Steve Towns, Editor

Time Ticking for States to Opt In or Out of FirstNet

The federal government wants to create a single network for emergency communications, and it’s up to states to decide whether they want to join.

Investor Confidence in Cloud-Based Government Apps Grows

Equity fund pumps $40 million into California-based civic technology provider.

See How the World's Largest Telcom Company Manages its Network (PHOTOS/VIDEO)

AT&T‘s Global Network Operations Center tracks daily movement of nearly 30 petabytes of data.

Photo of the Week - NASCIO 2011 Annual Conference Is Under Way

NASCIO's 2011 Annual Conference in Denver focuses on moving government forward.

Georgia CIO Calvin Rhodes Discusses Outsourcing and Cloud Computing

State budget priorities and improving government processes are among challenges Rhodes is facing.

Digital Counties Survey Shows Governments Getting More Practical (Opinion)

Recession makes counties take innovative steps.

Texas Says It Will Seek New Data Center Contractors

State will likely break massive consolidation services deal into multiple parts.

Smart-Grid Initiative May Signal Step Toward Energy Independence (Opinion)

Sacramento, Calif., utility plans smart meters to let consumers track energy use; improved use of renewable energy.

Texas Officials Await IBM Response to Data Center Contract Warning

Texas Department of Information Resources weighs options for moving forward if IBM outsourcing deal fails.

CIO Chad Kirkpatrick Discusses Arizona E-Mail Consolidation

Desktop virtualization and online licensing among other Arizona CIO's priorities.

Texas Warns IBM of Outsourcing Contract Failures

CIO Karen Robinson gives IBM 30 days to fix problems with $863 million data center deal

Missouri CIO Doug Young Discusses Budget and IT Operations

Doug Young also covers contract issues and the impact of health-care reform on IT.

Aligning Technology and Policy Key to Winning Support for IT Improvements (Opinion)

Using technology to make government work smarter and more efficiently.

Attracting Youth to Government Service (Opinion)

Manor, Texas, benefits from Miellennial innovation.

Political Transitions Could Boost CIO Influence

New administrations in November could be seeking IT advice.

2010 Top 25 Spotlights Government Innovators (Opinion)

Government Technology's 2010 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers.

Will Facebook Replace Traditional Government Web Sites?

San Francisco CIO Chris Vein sees shift toward new Web channels for service delivery.    

Public Libraries Embrace Technology to Attract Citizens (Opinion)

Libraries add video games, multimedia to stay relevant to tech-savvy residents.

Nebraska CIO Brenda Decker Talks About State's Transparency Web Site

Nebraska also encourages citizen input with Facebook, Twitter.

Cloud Computing: Four Questions to Ask Your Vendor

Data location, access and security are crucial to cloud computing contracts.

Michigan Releases Shared Data Center RFI

State IT department seeks input on potential public-private partnership to build energy-efficient computing center.

California Plans to Launch Information Security Operations Center

Proposed California facility is part of new five-year information security strategy.

Federal CTO: Smart Grid, E-Health Records and Broadband Need CIO Input

Aneesh Chopra says state CIOs should play key role in president's innovation agenda.

Indiana Cancels Huge Outsourced Welfare Modernization Plan

Governor calls $1.6 billion plan flawed; IBM says modernization was working.

Audit Report Criticizes Massive Virginia IT Outsourcing Plan

Vendor failed to plan appropriately, had poor grasp of agency needs, report claims.

Utah Creates Social Media Guidelines for Employees Who Blog, Tweet, Etc.

New guidelines spell out what's appropriate for user-generated content from government.

Washington CTO Chris Willey Discusses Continuation of Apps for Democracy

Washington, D.C., taps citizens for government applications using 311 call center database.

Google to Launch Government Cloud

New cloud offering is designed for public sector, Google says, but state and local agencies still may need to adapt.

Michigan CIO Ken Theis Leads Effort to Bring IT Jobs to State

Tech-based economic development initiative lures IBM, GE and others to Michigan.  

Michigan Plans New Data Center and Government Cloud

State readies a request for information for green computer center that will offer managed services to public agencies and drive job creation.

New York City's Bold Human Services Re-Engineering Bears Watching (Opinion)

HHS-Connect attempts to integrate Health and Human Services to produce better outcomes.

Vivek Kundra Touts Transparency, Accountability and Open Government

Federal CIO wants public feedback for improved IT project management.

Utah Plans Private Cloud for Local Agencies

Hosted e-mail and Web applications could soon be available from Utah state technology agency.    

Cloud Computing Is First Option for New Apps in Washington, D.C.

D.C. government finds the cloud is source for low-cost collaboration and application development.

