CDT Sets Vendor Engagement Session for New Strategic Plan

The California Department of Technology (CDT) is inviting vendors and others to contribute ideas to the department’s “Vision 2023 — IT Strategic Plan for the State of California” during a free online session on Dec. 2.

The event is intended specifically for vendors to communicate with the department and provide input about the document, which will serve as an IT roadmap for technology in state government for the coming years.

“To inform Vision 2023, our user research has included leadership and managers at agencies and departments in IT and non-IT roles, members of the legislative and judicial branches, local governments and more,” says CDT’s announcement about the vendor engagement session.

Vision 2023 will be CDT’s plan for how California will use technology to:

• Provide simple, clear, fast and dependable public services;
• Increase equity, inclusion and opportunity for all Californians; and
• Make California a leading example of what the government should look like in the 21st century.

Before the event, those who register will receive “guidance on the input and feedback we’re seeking for Vision 2023,” CDT says in the meeting announcement. That will include links to a survey of vendors and to a “facilitated brainstorming event.”

CDT has been hosting an increasing number of vendor engagement events in the last few years, some in conjunction with other state departments and agencies and others of general interest for those seeking to do business with state government. This one is specific to the strategic plan.

By state statute, the CDT director (state Chief Information Officer Amy Tong) is required to deliver the plan to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee by Jan. 15 every year.

“The Director of Technology shall produce an annual information technology performance report that shall assess and measure the state’s progress toward enhancing its information technology program for human capital management; reducing and avoiding costs and risks associated with the acquisition, development, implementation, management, and operation of information technology assets, infrastructure, and systems; improving energy efficiency in the use of information technology assets; enhancing the security, reliability, and quality of information technology networks, services, and systems; and improving the information technology procurement process,” the statute says. “This report shall also include cost savings and avoidances achieved through improvements to the way the state acquires, develops, implements, manages, and operates state technology assets, infrastructure, and systems. The department shall establish those policies and procedures required to improve the performance of the state’s information technology program.”   

The statute further requires that in the interest of transparency, “the department shall post performance targets and progress toward these targets on its public Internet website.”  

More information and a registration link are available online.