Mass. ponders open-source software use

Massachusetts issued an open-standards policy this month that directs agencies to consider using open-source software when purchasing new information technology systems.

Flak over offshore outsourcing swells

State and local governments will continue their full-scale retreat from offshore outsourcing this year to avoid the political backlash that often accompanies the loss of government jobs to overseas sites, industry and government officials said.

Washington taps Arinc for tunnel control system

Arinc Inc. has won a contract to modernize the central computer system for two major highway tunnels near Seattle.

Raytheon nabs Iraq air traffic contract

Raytheon Co. has won a $10.5 million contract to supply air traffic management systems for airports in Iraq.

Lemuel Stewart to be Virginia's CIO

The Virginia Information Technology Investment Board has tapped Lemuel Stewart Jr., a former director of the Virginia Department of Information Technology, to be the state's chief information officer.

Wisc. re-ups Tier Technologies for benefits

Tier Technologies Inc. has won a $4.7 million contract renewal from Wisconsin to continue building the state's unemployment insurance benefits system.

ACS and Georgia to settle healthcare system dispute

Affiliated Computer Services Inc. and the Georgia Department of Community Health have tentatively settled a dispute involving a health claims processing contract.

Maximus expands Wisconsin welfare-to-work contract

Maximus Inc. has won a contract from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development to provide Milwaukee County with additional welfare-to-work program services.

Air Force taps Sprint for tactical communications

Sprint Corp. has won a one-year contract to provide the Department of Defense with tactical communications systems support in Southwest Asia.

TCS finishes buy of Aether's EMS Division

TeleCommunications Systems Inc. has completed its acquisition of the Enterprise Mobility Solutions division of Aether Systems Inc.

Mass. open-standards policy is official

Massachusetts has issued the final version of a controversial policy that promotes use of open standards.

TSA taps Unisys for cellular communications program

Unisys Corp. has won a $10 million contract from the Transportation Security Administration to provide cellular phone services to agency employees.

Former Kentucky CIO joins Oracle

Oracle Corp. has hired former Kentucky chief information officer Aldona Valicenti as vice president of business development and strategy.

SAIC lands $832 million NASA contract

Science Applications International Corp. has won a five-year contract from NASA for information technology management support services.

New Jersey taps AMS for child welfare system

American Management Systems Inc. has won a $26.8 million contract from New Jersey to design and implement an automated child welfare management information system.

Virginia will pay new CIO a record salary

Virginia is planning to pay its new chief information officer a salary comparable to the private sector in order to land the best candidate possible.

Accenture helps agencies to measure, explain outcomes

Indiana Tax Commissioner Kenneth Miller had every reason to believe that recent improvements in tax administration were paying off, but he needed a way to demonstrate tangible results to the governor and legislature.

For states, cash is cast carefully

State governments this year will spend heavily on enterprise resource planning projects and financial management systems to help them slash costs and even generate revenue, according to industry officials.

Education Department to offer $35 billion in grants

Elementary and secondary education programs are in for $35 billion in grants from the Department of Education, according to a new report.

ACS acquires Patient Accounting Services Center

Affiliated Computer Services of Dallas has acquired Patient Accounting Services Center LLC of Kent, Wash., for $94 million.