NASCIO Recognizes Outstanding Achievement in State Government

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AUSTIN, Tex., Monday, October 2 — Eleven exemplary initiatives were chosen as recipients for the National Association of State Chief Information Officers’ (NASCIO) 2017 Recognition Awards for outstanding achievement in information technology in state government.

Recipients were announced this evening during the NASCIO Annual Conference in Austin. This marks the 29th consecutive year NASCIO has honored outstanding information technology achievements in the public sector through the awards program. Recipients were selected by the NASCIO Awards Committee from a field of more than 100 nominees.

“It has been a great privilege to co-chair the NASCIO Awards Committee,” said Delaware Chief Information Officer James Collins. “The recipients honored tonight, as well as all nominated projects, demonstrate the integral and transformative nature information technology can have on state government and the experiences of citizens.”    

The 2017 Award Recipients are:

Cross-Boundary Collaboration and Partnerships
State of California, Virtual Integrated Mobile Office

Cybersecurity    
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Risk-Based Multi-Factor Authentication

Digital Government: Government to Business 
State of Minnesota, Tempo Go Live

Digital Government: Government to Citizen 
State of Georgia, Division of Child Support Services Mobile App

Disaster Recovery/Security & Business Continuity Readiness
State of Michigan, Michigan Cyber Civilian Corps

Emerging and Innovative Technologies
State of Utah, Utah Driver License Appointment Reminder and Public Meeting Notice Reminders

Enterprise IT Management Initiatives
State of Wisconsin, Star Project, The Blueprint for Efficient State Government

Improving State Operations
Commonwealth of Michigan, Michigan Forest Inventory System

Information Communications Technology (ICT) Innovations
State of Minnesota, Minnesota Geospatial Commons

Open Government and Data, Information and Knowledge Management
State of Oregon, MAGI Medicaid System Transfer Project

State CIO Office Special Recognition    
State of Colorado, Strategy of Success: Playbook and Five-Year IT Plans
 

State Government Associations Release IT Procurement Recommendations and Roadmap For Reform

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (September 19, 2017) – The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) and the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) have released a joint roadmap for state information technology (IT) procurement reform and process transformation. The two associations have worked in tandem toward deeper engagement and partnership on this important issue for nearly two years.

In February 2017, NASPO and NASCIO established a joint task force on IT procurement negotiations. This task force is co-chaired by NASPO’s Sarah Hilderbrand, Idaho Chief Procurement Officer (CPO), and NASCIO’s Jim Smith, Maine Chief Information Officer (CIO) and includes CPOs and CIOs from 15 states. Task force members met for a daylong workshop session in Pittsburgh, Pa. in August 2017, and discussed how to best reach their shared goal of reforming and transforming IT procurement. The outcome of the work performed over the past nine months culminated in 18 joint recommendations for IT procurement improvement in the following categories: 

•    Relationship building
•    Procurement processes
•    Centralization
•    Legislation and policy

These recommendations are accompanied by suggested implementation methods for the practical application of the joint task force's guidance.  The recommendations, implementation methods and the publication as a whole are the result of the work of the task force, the in-person workshop, and a survey of CPOs and CIOs across the country on topics related to IT procurement and, specifically, negotiations of IT contracts. Forty states responded to the survey questions and provided invaluable feedback to NASCIO and NASPO.

Mark Raymond, NASCIO President and CIO for the State of Connecticut said, “The business models in state government IT are changing as rapidly as technology itself.  The procurement processes for technology must also adapt. Indeed, it is our hope that this publication and recommendations help CIOs and CPOs start a conversation about what is to come in this arena.”

“Procurement and IT are not going away, they’re going to change. How we adjust to change, how we continue to improve and how we interact to improve is the goal,” said Larry Maxwell, NASPO President and New Mexico State Purchasing Director. “NASPO will continue to be a strategic partner and encourage work groups like this to address that change.” 

A copy of the recommendations of the joint task force is available on both NASPO and NASCIO websites at www.nascio.org/procurement

 

NASCIO Recognizes Outstanding Achievements in State IT: Finalists Announced for 2017 NASCIO State IT Recognition Awards

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LEXINGTON, Ky., Thursday, August 3, 2017 —  The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) has selected 32 finalists across 11 categories for the State IT Recognition Awards. This is the 29th consecutive year NASCIO has honored outstanding information technology achievements in state government through the awards.

