What's the future of federal IT spending? According to market research firm INPUT, a couple of lean years followed by a steeper growth curve. Overall, agencies' spending will grow 5 percent annually from $79 billion in 2007 to $102 billion by 2012, according to INPUT forecasters. But most of the growth will be back-loaded. This year and next, the firm's market researchers say, spending will be sluggish due to appropriations delays and ongoing disagreements between President Bush and the Democratic-controlled Congress.