10 stories you've been following

1. Justice keeps Deepwater waters roiling
Justice Department officials say they are monitoring a whistle-blower’s allegations against contractors involved in the Deepwater program to rebuild the Coast Guard fleet. But so far the department hasn’t joined in the lawsuit, a Justice spokesman says.

2. VA CIO fired amid Northrop contract probe
As the Virginia Senate Finance Committee prepared to look into Northrop Grumman’s $2 billion contract with the state, the first victim of the probe is state chief information officer Lemuel Stewart. He was ousted after saying he wouldn’t pay the giant contractor.

3. GSA says slow goodbye to GWACs
Reflecting changing market needs, the General Services Administration plans to let many of its governmentwide acquisition information technology contracts expire. Exceptions include the Alliant and Alliant Small Business contracts.

4. DOD shines light on dark side of social networking
Cyber counter intelligence officials at the Defense Intelligence Agency issue a 21st-century loose-lips warning against the indiscriminate use of social media.

5. Obama’s cybersecurity plan praised, questioned
The contracting and business communities both praise and pose questions about President Barack Obama’s intention to name a cyber coordinator to protect the security of computer networks.

6. BAE’s Havenstein takes top posts at SAIC
Walt Havenstein, chief executive officer of BAE Systems Inc., resigns to assume the same role of retiring Ken Dahlberg at Science Applications International Corp. A board seat goes with the new job, which he will start in September. 

7. Virtualization wars, episode one
VMware and Citrix set to duke it out over the future of desktop virtualization and the outcome could hinge on display protocols.

8. Flat IT budgets at hand — live with it!
Although the federal IT market remains strong, contractors should not expect to see anything like double-digit growth the next few years, advises government market analysis firm FedSources.


9. GSA chief nominee vows to speed Networx
Martha Johnson tells a Senate panel that if she is confirmed as GSA administrator, she pledges to accelerate the feds’ sluggish transition to the $68 billion Networx telecommunications contract.


10. Strike four: Unruly E-Verify rule postponed again
Contractors expect another reprieve from mandatory use of the E-Verify employment verification system to allow the Obama administration more time to complete its review of the rule.