On this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha discuss Engage California, a virtual suggestion box run by California’s Office of Data and Innovation and previously outlined by Director Jeffrey Marino. Drawing on more than 1,400 employee comments, they highlight top themes: digitizing paper-heavy workflows (including replacing PDFs and wet signatures), automating repetitive tasks so staff can focus on higher-value work, and modernizing outdated legacy systems that drive delays, errors, and duplicate data entry. They also cover calls to better use existing tools the state already pays for (including Microsoft products), create more shared enterprise solutions across departments, improve data integration and trust through cleaner data and better dashboards, expand AI and advanced analytics for low-hanging processes, and increase digital access to public services. The hosts conclude that the success of the effort depends on leaders actually implementing the recommendations.

00:00 Gov Tech Today Intro

00:13 Engage California Explained

01:25 Digitize Paperwork First

03:56 Why Digitization Matters

05:37 Automate Repetitive Work

07:10 Modernize Legacy Systems

09:23 Use Tools You Own

12:24 Share Platforms Across Agencies

13:36 Integrate Data and Dashboards

16:11 AI and Advanced Analytics

17:06 Digital Access for the Public

18:11 Cross Cutting Leadership Insights

19:02 What Happens Next

20:18 Closing Call to Action

Gov Tech Today hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha recap this year’s RSA cybersecurity conference in San Francisco, noting the event’s commercial scale and a smaller, dedicated public-sector track. Key takeaways include how “agentic AI” is moving from buzzword to reality, with public agencies urged to treat AI agents like users—requiring identity and access controls, least-privilege permissions, logging, and auditing—within existing governance frameworks such as FedRAMP, StateRAMP, and NIST. They discuss governance as a primary security control, growing attention to critical infrastructure and physical access as cybersecurity issues, and the challenge of tiny local utilities lacking staff and budgets, suggesting collaboration and shared services. The conversation also flags procurement and tool sprawl concerns, and explores what outcome-based security might mean for measuring automation, effectiveness, and ROI in government contracts.

00:00 Welcome to Gov Tech Today

00:15 What is RSA Conference

00:53 San Francisco Cleanup Talk

01:52 Public Sector at RSA

04:42 AI Everywhere at RSA

05:34 Agentic AI as Users

07:42 Governance as Security Control

09:25 Critical Infrastructure Cyber Shift

10:57 Small Districts Big Risk

12:38 Shared Services and Support

14:20 Procurement Must Catch Up

16:31 Outcome Based Security Metrics

18:09 Wrap Up and Next Year

On this episode of Govtech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha examine how global disruption and an AI-driven hardware boom are colliding with government procurement realities. They discuss how rapid supplier price spikes and delivery uncertainty strain California’s fixed price schedules—often locked for six months—creating delayed quotes, uncompetitive bids, and the risk that vendors stop bidding rather than sell at a loss, leading to project delays and a focus on mission-critical needs. The conversation then shifts to federal AI regulation: a new plan and executive-order direction may set guardrails while still leaving states to manage AI procurement rules, potentially forcing early-moving states like California, Colorado, and New York to roll back some efforts later. They close on how legislation lags fast-moving AI, and how adoption varies widely across agencies and cities.

00:00 Welcome to Gov Tech Today

00:33 Supply Chain Shockwaves

01:18 AI Boom Hardware Crunch

01:53 Fixed Pricing Meets Reality

03:54 Quoting Chaos for Vendors

05:47 Project Delays and Workarounds

06:12 Can California Adjust Rules

07:35 Reseller Margins and Value

08:25 Federal AI Regulation Push

09:39 Bills Versus Executive Orders

11:08 Guardrails and Wild West

13:54 Uneven AI Adoption in Government

15:29 Wrap Up and Next Episode

What happens when cybersecurity is no longer the No. 1 priority for state CIOs? On this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha break down the National Association of State CIOs (NASCIO) annual Top 10 list for 2026—and the major shakeup that put AI, including generative and agentic AI and machine learning, at the top for the first time in more than a decade. 

00:00 Welcome to Gov Tech Today + What’s Coming Up

00:23 What the NASCIO Top 10 List Is (and Why It Matters)

01:24 Major Shakeup: AI Takes the #1 Spot

03:00 #2 Cybersecurity: Still Critical, Now Shaped by AI

04:58 #3 Budget & Cost Pressures Move Up the Rankings

06:15 #4 Modernization: Tackling Legacy Systems (and Funding It)

07:28 #5 Digital Government Services Debut in the Top 10

08:23 #6 Accessibility: New Federal Rules Drive State Action

09:20 #7–#8 IAM + Data/Analytics: The “Foundation” Priorities

13:20 #9 Consolidation & Optimization: Fewer Systems, More Shared Platforms

16:25 #10 Cloud Services: From Trendy to Ubiquitous (Cloud Smart)

17:56 Wrap-Up: Thanks to NASCIO and State CIOs

In this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha dive into a new trend in government contracting: transforming maintenance and operations (M&O) into modernization opportunities. They examine how traditional M&O contracts are increasingly including system improvement requirements, effectively shifting from simple maintenance to significant technological upgrades. This approach allows government agencies to modernize within existing budgets, avoiding the complexities and scrutiny of new IT projects. The discussion also explores the balance between maintaining existing systems and leveraging M&O contracts for continuous modernization.