 

Projects and initiatives from NASCIO member states, territories, and the District of Columbia were eligible for nomination. NASCIO members served as volunteer judges to review the 100+ submissions, narrowing the nominees down to finalists in each category. From these finalists, a recipient will be announced during an awards dinner at the upcoming NASCIO Annual Conference this October in Austin, Texas.

 

"The awards hold a special place in the state IT community," said James Collins, CIO for the state of Delaware and Awards Committee Chair. "The NASCIO awards present an opportunity to recognize the many unsung IT people across the nation delivering innovative solutions for their states. The program also serves an impressive repository of ideas for sharing and collaboration."

 

The award nominations showcase the use of information technology to address critical business problems, more easily connect citizens to their government, improve business processes, and create new opportunities that improve the lives of citizens. To ensure states have access to the innovations and leading practices of their peers, all award submissions will be added to the NASCIO’s awards library by late August.

 

Award finalists for the 2017 State IT Recognition Awards are:

 

Cross-Boundary Collaboration & Partnerships

State of California: Virtual Integrated Mobile Office Project (VIMO)

State of Texas: Texas Veterans Portal

State of Utah: Innovating Cloud Solutions with Cooperative Purchasing

 

Cybersecurity

State of Colorado: Fighting Vulnerabilities with 2-Step Verification

State of Indiana: Indiana Information Sharing & Analysis Center

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Risk-Based Multi-Factor Authentication

Commonwealth of Virginia: VITA Web Application Vulnerability Scanning Program

 

Digital Government: Government to Business

State of Minnesota: Tempo Go Live: Modernizing Collaboration and Data Sharing

State of Mississippi: Mississippi Secretary of State Business One Stop Shop (BOSS)

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: eInspection: Application Oil and Gas Surface Activities Inspection Report

 

Digital Government: Government to Citizens

State of Georgia: Georgia Division of Child Support Services Mobile App

State of Idaho: Idaho Retirement Information System (IRIS)

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: myCOMPASS Mobile App

 

Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity

State of Michigan: Michigan Cyber Civilian Corps

 

Emerging & Innovative Technologies

State of Colorado: Colorado DRIVES

State of Minnesota: Transforming Enterprise Services to the Cloud

State of Utah: Utah Driver License Appointment and Public Meeting Notice Reminders

 

Enterprise IT Management Initiatives

State of Michigan: MiLogin

State of Rhode Island: Statewide ePermitting Initiative

State of Wisconsin: STAR Project: The Blueprint for Efficient State Government

 

Improving State Operations

State of Georgia: Fraud Management Solution

State of Michigan: Michigan Forest Inventory System

State of Utah: Utah's Watershed Restoration Initiative

 

Information Communications Technology (ICT) Innovations

State of Georgia: Department of Transportation Emergency Operations Center

State of Minnesota: Minnesota Geospatial Commons

State of West Virginia: DMVNow Kiosk Program: Introducing 24/7 Government ATM

 

Open Government & Data Information and Knowledge Management

State of Michigan: Michigan State Police Department Unifies Data, Improves Visibility into Criminal Activity

State of Oregon: MAGI Medicaid System Transfer Project

State of Utah: Discover: Utah's Base Map and Imagery Services

 

State CIO Office Special Recognition

State of Colorado: Strategy of Success: Playbook and 5-Year IT Plans

State of Louisiana: IT Consolidation and Enterprise Architecture

State of Maine: TechNight

NASCIO VP, Okla. CIO James “Bo” Reese Testifies on State Impact of Federal Cybersecurity Regulations before Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

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WASHINGTON, D.C., Wednesday, June 21 — Today NASCIO Vice President and Oklahoma Chief Information Officer, James “Bo” Reese, testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee at their hearing, “Cybersecurity Regulation Harmonization.” Reese’s testimony focused on the impact that federal cybersecurity regulations have on state IT consolidation/optimization and cybersecurity investments. Reese stressed the need for greater collaboration and partnership with federal regulatory agencies. 

“State CIOs understand and appreciate the responsibility of government to secure citizens’ information and we see this as a shared goal between federal and state partners. We are extremely pleased that the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has dedicated its attention to this important issue. We hope to continue the work they have highlighted and would appreciate the opportunity to work with our federal counterparts to ensure that we protect citizens’ information without undue burden to state governments,” said Reese about the hearing.   