Feds Release Final Data Definitions for Stimulus Reporting

Data dictionary describes ARRA spending information that must be reported by state and local governments.

Texas Awards Portal Contract to NIC

Seven-year TexasOnline deal is expected to produce $183 million in revenue for state.

CIO Steve Jennings Discusses Stimulus Fund Plans for Harris County, Texas

Harris County plans infrastructure and records/document management projects with federal stimulus grant money.

Vivek Kundra: Cloud Computing Could Improve Intergovernmental Collaboration

Federal CIO says federal funding rules are under review.

Chicago Opens Technology High School

Chicago Academy of Advanced Technology is designed to fill gaps in technology work force.

Beth Noveck on the Future of Government Transparency

Leader of President Obama's open-government initiative says performance measures are crucial.

Texas Consolidation Saves Money Despite Delays, Report Says

Statewide consolidation plan has reduced costs by $11 million over past two years, accounting firm finds.

Order Cuts Year-End Technology Buying in California

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger terminates unfilled vendor contracts in response to state budget crisis.

Stimulus Reporting: CIOs See Technology, Policy Challenges -- VIDEO

Looming stimulus reporting deadline focuses attention on need for rules and data standards.

Obama's First 100 Days Show Willingness to Listen to State and Local Concerns (Opinion)

Office of Management and Budget must still issue guidelines on tracking stimulus spending.

Digital Dashboard Will Track California Technology Projects

California CIO's Office releases project management rules and launches new transparency effort.

HP CEO Mark Hurd: Technology Transformation Takes Commitment, Investment

HP slashed servers and software applications. The experience holds lessons for California.

Federal CIO Vivek Kundra: Obama to 'Rationalize' $71 Billion Federal Tech Portfolio (Video)

Administration will promote cloud computing and take a critical look at existing technology investments.

State Stimulus Tracking Rules and Funding Help May Be Coming

OMB to clarify stimulus transparency requirements and reimbursement for tracking expenses.

Federal Web Portal Moves to Cloud Computing Platform

USA.gov transitions to cloud computing platform this weekend, expects to slash infrastructure costs.

Stimulus Plan Details Are Needed, Local Government CIOs Say

Economic stimulus plan will boost technology deployments in city and county governments -- but CIOs must know the rules.

Aneesh Chopra Brings Innovation and Urgency to Federal CTO Role (Opinion)

Obama's choice of Chopra underscores the president's drive for technological innovation.

Collin County's Caren Skipworth Pushes Regional Collaboration

IT director for Texas county led effort to build shared communication network.

Cloud Computing Apps for Government Offered by Microsoft

Cloud applications from Microsoft include public-records tracking, case management, and licensing and permitting.

Stimulus Reporting Requirements Remain Hazy

Economic stimulus task force in California seeks to maximize funding and sort out monitoring and transparency details.

New York's myBenefits Lets Citizens Apply for Social Services

Daniel Chan, CIO of the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, discusses myBenefits social services Web portal.

Texas CIO of the Year Chosen; Sacramento Gasification Plan Canceled

Collin County's Caren Skipworth named top Texas CIO.

Ken Theis: Michigan CIO Fights Tight Budget With Shared Services

Ken Theis: Michigan CIO Fights Tight Budget With Shared Services

Obama Committed to New Technology

Clean energy, health IT and power grid management have great promise, but big price tags.

Economic Stimulus Will Boost Technology and Role of State CIOs

Recovery.gov could spark new relationships between state, local and federal government.

Opinion: Obama Administration Should Invest in IT Infrastructure

Federal help possible as states struggle to fix budgets.

California May Create Chief Geographic Officer Position, Says State CIO Teri Takai

Colorado CIO Mike Locatis urges new funding approach.

Security Expert: Fight Cyber-Crime Through Procurement

Make vendors responsible for vulnerable software, says Alan Paller, director of research for the SANS Institute.

Collin County's Caren Skipworth Named 2009 Texas CIO of the Year

Skipworth led development of shared network that saved Collin County more than $1 million.

Ken Theis, Michigan CIO, Looks to Cross Boundaries

State and local cooperation is crucial in economic downturn, Theis says.

Virtual Alabama Empowers First Responders

Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications demonstrates its EOC on wheels.

Second Life Employee-Recruiting Site Leads to Missouri IT Worker Hire

GPS sensors help save elephants.

Bad Economy, Green IT and Web 2.0 Shape 2008 IT Trends

CIOs grapple with work force turnover, budget prioritization and collaborative applications.

What Does an Obama Administration Mean to Government IT?

Shifting funding priorities and focus on green technology investments could be some of the changes.

Obama Presidency May Quickly Impact State and Local Governments

Large public works projects and federal backing for state and local bonds could be among new president's early priorities.

