Panel ousts Virginia’s technology chief

Virginia's computer czar was fired hours after he questioned a multimillion-dollar monthly bill from the giant company that the state is paying $2.3 billion for informationtechnology services.

Lemuel C. Stewart Jr. was ousted Wednesday as director of the Virginia Information Technologies Agency by its oversight panel, the Information Technology Investment Board.

Leonard M. "Len" Pomata, newly installed as secretary of technology by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, will succeed Stewart temporarily as Virginia's chief information officer.

Stewart could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Stewart's removal is the latest blow to an agency beset by trouble since its inception more than five years ago. In addition to ongoing administrative and financial questions, VITA recently has had to answer for such issues as the hacking of computerized prescription records at the Virginia Department of Health Professions.

Stewart was dumped shortly after a presentation to VITA's governing body in which he challenged the invoice from Northrop Grumman, which has a 10-year, $2.3 billion contract to supply Virginia agencies with computers, software and maintenance.

One of the General Assembly's experts on information technology, Del. Samuel A. Nixon Jr., R-Chesterfield, said he understood Stewart and Pomata clashed over Stewart's contention that Northrop Grumman is not meeting the terms of its contract.

Pomata, head of the search committee that recommended Stewart in 2004 as VITA director, could not be reached for comment.

Asked about Stewart's presentation and claims that Northrop Grumman is not documenting its bills adequately, company spokeswoman Julia L. Ballesteros said the defense giant "is working closely with VITA to address issues of critical importance."

The pact with Northrop Grumman -- the biggest and richest privatization contract issued by Virginia government -- has been criticized by some legislators and state employees as pricey and inefficient.

The General Assembly's investigative arm, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, has raised concerns about the system under which Northrop Grumman and VITA charge agencies for IT services.

JLARC, for example, noted that VITA is operating with a deficit -- a point Stewart made as well in his briefing Wednesday to the Information Technology Investment Board.

In a slide presentation, Stewart said the agency's current shortfall is $6.2 million. Because of that, VITA "cannot fully pay [Northrop Grumman] and other bills, absent remedial action," such as increasing rates or a loan from the state treasury.

Stewart's presentation went on to point out that agencies continue to complain about Northrop Grumman-supervised service, that the company is "still not meeting [its] contractual obligations," and that invoices to the state are documented insufficiently.

Stewart's departure was announced to VITA employees in an e-mail yesterday from James F. McGuirk II, chairman of the Information Technology Investment Board.

McGuirk gave no reason for the change but said Stewart would serve as a paid consultant until his $189,280-a-year contract expires at the end of 2009.

McGuirk could not be reached for comment.

VITA was set up under the governorship of Democrat Mark R. Warner, now a U.S. senator, and operates in tandem with Northrop Grumman from a headquarters in Chesterfield County.

Nixon, who introduced legislation tightening governance of VITA, challenged the selection of Pomata as interim CIO. Nixon said he does not believe the secretary of technology has the legal authority to serve simultaneously in both offices.

Contact Olympia Meola at (804) 649-6812 or .

Contact Jeff E. Schapiro at (804) 649-6814 or .

Staff writer Tyler Whitley contributed to this report.