GTA Update - Mar-Apr 2022

Update newsletter

Mar-Apr 2022 | Vol. 14, Issue 2

State CIO's column

This trail is well-blazed,

but still a steep climb

State government is sometimes reputed for its healthy hesitation to embrace the latest innovation. And yes, we’ve been known to stick with yesteryear’s tools past their prime. (Is that the soft buzzing of a lone fax machine somewhere deep in the accounting department?) Critics exaggerate. But we should be ready for change, even disruptive change, when the benefits are compelling. A shift to cloud computing makes that brand of plain sense for Georgia.

Here in the early months of 2022, we at GTA are talking to agency CIOs and IT leads about how to turn it from prospective to priority. We’ve spoken in GETS forums like the monthly Agency Management Committee meetings. We’ve convened a GETS CIO Council for strategic IT discussion. Our Chief Cloud Officer Dmitry Kagansky and members of his team at GTA have met one-on-one with agencies. And in late February, I spoke to agency commissioners and their delegates at a meeting of the Business Management Council we’ve re-convened.

Across all those channels, we’re working to ensure understanding and commitment to an initiative that’s foundational to accomplishing other state goals. Objectives like increasing constituent engagement, improving their experience, expanding services available to them digitally, bolstering operational efficiency and more. Replacing on-premise systems with cloud computing services can contribute meaningfully to all those. The Governor’s Office recognizes that significance and suggests a target of having as many key state systems as possible moved to cloud platforms by the end of May.

On the other side of this cloud transformation lie capabilities agencies are after: more flexibility and autonomy with their IT environments, access to a wider set of technology options, and greater control over their service consumption. Getting there isn’t automatic. GTA and service provider partners are mapping a repeatable process to help agencies step through the work. We’ll collaborate to make these improvements happen.

We’re not pioneers rolling out into unexplored terrain here. The trail toward cloud migration and implementation is already well marked, and we’ll benefit from what others have learned through experience about paths and pitfalls. Several key state systems have already made the transition. Department of Revenue’s tax system. Department of Driver Services’ driver’s license system. Migration is in-flight for several public assistance systems at Department of Human Services. I thank you in advance for your partnership in continuing this momentum.

On a different note, let’s put your agency’s innovative IT projects up on the marquee for the world to see. The GTA-sponsored Technology Innovation Showcase gives us a chance for that recognition for Georgia’s state and local government entities. Now in its 11th year, the Showcase not only honors innovative and impactful IT-enabled projects, it also provides a chance to learn from our colleagues and maybe borrow an idea or two they’ve proved successful. See details in an article below, and I hope we’ll receive project submissions from you by the March 25 entry deadline.

Shawnzia Thomas

State Chief Information Officer

GTA Executive Director

Showcase honors innovators,

and that means you

Agencies and local government entities statewide haven’t had much choice. Innovation has been near mandatory. Under pressure to deliver services to meet extraordinary demand, they’ve leaned hard on technology to meet Georgians’ needs. And they’ve produced impressive results. Now it’s time to mark their ingenuity.

For the 11th consecutive year, GTA is sponsoring the Technology Innovation Showcase, which recognizes outstanding IT projects and the teams behind them. Projects that are changing the way government does business. Nominations will be accepted through March 25.

An evaluation panel will select projects that better enable agencies to serve constituents, operate efficiently, and conserve tax dollars. Submissions give state and local entities opportunity to illustrate how they innovatively addressed a business problem. They can show how their projects improve the way agencies work, enhance service delivery, and avoid unnecessary expense.

Projects chosen for recognition in the showcase will be honored in an awards ceremony at the annual Georgia Digital Government Summit in the fall. Showcase honorees will also be included in the Annual State IT Report, and they'll be considered for submission to national awards programs.

See complete information and the online submission form on the Technology Innovation Showcase web page.

The showcase spotlights the caliber of work that has made Georgia a leader in using technology for more responsive, efficient and accountable government. It honors deserving public-sector IT professionals for their contributions to Georgia. Doesn’t your organization merit a place among the honorees? Submit your entry by March 25.