Utah CIO Steve Fletcher Saves State Millions in Energy Costs

Four-day workweek helps attract new workers.

New York State Officials: Agencies Must Adapt to Millennial Work Force

Millennial desires will challenge traditional government work rules.

Missouri Hires First Employee from Second Life

Low-cost virtual recruiting effort delivers ROI, state CIO says.

Utah Tops 2008 Digital States Survey

With more than 800 state government services online, Utah could close offices statewide without inconveniencing citizens.

Alaska Enterprise Technology Director Focuses on Metrics

Anand Dubey says good information leads to good IT investment and management.

New York Wireless Network Faces Serious Problems, CIO Says

But Melodie Mayberry-Stewart expresses optimism that troubles can be fixed.

Counties Highlight IT Successes at NACo Conference

Electronic filing for property statements and RFID tracking of election ballots draw attention.

CIO Dale Jablonsky Explains How California's EDD Will Use Web 2.0 and SaaS

New technologies help California Employment Development Department take on new responsibilities.

Debra Bowen: A Politician Who Gets 'IT'

California secretary of state proves the value of a tech-savvy political leader.

Vivek Kundra, CTO of Washington, D.C., Focuses on Project Management

Kundra uses stock market model to determine viability of IT projects.

Four Questions for Pete Collins, CIO of Austin, Texas

Four Questions for Pete Collins, CIO of Austin, Texas

Texas CTO Brian Rawson Previews Upcoming Procurements

State will rebid contracts for statewide network and TexasOnline Web portal.

Flexing Your Power

Governments get serious about energy conservation and sustainability

California to Measure Cost of Strict Contracting Rules

Procurement officials try to gauge whether state's contracting terms and conditions inflate prices and cut competition.

Peter Collins, CIO of Austin, Honored at GTC Southwest

Texas Gov. Rick Perry urges CIOs to Innovate.

IT Security Survey Shows Government's Progress on Safeguarding Data

GT reader survey exposes strengths and weaknesses of information security.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry Urges Government IT Community to Innovate

"You'll grasp the importance of technology before anyone else in your agency. You're the agents of change, and change is hard."

New York CIO Melodie Mayberry-Stewart to Modernize State IT Systems

Mayberry-Stewart says innovation and information sharing are key challenges.

The Next 'Greatest Generation?'

The Next 'Greatest Generation?'

The Sacrifice at Home

The Sacrifice at Home

Reinventing Our Web Site

Reinventing Our Web Site

Get Ready for SaaS: Software as a Service Will Transform Industry Says Microsoft CEO

"Ten years from now, 80 percent of users in this room will be running software with an outside service provider."

Government Technology's Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers for 2007

Doers, dreamers and drivers of 2007

Former Homeland Security Chief Slams Interoperability Progress

"To be five and half years after 9/11 and be no further toward a national, broadband, interoperable communication system in my judgment is inexcusable."

A New View

A New View

Leaders of the Pack

Revealing the secrets of 2006 Digital States' top performers.

Fast Forward

http://www.govtech.net/magazine/story.php?id=102631

Year in Review

A look back at the issues and events that drove government IT in 2006.

Digital States 2006

2006 Digital States Survey reveals growing e-government maturity.

Fast-Forward

Fast-Forward

Two in a Row

Michigan repeats as nation's top Digital State.

Fair and Square?

Fair and Square?

Small World

Small World

Seeing Stars?

Seeing Stars?

L.A. Story

Political leaders envision more technology in the city's future.

Austin on Display

Thera Bradshaw: One of Government Technology's 25 Doers Dreamers & Drivers

"Our plan is to unwire L.A., all public facilities within the next three years, and the entire city within five years"

Saluting the Top 25

Saluting the Top 25

Helping Government Measure Up

Helping Government Measure Up

From the Editor: Work Force of the Future

Building a better Texas, piece by piece.

The Year in Review ... 2005

Consolidation and other cost-cutting moves continued throughout 2005, but technology also returned to the political stage as a potentially transformative force. Here's our look back at the events that shaped 2005.

Credibility Gap

Bad contracts leave lasting damage.

Economic Imperative

Economic Imperative

Powerful Partners

Powerful Partners

Shaking Off the Rust

Gov. Jennifer Granholm and CIO Teresa Takai view technology as key to revitalizing Michigan's economy.

