Illinois contractors have raked in about $14 billion in defense contracts since Sept. 1, 2001, just before the U.S. invaded Afghanistan and subsequently Iraq in response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Here are the top 10 contractors, by value of defense contracts they won since Sept. 1, 2001, in the Northeast region.

The totals represent dozens or even hundreds of contracts awarded to individual vendors during that time. GateHouse News Service used data from FedSpending.org, a project of OMB Watch, for this analysis. Data for 2006, the latest year available, are not complete.

1. Northrop Grumman Corp., Rolling Meadows
$2,381,628,587

A defense and technology company building ships, aircraft, electronic communications systems and other tools for the military

2. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co., Oak Brook
$1,037,290,131

A dredging company that works closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

3. Leo Burnett USA Inc., Chicago
$993,277,779

Advertising agency responsible for the “Army of One” campaign

4. CDW Government Inc., Vernon Hills
$435,654,706

A data-processing equipment firm

5. IIT Research Institute, Chicago
$420,843,505

A research center specializing in microbiological and molecular-biological services

6. Clark Blinderman Knight LLC, Chicago
$307,159,287

A construction firm that built barracks at the Great Lakes Naval Station, among other work

7. Alion Science and Technology, Chicago
$274,987,447

A technology company delivering technical expertise and operational support

8. BP Corp. North America, Warrenville
$235,890,757

The petroleum fuel giant

9. The Walsh Group, Chicago
$218,645,132

A commercial construction company

10. Quaker Oats Co., Chicago
$200,655,468

Food products

SOURCE: fedspending.org