Secretaries are to give a range of details for existing IT projects and contracts, as well as conduct a review of the process and protocol for approving major contracts, amendments or change orders.

“Currently, there is no clear singular protocol for approving contracts or amendments of major contracts,” he writes.

McAuliffe spokesman Brian Coy said the governor “is concerned about ensuring that Virginians are getting their best return for their dollar on every state contract both large and small.”

“This directive will include some scrutiny of the Northrop Grumman contract but will also look into other contracts that are not being so closely scrutinized right now as VITA and Northrop Grumman are and will continue to be.”

Virginia entered into a 10-year, $2.3 billion contract with Northrop Grumman in 2005 in what was then the state's richest-ever privatization deal. The contract has garnered much attention and while it doesn’t effectively end until 2019, choices must be made in the next four years about the future of the state's IT services, including whether to continue outsourcing.

Also a part of McAuliffe’s executive directive is a review of worker classifications of all contracted employees.