E2CI Founder Chris Warner, One of Government Technology's 25 'Doers Dreamers and Drivers'

'I started this adventure with the naïve goal of getting 50 states and 3,300 counties and 10,000 cities to work together. Luckily I had no idea of what I was getting into'

Fulton County, Ga., CIO Robert E. Taylor, One of Government Technology's 25 'Doers Dreamers and Drivers'

'We take every dollar we can, and we pinch it and use it like it was ours'

Michigan CIO Teresa Takai, One of Government Technology's 25 'Doers Dreamers and Drivers'

''Because all of our IT is focused in a single area, the governor doesn't have to think, 'If I want to accomplish this, which IT program in which agency do I need to make that happen?'''

Sarasota County, Fla., CIO Bob Hanson, One of Government Technology's 25 'Doers Dreamers and Drivers'

'The data center had the capacity to serve as a magnet to induce collaboration -- that's what inspired us on the ASP model.'

Des Moines City Manager Eric Anderson, One of Government Technology's 25 'Doers Dreamers and Drivers'

'Knowledge of technology is fundamental; it's a prerequisite to good management.'

Twenty-Five Reasons Why

The public sector shows its mettle.

Cautious Optimism

Cautious Optimism

2004: Year in Review

From budget angst, CIO turnover and offshore outsourcing to technology's continued advance to sci-fi heights, 2004 gave us a little bit of everything. Here's Government Technology's revisit of the year gone by.

Defining Leadership

CIOs, city managers, legislators and one long-dead president struggle to answer the question: 'what makes an effective leader?'

State of the Counties

Angelo Kyle NACo president and NACo CTO Bert Jarreau discuss county technology issues with Government Technology

State of the Counties

NACo's CTO and new president talk technology, homeland security and collaboration.

Thomas Freeman

CIO, Roseville, Calif.

Change Triggers Challenges

Evolving Internet drops complex issues into the laps of CIOs.

Steven Schafer

CIO, Nebraska

Crosstalk

Crosstalk

Two Cents

Gateway M275 Convertible Notebook

Introducing Our Top 25

Introducing Our Top 25

Leroy Williams

CIO of Colorado

Desert Discourse

The Center for Digital Government's second annual meeting on public leadership yielded more than its share of provocative ideas.

Strong CIO/Governor Alliance Key to E-Gov Success

Project centralized Michigan's e-government operations

Answering the Call

311 system helps New York respond to recent emergencies.

Kentucky CIO Receives NASCIO Service Award

Aldona Valicenti takes top honor at national conference.

Speaking Up for Rural America

NACo President Karen Miller says technology plays a vital role in the health of small communities.

New Training Options for Federal Money Managers

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is automating and enhancing training initiatives delivered to nearly 10,000 financial management professionals employed by the federal government.

Learning Portal for ATF Employees

Employees at the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) now have access to more than 1,500 e-learning course and e-books through the bureau's learn.atf Web site.

National Guard Leads E-Learning

The U.S. National Guard is working with the University of Nebraska to develop e-learning courses through an initiative known as Project Alert.

New Jersey Opens Online Training to Insurance Agents

Insurance agents in New Jersey now can fulfill continuing education (CE) requirements via online classes.

Study Backs Benefits of Blended Learning

Blended learning programs that combine e-learning, online instruction, texts and live classroom training can significantly boost employee productivity, according to a new study.

Connecticut Implements HIPAA Training Solution

Connecticut implemented an e-learning solution to deliver HIPAA general privacy training to as many as 6,000 employees.

Choosing the Top 25

Choosing the Top 25

Digital Dogfight

Arizona tops tightly contested 2002 Digital State survey.

Successful Venture

Technology-based economic-development effort delivers results, Illinois says.

Conquering the High-Speed Divide

Conquering the High-Speed Divide

Enterprising Wireless

Governments seek mobile solutions that serve multiple masters.

Tracking Traffic-Stop Data

Racial profiling concerns prompt police agencies to adopt mobile applications.

This Space for Rent

So far, only a few jurisdictions have accepted advertisements on their Web sites, but more will follow. Is the risk worth the reward?

Enterprising Solutions

Enterprise systems can provide comprehensive agencywide improvements in functionality and efficiency while stomping the millennium bug.

States Progress Toward Digital Nation

Is there a way to balance the competing needs of access and privacy? Should the Social Security Administration try again to make some of their information available on the Web?

When Procurement is Rocket Science

Can putting the Space Shuttle together provide the experience to revamp California's procurement process?

New York Installing Statewide Intranet ?

Government agencies from large state departments to small-town clerks prepare to connect.

State/Federal Summit Tackles Y2K Data Compatibility

Inability to transfer data between agencies could unravel a networked government.

Number-Crunching

A new spreadsheet literally puts San Francisco commissioners on the same page.

Procurement Reform Stalled Over Privatization Issue

The California Acquision Reform Act is hung up, snagged on union fears that it will facilitate privatization and layoffs.