Technically Speaking

The 2025 fiscal year-end is right around the corner for 46 states, which means that it’s time to take advantage of those end-of-year opportunities before they are gone. SLED decision-makers are already looking ahead to next year’s budget process and are working to identify the most pressing technology policy and priority areas that will shape future downstream requirements.

There have been big changes to federal technology acquisition in the initial months of the Trump administration to streamline procurement and increase competition. In line with these efforts, a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Eric Schmitt, introduced a bill to combat market concentration for artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud capabilities in the Department of Defense (DOD).

In the administration’s first 100 days in office, multiple executive orders (EO) were signed to update federal procurement. Several initiatives released across the federal market include the OneGov Strategy, procurement consolidation and the Army Transformation Initiative.

While some people may view curiosity as a personality trait, Susanna Patten sees it as an important strategic asset. In her role as Senior Manager, Market Intelligence at TD SYNNEX Public Sector, she goes beyond analyzing numbers; she uncovers the narrative behind them. By approaching data with a storytelling mindset, she is able to turn information into insight, and insight into impact.

On Thursday April 30th, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth released a memo for the U.S. Army to undergo a “comprehensive transformation”.

The 2025 National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Midyear Conference took place in Philadelphia, PA where state technology leaders shared insights into their top technology priorities for this year. Some of the key focus areas included AI with emphasis on generative AI, data management, governance and quality and cybersecurity and risk management.