00:00 Introduction to Gov Tech Today

00:24 Exploring Maintenance and Operations (M&O) Opportunities

01:06 Shifting from Maintenance to Modernization

01:50 Evaluating Contracting Processes and Budget Impacts

04:41 Maximizing Value from M&O Contracts

07:42 Vendor and Government Collaboration

12:57 Final Thoughts and Future Directions

In this episode of Gov Tech Today, Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha delve into the recently released governor's budget, focusing on its implications for technology initiatives. They discuss the significant role of AI, legacy system updates, and the governor's approach to AI regulation. The duo also explores state procurement changes, including the growing use of RFI2 and the introduction of climate-aligned contracts. With insights on the Middle Mile Broadband initiative and the complexity of state budgets, this episode provides a comprehensive overview of California's tech and budget landscape.

00:00 Introduction and Hosts

00:13 Governor's Budget Overview

01:45 AI's Role in the Budget

03:09 AI Regulation and Legislation

05:59 Cybersecurity and Staffing Issues

07:41 Middle Mile Broadband Initiative

11:14 State Procurement Changes

17:28 Climate-Aligned Contracts and Final Thoughts

In this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha dive into the complexities of government transitions, focusing on Governor Newsom's last year in office and the implications for gubernatorial appointees and vendors. The conversation explores the nuances between career civil servants and those appointed from private sectors. They also discuss the ongoing AI regulation at the federal level and how California is positioning itself amidst federal executive orders. The episode wraps up with insights on managing new tech initiatives during budget deficits, emphasizing strategic positioning for tech vendors in lean times.

00:00 Introduction to Gov Tech Today

00:14 Understanding the Lame Duck Administration

01:13 Job Security for State Appointees

01:56 Governor Newsom's Presidential Aspirations

03:02 Navigating Political Transitions

07:53 The Role of Civil Servants

10:32 AI Regulation and Federal Involvement

12:33 California's Tech Initiatives

13:57 Federal vs. State Regulations

18:59 Governor's Last Budget and Deficit Management

20:43 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha discuss the recent updates to terms and conditions for IT contracts released by the California Department of Technology (CDT) and the Department of General Services (DGS). The new regulations aim to simplify the contracting process by consolidating three sets of cloud provisions into one and introducing a cap on vendor liability for cybersecurity breaches. The episode delves into the significance of these changes for both vendors and state agencies, highlighting the collaborative efforts between CDT and DGS to address long-standing concerns from the vendor community.

00:00 Introduction to Gov Tech Today

00:36 New Terms and Conditions Released by CDT

04:04 Simplification of IT Contracts

06:45 Collaboration Between CDT and DGS

11:05 Impact on Vendors and Subcontractors

13:20 Final Thoughts and Practical Advice

In this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha discuss a significant rulemaking process initiated by the Department of General Services (DGS) to change small business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) procurement processes. They examine the new statutory mandate requiring 25% of state spending to go to small businesses and 3% to DVBEs. Jennifer highlights the impact on technology procurements and the potential for leveling the playing field for small businesses. The conversation also delves into the increased contract limit from $250,000 to $3.5 million for small business procurements and the need for education and awareness within both government and vendor communities. The episode closes with a look at the opportunities and challenges this new regulation presents.

00:00 Introduction to Govtech Today

00:29 Regulatory Changes in Small Business and DVB Procurement

02:08 Impact on Technology Procurement

04:11 Small Business and DVB Off-Ramp Procurement

06:49 Increasing the Procurement Limit

09:33 Educating the Business Community

15:24 Conclusion and Future Outlook

In this episode of Gov Tech Today, host engages with Jeffrey Marino, Director of the California Office of Data and Innovation (ODI), to discuss his journey from data journalism to government service. They delve into government use of data during the COVID-19 crisis, the challenges of data analytics in state systems, and the mission of ODI to enhance service delivery through technology and human-centered design. They also explore the Engaged California program and Innovation Fellows initiative aimed at gathering state employee feedback and fostering transformational change from within.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:24 Jeffrey Marino's Background and Journey

01:29 COVID-19 Data Challenges and Solutions

03:08 Engaging the Public and Policy Impact

04:57 Building Data Analytics Pipelines

06:18 The Role and Mission of ODI

07:41 Innovation in Government: Challenges and Strategies

19:13 Engaged California and Innovation Fellows Program

24:09 Addressing Employee Feedback and Trust

31:19 Conclusion and Final Thoughts