Shuttle resources include federal contracts database

Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc. The IRE Journal, Mar/Apr 2003

Within a couple of hours after the Saturday-morning space shuttle disaster, IRE staff had collected valuable newsroom resources and made them available at www.ire.org. The materials continue to be updated.

They include past investigative work regarding the shuttle or space program, breaking news and backgrounding Web links, GAO and NASA safety reports and federal contracts data.

The data on NASA contracts comes from fiscal years 1992-2001. Space shuttles have been through several renovation projects over the years. For each fiscal year, NASA records 10,000-11,000 contracts for a large variety of work. Among other things, the data shows companies involved, including locations, and amounts involved. To obtain the data, call the Database Library at 573-884-7711.

Updates ...

* The IRE Journal has won its second consecutive Folio: Editorial Excellence Award. The Journal won the silver award in the publishing/journalism category. The magazine industry honor is awarded based on how well a nominee articulates and adheres to its editorial mission, the quality of its content and, to a lesser extent, its overall design.

* Senior contributing editor Steve Weinberg has added two titles to his list of the best investigative books of 2002, which appeared in the January-February edition:

- Tom Koch, "Scarce Goods: Justice, Fairness, and Organ Transplantation" (Westport and London, Praeger Books).

- Diane Renzulli, "Capitol Offenders: How Private Interests Govern Our States" (Center for Public Integrity).