In his testimony, Reese brought attention to several federal cybersecurity regulations that pose obstacles for state IT consolidation/optimization and risk-based cybersecurity investments. Reese also called on federal regulatory agencies to normalize the federal cybersecurity compliance audit process which encourages states to make counterproductive compliance investments instead of ones based on risk.

To read the full testimony of Vice President Reese, click here.

To watch a recording of the full hearing, click here. 

State Chief Information Officer Amy Tong, State of California, Profiled in NASCIO State CIOs Make a Difference Campaign

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State Chief Information Officer (CIO) Amy Tong is making a difference for California by developing and deploying innovative and responsive solutions to the most critical needs in the business of government and providing quality assurance for state government IT projects and services.  
Over the next two weeks, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers will feature the work and accomplishments of Tong, the Department of Technology, and the entire California IT community in their strategic focus on ensuring the security of sensitive information assets, fostering innovation and partnerships, enabling successful IT project establishments and delivery, and providing sustainable and efficient business enablement services. 
California is putting people at the center of these four areas; designing user-centered digital services for employees within state government and citizens that seek to interact with government effortlessly. “In serving the people of California, said Tong, “we’re leading the delivery of a better government.” 
Learn more about California’s story on the campaign website,  www.NASCIO.org/CIOsMakeaDifference. Follow @NASCIO and #StateCIOsRock on Twitter for campaign highlights and updates. 

NASCIO Issues Blockchains – Advancing Digital State Government

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The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) today released the first in a series of briefs focused on blockchains. Blockchain technology can be employed in a variety of ways and the ideas for using this technology are just beginning to be explored. Blockchain technology can assist with transactions, creating a necessary audit trail, authorizing a decision, authenticating authority and establishing a system of record. 

“State CIOs, as technology and innovation leaders, are continually focused on solutions which can bring efficiency and effectiveness to the government enterprise. Blockchain technology possesses potential to transform numerous services delivered by government agencies at all levels, offering enhanced security, transparency and reliability,” said Dr. Craig Orgeron, chief information officer, state of Mississippi, and chair of the NASCIO Enterprise Architecture & Governance Committee. “This initial brief from the NASCIO Enterprise Architecture Committee will open an exploratory dialogue to what may be a game-changing technology.”

“Blockchain holds tangible promise for Illinois’ citizens and businesses and we are committed to exploring and embracing the technology’s potential for our state,” said Mike Wons, chief technology officer, state of Illinois. “As we move forward, we look forward to collaborating with all government entities, businesses, organizations and academia interested in participating in this exciting opportunity to join NASCIO in exploring the potential of blockchain technology.”

Read the brief at www.nascio.org/publications.

State Chief Information Officer Mark Bengel, State of Tennessee, Profiled in NASCIO State CIOs Make a Difference Campaign

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LEXINGTON, Ky., Monday, May 15, 2017 — State Chief Information Officer (CIO) Mark Bengel is making a difference for Tennessee by guiding the state through a consolidation plan that allows for the improvement of capabilities through shared resources, increased success by driving best practices and the simplification of IT environments to allow more focus on innovation.   

Over the next two weeks, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers will feature the work and accomplishments of Bengel and the Department of Finance and Administration, Strategic Technology Solutions in the State CIOs Make a Difference campaign. Tennessee’s profile will highlight how the state has evolved to their current Enterprise IT Transformation (EIT) initiative and will showcase what the future holds through a current project to create a citizen-centric government.

“Our EIT project has allowed us to do more by leveraging shared enterprise resources,” said Bengel. “We really do have some amazing things brewing here in Tennessee. We can’t wait to see what the future will bring us.”

Learn more about Tennessee’s story on the campaign website,  www.NASCIO.org/CIOsMakeaDifference. Follow @NASCIO and #StateCIOsRock on Twitter for campaign highlights and updates.

