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Exclusive: Vendors Pleased, Reassured After CDT Presentation

Vendor representatives were pleased and reassured Friday when the California Department of Technology laid out its plans to refresh some procurement and security policies, to work more closely with industry and to expand its communications to stakeholders. More than 100 vendors listened to briefings by state CIO Amy Tong; her deputy, Chris Cruz; and the state’s chief information security officer, Peter Liebert, among others.

Vendor representatives were pleased and reassured Friday when the California Department of Technology laid out its plans to refresh some procurement and security policies, to work more closely with industry and to expand its communications to stakeholders.

More than 100 vendors listened to briefings by state CIO Amy Tong; her deputy, Chris Cruz; and the state’s chief information security officer, Peter Liebert, among others.

"We're trying to make transformational changes in government," Cruz told the vendors.

In order to maintain transparency, the department is focusing on security first in its procurement modernization practices. The department has begun incorporating FedRAMP standards to match with NIST compliance. All new procurement will eventually be FedRAMP-compliant, and software services will be NIST 800-171-compliant.

CalNet will also be undergoing changes as it phases out its contract in the next few years. The new CalNet will offer more flexibility in procurement and be more responsive to customer requests.

“Simplification is what we’ve been hearing from our customers, and also from the vendor community,” Cruz said.  “The key is security.” He likened the high security and credential standards of FedRAMP as “like living in a gated community,” in that it provides an extra layer of protection.

In her opening remarks, Tong said the CDT and the Department of General Services will be focusing less on technology and more on procurement modernization.

She addressed some criticisms from vendors, characterizing the comments as ranging from “You’re going too fast” to “You’re not going fast enough.”

Tong also addressed what she described as “rumors” and “conspiracy theories” related to CDT’s  modernization effort, with her and her staff being the targets of some such theories.

“We’re going out of our way to be transparent, to have dialogs,” she said. “We’re asking you for that professional conduct ... patience, and cooperation.”

Her comments struck a chord with, among others, representatives of Microsoft and Deloitte.

““It was a great meeting,” said Peter Zalkind, Microsoft’s sales director for California and Hawaii SLG.  “It showed how much progress the state has made in the last year, year-and-a-half, under Amy’s leadership. She spoke from the heart today. She showed her personality and that she cares. The role changes (in state IT leadership) have been positive over the last few years. CDT and DGS are challenging some folks. There are new perspectives.”

Zalkind also applauded CDT’s emphasis on FedRAMP as a security standard.

“People are starting to understand why the state is positioning to use a higher bar, and that CDT expects a level of professionalism,” he said.

Deloitte’s director of California State Government Practice, Josh Nisbet, found Tong’s remarks reassuring.

“It was an excellent, excellent presentation,” Nisbet said. “Two things stood out: Transparency; and constancy, continuity, regularity. [CDT officials] regularly reach out on a regular basis. There was no new news here today — and that in itself is good, because it proves that they’re exactly on point with their strategy.”

Adam Dondro, AIO of California Health and Human Services, said the message of Tong, Cruz, Liebert and others was this: “They’re trying to lay out directionally where we are, so [vendors] can play their part. It’s similar to what I do when I meet one-on-one with a vendor: ‘Here’s our expectation – help us meet that.’ They’re trying to focus on where they can bring some value.”

Chuck Lott, DellEMC’s director of West Region Sales for state and local government and education, said he was pleased with the message from the state:

“When states looks at ways to improve,” he said, “and they coordinate with vendors, good things can occur.”

Delegata's president and CEO, Kais Menoufy, reflect on the department’s efforts: "As a global leader in technology and innovation, California sets the stage for what’s to come. Our state government must reflect that leadership in serving its citizens and leveraging technology. This is no small feat.”

After Friday morning’s two-hour presentation in the California Lottery building in Sacramento, Cruz was upbeat about the reaction of those in attendance, including those who asked questions during the Q-and-A portion as well as online.

“I’d like to keep this party going,” he said. “We’ve been doing a lot more outreach and communicating. People are starting to get the message.”

State agencies are planning a similar vendor forum in the spring for telecom and related sectors.

Dennis Noone is Executive Editor of Industry Insider. He is a career journalist, having worked at small-town newspapers and major metropolitan dailies including USA Today in Washington, D.C.
Kayla Nick-Kearney was a staff writer for Techwire from March 2017 through January 2019.