Gov Tech Today

Russell Lowery, Jennifer Saha

Bridging the gap between .com and .gov.

  1. APR 28

    E73: What State Employees Want From Gov Tech

    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PDFs and wet signatures), automating repetitive tasks so staff can focus on higher-value work, and modernizing outdated legacy systems that drive delays, errors, and duplicate data entry.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

    21 min

  2. APR 14

    E72: RSA Conference Takeaways – Governing AI Agents and Securing Public Infrastructure

    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

    19 min

  3. MAR 31

    E71: Supply Shocks, Fixed Contracts, and the AI Regulation Patchwork

    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

    16 min

  4. FEB 24

    E70: AI Tops NASCIO’s 2026 State CIO Priorities — Ending Cybersecurity’s 12-Year Reign

    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

    18 min

  5. FEB 10

    E69: Transforming Maintenance and Operations — From Maintenance to Modernization

    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

    15 min

  6. JAN 27

    E68: Navigating the Governor's Budget and Technology Initiatives

    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

    21 min

  7. JAN 13

    E67: Navigating Government Transitions and AI Regulations in California

    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

    21 min

  8. 12/16/2025

    E66: New Terms and Conditions for IT Contracts — A Simplified Approach

    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

    17 min
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About

Bridging the gap between .com and .gov.

Information

  • Creator
    Russell Lowery, Jennifer Saha
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    73
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Gov Tech Today