Suss Lands Former DISA CIO

In what has to be considered a coup in the world of federal information technology consulting, Suss Consulting signed July 16 former DISA Chief Information Officer John Garing to its team, along with James Kane, who served as chief Executive officer of rival Federal Sources Inc. for the past decade.

Although DISA plans to compete about $5 billion in network contracts this year, don't expect to get any insights from Garing on these procurements, as ethics rules prohibit him from having anything to do with the agency for a year.

Garing told me he will still have plenty to do and said he would like to help companies doing business with the federal government apply their expertise in the private sector, among other things.

DISA is slated to move from its headquarters on Court House Road in Arlington, Va., to a new campus at Fort Meade, Md., in October. Garing, who lives in Woodbridge, Va., told me that the prospect of the daunting commute was a key factor in his decision to leave the agency.

Now he can work from his house and make nearby meetings without extra wear and tear on his car -- and body, he said.