NASCIO Conference Attendees Give Back to Virginia, Host City of 2017 Midyear Conference

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LEXINGTON, Ky., Tuesday, May 9, 2017 — The National Association of State Chief Information Officers provided a $7,355 donation to Second Story, a Virginia organization that provides services to youth, teens and families to ensure they have opportunities for learning, growth and success. Donations were collected during the NASCIO Midyear Conference in Arlington through the Give Back program as a way to thank the host state and community. NASCIO state, corporate and nonprofit members donated $4,355 through individual contributions and NASCIO provide a $3,000 donation. 
Second Story Executive Director Judith Dittman welcomed attendees during the conference and provided information about the organization, which recently changed its name from Alternative House. A person’s first story is the one they are handed, the one they were born into and the story that has happened to them. Judith and her team are there to support the second story, the narrative young people choose for themselves, and support them in achieving their goals. 
“It was an incredible honor to be invited to speak at the NASCIO conference,” said Dittman. “We are so grateful for the generosity of those attending. The give back fund will make a huge difference in the lives of young people who are striving to make successful life choices, do well in school, and give back to their community.”
Give Back funds will specifically support the refurbishment of four computer centers in the organization’s teen and youth programs. In addition to offering vital access to technology and information, the computer centers allow for a safe place for children and teens to interact with Second Story staff and volunteers and get plugged in with additional services that may be of benefit to them and their families.
To learn more about Second Story and their array of services, visit second-story.org. 

State Chief Information Officer Bo Reese, State of Oklahoma, Profiled in NASCIO State CIOs Make a Difference Campaign

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LEXINGTON, Ky., Monday, May 1, 2017 — State Chief Information Officer (CIO) Bo Reese is making a difference for Oklahoma by leading IT unification efforts, improving Wi-Fi and broadband service to students and improving public safety through the Criminal Justice Information Systems Center for Excellence.

Over the next two weeks, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers will feature the work and accomplishments of Reese and the Office of Management and Enterprise Services Information Services division (OMES) in the State CIOs Make a Difference campaign. Oklahoma’s profile will highlight the many success of their IT consolidation efforts, which have streamlined IT functions, reduced costs, and provided a more modern infrastructure to ensure citizen needs are met and data is protected. 

“We have some of the hardest working and most dedicated IT professionals in the state”, said Reese. “We want to show that we’re not just a prairie, we’re not just cows and fences; that we have a significant, robust technology base in Oklahoma."

Learn more about Oklahoma’s story on the campaign website,  www.NASCIO.org/CIOsMakeaDifference. Follow @NASCIO and #StateCIOsRock on Twitter for campaign highlights and updates. 

State CIOs advocate for strong federal-state partnership to address cybersecurity and introduce efficiencies in the federal information security compliance process

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WASHINGTON, D.C. Wednesday, April 26, 2017 — Today NASCIO members met with federal officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Social Security Administration (SSA), FirstNet, and various strategic partners to emphasize the need for strong intergovernmental partnerships between the federal government and state governments.

Nearly 40 state CIOs and state technology officials participated in NASCIO’s 2017 Fly-In where they advocated to advance NASCIO’s advocacy priorities which includes cybersecurity. State CIOs heard from DHS Director of Federal Network Resilience Mark Kneidinger about federal resources available to states to combat cybersecurity threats. State CIOs also discussed cybersecurity and federal priorities with several association partners including the National Governors Association (NGA), National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), and the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD).   

Additionally, as part of NASCIO’s advocacy effort to harmonize federal IT security regulations, representatives from the IRS and SSA joined NASCIO members to discuss ways to introduce efficiencies into the compliance process. State governments administer federal programs to state citizens and as such must comply with federal information security regulations like those contained in “IRS Publication 1075” and SSA’s “Electronic Information Exchange Security Requirements and Procedures for State and Local Agencies Exchanging Electronic Information with the SSA.” State CIOs are responsible for meeting the IT security needs of state agencies that deliver government services and have asked representatives from both the SSA and IRS to work together on normalizing the security audit process.

“State CIOs recognize the importance of securing citizen data. We appreciate the intent behind federal information security regulations that aim to protect citizen information. We appreciated the opportunity to discuss ways state CIOs could work in partnership with the IRS and SSA to improve the compliance process for all those involved. We look forward to ongoing and productive engagement with our federal partners,” said NASCIO President and Connecticut CIO, Mark Raymond.

NASCIO’s annual D.C. Fly-In convenes state CIOs and NASCIO’s federal and strategic partners for a day of advocacy and discussion related to current government affairs priorities: cybersecurity, FirstNet, flexibility in federal regulations impacting state IT, and information sharing. It also serves as an opportunity for state CIOs to establish and strengthen key relationships with federal decision-makers.