF
THE MARINE CORPS FORMS SOFTWARE.  REF A LISTS USMC REQUIRED OR
SUGGESTED COTS AND GOTS SOFTWARE PRODUCTS.  FORMFLOW IS THE REQUIRED
PRODUCT FOR FORMS AUTOMATION.  ALTERNATE METHODS FOR FORMS
DEVELOPMENT (AMIPRO, WORDPERFECT, FREELANCE, LOTUS NOTES) ARE NOT
AUTHORIZED. (REF B, APPENDIX A TO ENCL (1), PAR 2B IS NO LONGER
VALID.)  FORMS AUTOMATION DEVELOPMENT USING FORMFLOW IS REVIEWED
AND INSPECTED BY THE IGMC.
2.  NEW VERSION.  THE CMC (ARAE) SECURED UPGRADE INSURANCE FOR
FORMFLOW THROUGH 30 SEP 98.  THE REPLACEMENT FOR FORMFLOW 2.1 IS
FORMFLOW 2.15.  ALONG WITH THE CAPABILITIES OF FORMFLOW 2.1, THE
FOLLOWING KEY FEATURES OF FORMFLOW 2.15 APPLY:  TRANSMITS FORMS AND
FORMS PACKAGES VIA THE INTERNET; PROVIDES COMPLETE SECURITY
ENVIRONMENT WITH ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES AND ENCRYPTION; TRANSMITS
FORMS PACKAGES AS AN ENCODED ASCII TEXT STRING THROUGH GATEWAYS THAT
DO NOT SUPPORT BINARY FILE ATTACHMENTS; PROVIDES THE ABILITY TO
DOWNLOAD AND LAUNCH FORMFLOW THROUGH WEB BROWSERS; AND PROVIDES
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR LOTUS NOTES 4.5, BANYAN VINES SERVER 6.0, AND
BEYOND MAIL 2.0.
3.  EXCEPTIONS.
   A.  COMMANDERS REQUIRING AN ALTERNATE PRODUCT WILL REQUEST A
WAIVER FROM CG MCCDC (C446) VIA THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.  WAIVERS TO AN
ALTERNATE PRODUCT WILL BE CONSIDERED ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.  SUCH
REQUESTS WILL INCLUDE A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
INCOMPATIBILITIES, THE URGENCY OF THE REQUIREMENT, AND ANY STEPS
TAKEN TO RESEARCH A SOLUTION SHORT OF DEVIATION FROM THE FORMFLOW
PRODUCT.
   B.  IN ALL CASES, ALTERNATE PRODUCTS WILL BE WINDOWS-COMPATIBLE
AND STANDARD FILE EXCHANGE FORMATS WILL BE ADHERED TO WITHIN THE
MARINE CORPS.  WHEN USING ALTERNATE SOFTWARE, POST OR STATION-LEVEL
SUPPORT MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE.  TRAINING FOR ALTERNATE SOFTWARE
BECOMES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMMAND REQUESTING ITS USE.
GRANTING APPROVAL FOR ALTERNATE SOFTWARE WILL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS
AUTHORITY TO DEVIATE FROM THE STANDARD FILE FORMATS WITHIN THE MARINE
CORPS.
4.  RESPONSIBILITIES.
   A.  THE CMC (ARAE) WILL DISTRIBUTE 2.15 TO COMMAND G-6/ISMO NLT
15 FEB 98.
   B.  G-6/ISMO WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AS STATED IN REF C.
ACCESSIBILITY TO THIS SOFTWARE MUST BE DISSEMINATED DOWN TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL.
   C.  FORMS MANAGEMENT OFFICER (FMO'S) WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
SUPPORT AS STATED IN REF C.
5.  FOR FORMS-RELATED QUESTIONS, CONTACT YOUR COMMAND FMO
(G1/ADJUTANT).  FOR SOFTWARE/HARDWARE-RELATED QUESTIONS, CONTACT
YOUR COMMAND G6/ISMO.
6.  THIS BULLETIN IS APPLICABLE TO THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE.
7.  CANCELLATION CONTINGENCY.  THIS BULLETIN IS CANCELED WHEN
INCORPORATED IN REF B.//
BT