The U.S. government has awarded contracts to 10 software companies that meet its requirements for protecting sensitive information stored on laptops, handhelds and other mobile devices. The contracts, known as blanket purchase agreements, are open to all federal, state and local government agencies, as well as other North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries. The U.S. General Services Administration, which oversees the so-called Data at Rest Encryption Program, says the agreements could be worth $79 million or more. GSA is urging all government agencies to deploy encryption technology for its mobile devices to avoid data breaches, such as the one that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs experienced last year when a laptop containing personal information about 26.5 million military veterans and spouses was stolen. Federal officials said 30 companies bid on its data encryption program, but only 10 of them were able to meet the more than 100 information security requirements put together by a Pentagon-led evaluation team.