Tag: IT Procurement

Technology & IT Procurement

IT Procurement: Envisioning the Next Decade in Technology

2021 is the year of IT procurement. Here on the Research and Innovation Team, we have worked hard to bring to your attention to the newest trends in technology and IT procurement. The pandemic has shown us how important technology is going to be in the incoming decade. Already our way of working has changed to bring you. We have learned to adapt to new technologies, and a lot of the practices we have adopted in 2020 will be with us forever. The IT procurement landscape does not have to be a landmine of uncertainty, we have resources to help you!

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Sustainable Purchasing

A More Sustainable IT Model

The Covid pandemic has underscored issues with U.S. reliance on supply chains abroad in many areas, including semiconductor manufacturing. In February, President Biden signed Executive Order 14017 to address supply chain vulnerabilities and a semiconductor shortage impacting a variety of industries like cellular devices, information technology, and automobiles.

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Technology & IT Procurement

Back to School Technology: Are You Ready?

Most districts and states have begun working through the logistics of returning to school for faculty, staff, and students. Many lessons were learned over the spring and early summer about how to implement distance education and working from home. However, access and digital security issues remain. Unfortunately, these issues will not be resolved unless we take in the entire landscape of making the digital connection from students to instructors in a virtual environment. Below are some things to consider.

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Technology & IT Procurement

The State of Cybersecurity: 3 Bold Plays for Change

In March 2018, the city of Atlanta suffered a ransomware attack that compromised the data of their employees and anyone who conducted business with the state and ended costing $2.6 million in emergency contract efforts[1]. When Louisiana was attacked in November of 2019, 10% of the state’s servers were infiltrated and some 1,500 computers were damaged.  These examples demonstrate cybersecurity should be a top priority for procurement officers to protect the sensitive information of both vendors and staff. Understanding the issues and goals of your state Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) can pave the road toward a more productive working relationship and allow procurement officers to address increasing cybersecurity threats as partners.

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Technology & IT Procurement

Data Privacy and Security: Where Are We in 2019?

Scary stories of cybersecurity incidents, ransomware attacks, data breaches, and/or data privacy violations have sadly become a part of life now. News reports, such as the recent Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal, show how private companies’ lax policies on data sharing and lack of proper auditing leave room for data misuse and abuse. Individuals are entitled to know what information private companies or government organizations have on them and how it is shared and protected. As citizens and consumer advocates are becoming more aware of data privacy and security risks, they are calling upon state and federal government to enact regulations so that living in the digital age doesn’t turn every-day social media users into commodities for companies that are willing to “trade” their personal information to make a profit. Read more “Data Privacy and Security: Where Are We in 2019?” →