Democratic Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and General Assembly Republicans are wrestling over who should run Virginia's computer super-agency as a state report urges financial penalties for delays by the giant firm hired to provide information technology services.
During an online chat yesterday at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Kaine said the Virginia Information Technologies Agency would be more accountable if its director reported directly to the governor.
The agency's boss currently is hired and fired by its oversight board. The panel is made up of gubernatorial and legislative appointees, with the majority from the executive branch.
Kaine said that the "lack of direct accountability at the agency-head level has created some of the challenges" roiling VITA.
The agency's trustees this month ousted Lemuel C. Stewart Jr. as chief information officer after he complained that Northrop Grumman is not fulfilling its obligations under a $2.3 billion contract with the state to provide the IT services. It is Virginia's richest privatization pact.
Stewart was temporarily replaced with Leonard M. "Len" Pomata, Kaine's technology secretary. Pomata also is a member of the VITA board.
Kaine defended Northrop Grumman, which has donated more than has $808,000 to Virginia political candidates of both parties since 2001, including $76,000 to his campaign and inauguration.
"Generally, the issue has been VITA management of the contractor rather than the contractor itself," Kaine said.
Northrop Grumman spokeswoman Christy Whitman said in an e-mail the ongoing shift to a privately run IT system "will take continued commitment and drive."
Stewart's firing and complaints about poor service by Northrop Grumman have triggered an investigation by a Virginia Senate panel. The House Science and Technology Committee yesterday announced it, too, will look into the VITA-Northrop Grumman partnership.
Del. Samuel A. Nixon Jr., R-Chesterfield, one of the General Assembly's IT experts and a sponsor of the 2003 bill creating VITA, wants the board to rescind Pomata's appointment.
Nixon, also head of the House Republican Caucus, argued in a letter to VITA board chairman James F. McGuirk II that having the same person in dual roles disrupts "the delicate system of checks and balances" and creates the "appearance of impropriety."
During this year's General Assembly session, Nixon sponsored legislation -- it was signed into law by Kaine -- that added the state finance secretary to the VITA board and designated the technology secretary as vice-chairman.
That was done to strengthen the governor's role in the management of VITA, since both secretaries are executive-branch appointees, Nixon said.
In a little-noticed report in February, the General Assembly's accountant said it was unlikely Northrop Grumman would complete on time the first phase of its contract with the state.
The company has until June 30 to finish an inventory of computers at state agencies, a necessary step for Northrop Grumman to determine how to service them -- and at what price.
But the report, by Auditor of Public Accounts Walter J. Kucharski, said VITA should use the power of the purse to keep Northrop Grumman in line. Delays have contributed to a deficit at VITA, now $6.2 million.
"We recommend that VITA continue to work with Northrop Grumman to complete these milestones at an acceptable level, and institute financial penalties when necessary until the milestones are completed," said Kucharski, a non-voting member of the VITA board.
Stewart was fired after urging the state to withhold a $14 million monthly payment to Northrop Grumman, alleging that -- as part of a pattern of inferior work -- it had failed to properly itemize its bill.
Contact Olympia Meola at (804) 649-6812 or omeola@timesdispatch.com.
Contact Jeff E. Schapiro at (804) 649-6814 or jschapiro@timesdispatch.com.
Politics editor Andrew Cain and staff writer Jim Nolan contributed to this report.
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