NASCIO Assessment of State IT Consolidation and Shared Services Initiatives

Today the the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) announced the release of its survey summary publication, NASCIO's Survey on IT Consolidation and Shared Services in the States: A National Assessment. A product of NASCIO's 2005 IT Governance & Service Reform Committee, this survey summary provides an overview of the challenges states' indicated they are facing in considering and implementing enterprise IT consolidation and shared services initiatives.

NASCIO surveyed thirty-four states plus the District of Columbia concerning their IT consolidation and shared services efforts. The survey, conducted through November 30, 2005, represents approximately
55 percent of the nations' population. Participation included a wide distribution in geography, population, and budget. The survey summary is available on NASCIO's Web site.

The data reveals a strong trend towards states consolidating key IT functions and utilizing the shared services model whenever applicable. It is also clear from NASCIO's survey that there has been significant progress in several primary technical areas, with respondents reporting they have initiatives completed or in progress in the following areas (sample): Payment Engine, Communications Services, Data Center, Disaster Recovery, and E-mail Services.

"Consolidation of IT infrastructure and the movement to shared services are laying the foundation for a fundamental change in the way states do business," said George Bakolia, Chief Information Officer (CIO) for North Carolina and former Chair of NASCIO's IT Governance & Service Reform Committee.