Modernization
Over-compliance and the new normal: How governments can modernize in the scrutiny era
COMMENTARY | As grantmakers contend with growing demands for federal compliance, transparency and fiscal integrity, the need for effective technology is greater than ever.
How ‘continuous innovation’ means more than just product launches
Speakers at Route Fifty’s recent Innovation Spotlight said governments should also modernize processes and lean on data to improve transparency and public trust.
Cruz introduces weather radio modernization bill with a new focus on flood communications
This comes after Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, voted in favor of the spending megabill that rescinded funds for NOAA.
New tool aims to help state and local governments collaborate on benefits modernization
The federal government’s move to cut spending for public benefits could hinder state and local efforts to modernize them. A new resource aims to help agencies connect with like-minded organizations to continue their efforts.
Lawmakers introduce bill to digitize government permitting
Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., called the paper-based permitting process “an archaic waste of time.”
How prenegotiated, cooperative procurement helps drive innovation for governments
The Texas Department of Information Resources is leveraging state-level procurement negotiations to help deliver innovative solutions to local public safety organizations.
Budget worries prevent more IT modernization, survey says
State and local leaders want to modernize their legacy systems, but uncertainty over federal funding is stymieing their progress, an EY survey shared exclusively with Route Fifty found.
Governments should prioritize agility in IT projects, expert says
Monolithic IT modernizations, according to U.S. Digital Response’s Waldo Jaquith, can increase a government’s risk of an IT project failure that requires even more time and resources to amend.
Government transformation can succeed, if we stop setting projects up to fail
COMMENTARY | What three state projects can tell us about why major checkpoints in government transformation rarely work as intended.
The changing face of procurement
COMMENTARY | Even before the Department of Government Efficiency took hold, state-level contracting was ripe for innovation. A lot more work lies ahead to modernize it.
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How a cloud transformation aims to improve one school district’s operations
The Chicago Public Schools District is undergoing a cloud transformation to improve business processes, and, ultimately, better serve students.
Feds cancel unemployment modernization grants for states
The grant dollars — which the Department of Labor has been doling out since Congress allocated funding for fraud and access work in 2021 — don’t align with department priorities anymore, the agency says.
Watchdog details how to build community trust in smart cities
A new report from the Government Accountability Office offers policy suggestions for officials to ensure smart city tech can be deployed in communities safely and effectively.
Minneapolis automates food permitting, removes ‘two-feet high’ paper stack
Having previously relied on handwritten permit applications and taking payment by phone, the city now uses cloud-based software to automate much of the process and make it more efficient.
Nevada turns to AI to speed up unemployment appeals
The state partnered with Google Public Sector on a system that analyzes appeals hearings against state and federal law to help adjudicators reach a decision. They say it’s made the process four times quicker.
After RIBridges breach, R.I. state agencies share high tech wish lists at budget hearing
Nearly four months after a cyberattack shut down a public benefits system in Rhode Island, it is fully operational again. State officials now face new challenges, including upgrading aging tech and navigating uncertain federal funding.
Illinois green lights modernized vehicle title and lien processing system
The state is exploring how an electronic approach to vehicle registrations and purchasing can lower costs for residents and financial institutions.
GSA launches FedRAMP revamp
One major goal of the changes is to speed up the timeframe for agencies to get access to the latest technology quickly, “not months or years down the road,” the agency’s acting administrator said.
AI ‘consultant’ tool helps agencies speed up operational improvements
The AI product underscores how tech can amplify a human’s work not replace it, one official says.
Rural Pennsylvania increases resident satisfaction with public transit modernization
One Pennsylvania transit agency hopes to be a guiding light for rural communities looking to embark on modernization journeys.
