How Montana Is Tackling Tech Debt and Vendor Relations
Major IT modernizations are underway, but strict budgets and rising software prices can mean a greater role for the CIO in vendor negotiations. At the NASCIO 2024 Annual Conference, Montana CIO Kevin Gilbertson discussed working with companies of varying sizes.
NEW ORLEANS — Montana has been making a significant modernization push, and is nearing the point where all systems in its Department of Labor and Industry will be under two years old, state CIO Kevin Gilbertson said.
Of course, the transition periods during projects like these can be costly, because states must continue supporting the old systems while also introducing the new ones. And with the costs of software rising, the CIO has had to get more personally involved in negotiating with vendors.
“We have a budget that we just can’t go over; that’s not an option for us,” he said. “Fortunately, folks that work with the state, they tend to understand what our limitations are.”
When Montana turns to vendors, it’s been finding a place for both large, incumbent system integrators and smaller startups. For mission-critical projects governed by federal regulations, “it’s better that you’ve been there, done that,” Gilbertson said. But for small projects, there’s often agility and even sometimes better prices to be found from “small boutique firms,” he said.
Jule Pattison-Gordon is a senior staff writer for Governing and former senior staff writer for Government Technology, where she'd specialized in cybersecurity.Jule also previously wrote for PYMNTS and The Bay State Banner and holds a B.A. in creative writing from Carnegie Mellon. She’s based outside Boston.
Noelle Knell is the executive editor for e.Republic, responsible for setting the overall direction for e.Republic’s editorial platforms, including <i>Government Technology</i>, <i>Governing</i>, <i>Industry Insider, Emergency Management</i> and the Center for Digital Education. She has been with e.Republic since 2011, and has decades of writing, editing and leadership experience. A California native, Noelle has worked in both state and local government, and is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, with majors in political science and American history.
