Quantum is now a high priority in federal IT modernization, cybersecurity, procurement and national security. Federal mandates and directives are accelerating the need to strengthen quantum leadership and preparing government systems for post quantum cyber resilience.

Contract #LS4992 expands streamlined access to cloud, software, on-premises solutions and value-added services for state, local and education organizations

The US Department of the Air Force has been undergoing a steady stream of transformations as it forges toward technology modernization. A notable change this year has been the formation of Portfolio Acquisition Executives, responsible for procurement of goods and services to address a specified mission, with the main goal to speed up technology procurement in support of warfighters.

School districts are often seen as easy targets for cyberattacks given an abundance of sensitive information but little security. According to the Department of Homeland Security, more than 1,300 cybersecurity incidents happened between 2018-2021 (not including non-publicly documented incidents). The Department of Education says that every week the average school district experiences 5 cyber incidents.

Over the last few years, SLED cloud strategy has played a pivotal role in public sector modernization efforts. Agencies have invested in application migration, utilized more software-as-a-service capabilities, and constructed increasingly hybrid environments across public cloud, private cloud, and on-premises infrastructure.

The defense industrial base is a critical partner in advancing the DOW’s national defense priorities. To accelerate industry participation, the DOW has launched the Golden Dome Hub as a practical digital entry point for organizations that want to contribute to the Golden Dome Initiative.

The Defense Health Agency (DHA) recently hosted the 2026 Defense Health Information Technology Symposium (DHITS) in New Orleans, bringing together more than 2,200 attendees to discuss the future of military health IT.  The clear message throughout the event was that technology, data, and digital capabilities are increasingly viewed as a combat support capability directly tied to warfighter readiness. 

Federal quantum policy is shifting from long-term research planning to implementation and readiness. There have been several recent actions taken, including executive orders, strategy updates and new initiatives, to strengthen U.S. leadership in quantum technologies and post-quantum cyber resilience. Quantum is becoming a priority in federal IT modernization, cybersecurity, procurement and national security. 

Earlier this month, the Trump administration released a new executive order titled “Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks,” in efforts to accelerate the shift to post-quantum cryptography (PQC). While the new EO is directed at federal agencies, the downstream effects on SLED will be impactful, particularly through funding alignments, vendor requirements and shared infrastructure.

On June 2nd, President Trump signed a new AI executive order, Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security, which aims to strike a balance between AI innovation and security. The order directs federal agencies to strengthen AI-enabled cybersecurity defenses and coordinate with private industry on secure AI deployments.