IBM to develop automated online claims processing for VA

IBM Corp. has been awarded a $9.1 million contract by the Veterans Affairs Department to develop an automated online claims processing system to speed processing of Agent Orange claims.

Why LinkedIn, why now

A Market Connections 2010 social media study indicates a rapidly growing acceptance and use of social media tools by both industry and government.

Deltek wraps up purchase of Danish ERP provider

Deltek Inc. has acquired Maconomy A/S, a Danish provider of enterprise resource planning materials, for about $73 million in cash.

SAIC to strengthen Air Force communications security

Science Applications International Corp. will provide software support to the Air Force under a four-year task order valued at more than $19 million.

New IPOs hold great promise for services sector

The initial public offerings of Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. and KEYW Corp. offer compelling case studies on why companies choose to go public and what company attributes contribute to IPO success.

We'll always have Paris

Blogger and world traveler Steve Kelman sees no signs of an economic downturn in Paris.

Beware of that bug: It could be following you

The U.S. Army sees miniature unmanned aerial vehicles the size of insects as a big part of future battlefield operations and intelligence gathering.

Alliant tops $1 billion in 14 months of business

The General Services Administration's Alliant governmentwide acquisition contract outpaces its predecessors, ANSWER and Millennia, in overall sales, according to sales figures.

Secrecy could be weighing down military info-sharing

The Pentagon's tradition of keeping information close to the vest is key to operational security, but is it hindering much-needed information-sharing?

Administration alters reporting rules for stimulus money

The rule change requires first-tier subcontractors to report their jobs information to the prime contractors to include in their quarterly reports.

Dell expands portfolio with purchase of software company

Dell Computer Co. has signed an agreement to acquire Scalent, a private manufacturer of software that manages data center servers and infrastructure. Financial terms of the agreement were not released.

Administration makes it easier to award vets sole-source contracts

The amendment to the Federal Acquisition Regulation would more closely mirror the language of the Veterans Benefits Act.

SAP extends $5.8B deadline to purchase Sybase

SA has extended its cash offer for all outstanding shares of common stock of Sybase Inc. until July 16.

Booz Allen, SAIC big winners in June contract countdown

We rank the 10 largest information technology and services contracts awarded in the federal market during the past month.

Contract association names new board of directors

The National Contract Management Association named its 2010-2011 board of directors.

Never say 'Never' on DOD data center outsourcing

William Brougham, the Defense Information Systems Agency’s vice director for network services, said the chances of the Pentagon outsourcing data centers are slim, but he stopped short of ruling it out all together.

Lockheed researching Twitter, YouTube for disaster response

Lockheed Martin Corp.'s advanced lab in New Jersey is counting tweets as part of its research on how to track and analyze social media use for disaster response.

NASA goes to GD for new satellite architecture

General Dynamics C4 Systems will help modernize NASA’s Tracking Data and Relay Satellite System through a $642.2 million contract.

Threats loom for government contractors

Most financial measures show the government market moving from historic highs toward a period of increased risk.

About our numbers

The charts and data that accompany this feature were produced for Washington Technology by investment bank Aronson Capital Partners.