Finance

The state has received a downpayment of $6.6 million from the federal government to expand broadband services and skills training for the increasingly digital workforce, the governor announced Thursday.

Rural parts of the state that lack reliable Internet connections are hopeful the recent award of $65 million in American Rescue Plan Act money will expand service in their areas. The state Legislature accepted the funding last week.

For the first time since GI Partners took GTY Technology off the stock market via acquisition, GTY is acquiring a company. The deal will bring together two e-procurement vendors serving more than 1,900 agencies.

The funding comes from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program that was created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and will go toward extending service in underserved parts of the state.

The findings, compiled by a contractor, outlined an important blueprint about what needs the county should focus on moving forward, officials said. It also gives the county credibility as it competes for grant funding.

Washington state CIO Bill Kehoe said the agency would like to create a fund to help state government take the necessary steps toward modernizing old, legacy technology systems.

The Willmar City Council on Monday approved an audit of the current Internet infrastructure throughout the city. The project will cost $42,486 and will be conducted by Hometown Fiber.

The project is expected to connect more than 1,700 homes with high-speed Internet. About 5,000 people live on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, but only about 59 percent of households have broadband Internet subscriptions.

The State Risk and Authorization Management Program (StateRAMP) announced its 2023 board of directors Friday, led by Arizona CIO JR Sloan. A mix of public- and private-sector voices make up this who’s who of gov tech.

A review of recent financial reports from the industry — including from gov tech giant Tyler Technologies — shows how companies plan to grow in the midst of economic anxieties. Public safety and the cloud play big roles.

The state will see around $100 million for high-speed Internet projects as part of a $1 billion pot of funding from the federal government. Other projects include the purchase of electric buses and charging infrastructure.

Friday's bankruptcy filing by FTX, one of the largest purveyors of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, has embarrassed some of the world's leading investment firms, besides hurting individual speculators.

The Washington city first began talks of implementing body cameras and in-car dashboard cameras back in 2015, but funding to make it happen wasn’t approved until last year. Officers began wearing the devices Oct. 31.

The Daviess County Council has voted in favor of an update to its public safety radio system after encountering problems and service gaps. The fix will cost nearly $73,000 and will require all new equipment.

The Mercer County Commission allocated money the day after Election Day to replace the county's voting machines with a new system. The funding comes from the American Rescue Plan and Coal Severance Tax.

The Joplin City Council has hired a consultant to sort through 16 proposals from Internet service providers interested in developing broadband service. Certain parts of the city have little to no Internet service, officials say.

Jeff Cook, managing director at Shea & Company, shares his perspective on the record level of gov tech market investment activity and the role of capital in accelerating public-sector innovation.

The $50 million in ARPA funding, which is exclusively for digital equity activities, is meant to help address those issues. The funding has to be fully committed by the end of 2024 and fully spent by the end of 2026.