Annual IT Report highlights

a year of IT-fueled change

When demand for government services spikes, as it has during the pandemic, government entities rally to answer the morphing needs. Increasingly they look to technology to power the solutions. For state of Georgia government, IT-enabled solutions proved up to the task throughout a challenging FY 2021. IT contributions to successes are outlined in the recently published FY 2021 Annual State IT Report, available on GTA’s website.

The GTA-authored report summarizes key information technology services and solutions that helped enable new ways of serving Georgians. Those services range from cybersecurity to broadband, from web publishing to Georgia’s shared IT services program, and more.

As the report illustrates, cybersecurity had to be prioritized in FY 2021. Defending state systems and data grew more daunting as remote work became widespread during the pandemic. Attackers aggressively exploited new openings. The state responded with enhanced security services and tools, expanded partnerships between the state’s Office of Information Security and state entities, and cultivation of information sharing across varied cyber defenders.

Another section of the report describes the state’s efforts to ensure more Georgians have access to broadband – now woven into our daily lives, and Georgia’s economic future. GTA worked closely with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and other agencies and service providers to eventually erase “unserved” from sections of the Georgia Broadband Map. The map and its address-level broadband service availability data continue to help guide broadband expansion efforts.

The state’s official web-publishing platform, GovHub, also gets attention, along with the Digital Services Georgia (DSGa) team that runs it. Home to dozens of state agency websites, GovHub allows a consistent online experience for citizens seeking state government services and information. Using GovHub capabilities, DSGa helps state agencies share essential information (e.g., COVID-19 details) with Georgians. It’s part of DSGa’s broader management of digital presence for the state of Georgia.

The always-evolving GETS shared IT services program implemented multi-factor authentication for accessing Office 365 applications including email. An enhanced refresh process for computers used by agency staff now includes a self-service option for remote workers. These improvements are described in the report, along with a cloud computing strategy, mainframe modernization, and national recognition for Georgia IT. Across the board, you see the state using technology to help make government more accessible, responsive, accountable and secure.

Briefly ...

Slated for May 10, this year's GTA-sponsored Technology Summit will be the 10^th annual. The full-day virtual summit is once again directed toward IT and business leaders from Georgia's state government agencies. Market-leading service providers will discuss state-of-the-art use cases and solutions, with additional input from GTA leaders. The 2022 event will be offered at no charge for Georgia public-sector staff. For now, save the date. And stay tuned for more details, including registration information, coming soon.

It takes a big investment and broad vision to expand broadband service across the full expanse of our state. In February, Governor Kemp announced preliminary awards for this expansion totaling $408M in COVID-19 relief funds – the largest-ever public investment in Georgia’s broadband infrastructure. These funds will go exclusively toward increasing reliable high-speed internet service for up to 132,000 unserved homes and businesses across the state. This, coupled with vital help and investment from internet service providers, will put more Georgia communities on path to becoming even better places to live and work.

A new federal grant program makes funds available for state and local government cybersecurity projects. It’s a component of last year’s Infrastructure and Jobs Act (IIJA). Applications for funds would need to be submitted in the next few months, and awards would be made just weeks after that. GTA and the state’s Cybersecurity Board will collaborate with state agencies and entities to map the state’s plan for collecting and evaluating submissions, distributing grant funds, and tracking projects. Eligible efforts could range from vulnerability disclosure programs, to audits and assessments, security training, tabletop and live-action exercises, development of policies and standards, and more. Email inquiries to CISO@gta.ga.gov.

GovHub, the state’s web publishing platform, is now updated and running on Drupal 9. GTA’s Digital Services Georgia team has worked since last year to ensure a smooth transition by updating modules and design themes for compatibility, and extensive testing. The work included changes which improve accessibility and usability for editors. The result is a secure, stable upgrade for GovHub.

The Digital Academy has filled for its first course of 2022. That’s the training regimen offered by GTA’s Digital Services Georgia (DSGa) team, keyed toward agency web publishers and managers. It helps these GovHub partners build a fuller understanding of their users, usability and accessibility best practices, and how to create a better digital experience for Georgians. You can register for future sessions of the Digital Academy on DSGa’s website.