Concourse

Florida

IT Status Report & Strategic Plan

February 23, 2026 · Version 2.0

Executive Summary

Governor

Ron DeSantis (R)

CIO

Warren Sponholtz

CISO

Vacant (Jeremy Rodgers departed May 2025)

IT Organization

Florida Digital Service / Department of Management Services (DMS)

State Agencies

30

Population

22.6M

✓ Key Strengths

  • Legislature advancing bold IT governance reform with SB 7026 creating Agency for State Systems and Enterprise Technology (ASSET) as cabinet-level agency by July 2026 -- consolidating IT authority under governor-confirmed CIO
  • Strong cybersecurity investment trajectory with $68.7M allocated for Office of State CIO, $10M Local Government Cybersecurity Grant Program, and $5M dedicated to incident response in FY2025-26
  • $1.17B BEAD broadband allocation targeting 170,000 unserved locations with workforce training initiative (Broadband Nation) preparing 20,000+ workers for deployment
  • Experienced CIO Warren Sponholtz brings deep institutional knowledge from prior roles as Deputy CISO at Florida Digital Service and CIO at Florida DEP

⚠ Key Risks

  • Second major IT governance restructuring in a year: Florida Digital Service may transition to ASSET (SB 7026) in July 2026 or DIGIT division under governor's office (SB 480) -- organizational instability during critical modernization period
  • CISO position vacant since Jeremy Rodgers departed May 2025 for private sector -- cybersecurity leadership gap during increasing threat landscape and governance transition
  • Florida ranks last in nation for state worker pay with significant IT vacancy rates -- recruiting and retaining cybersecurity and technology talent is critical challenge
  • Hurricane exposure demands resilient IT infrastructure: annual hurricane season creates recurring stress test for state technology systems with limited documented technology resilience planning

Capability Areas

Capability Radar

Cybersecurity & …AI & AutomationDigital Governme…Data Management …Workforce & TalentCloud ServicesBroadband & Conn…IT Procurement &…Interoperability…Legacy Moderniza…
Florida

Current IT Projects

ProjectStatusDescriptionTimeline
ASSET Agency Establishment (SB 7026)LegislativeCreating the Agency for State Systems and Enterprise Technology as a cabinet-level IT agency replacing Florida Digital Service. CIO appointed by governor, confirmed by Senate. Includes biennial cybersecurity assessments and Technology Advisory Council.Effective July 1, 2026 (if enacted)
BEAD Broadband DeploymentPlanning$1.17B federal broadband deployment program targeting 170,000 unserved locations. Broadband Nation workforce initiative training 20,000+ workers. Florida Broadband Office managing subgrantee selection and compliance.2025-2030
Local Government Cybersecurity Grant ProgramActive$10M allocated for cybersecurity improvements at county and city level, supporting vulnerability assessments, incident response capabilities, and security training for local government entities.FY2025-2026
DIGIT Division Proposal (SB 480)LegislativeAlternative restructuring proposal to transfer Florida Digital Service responsibilities to new Division of Integrated Government Innovation and Technology under governor's office.2026 legislative session
State CIO Office IT OperationsActive$68.7M operational budget for statewide IT services including email security, vulnerability management, incident response, and telecommunications infrastructure modernization.FY2025-2026

100-Day Strategic Plan

Quick-win initiatives for immediate impact

200-Day Strategic Plan

Strategic initiatives for sustained transformation

Sources

  1. Florida Department of Management Services (DMS) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  2. DMS Leadership: Chief Information Officer Warren Sponholtz (accessed 2026-02-23)
  3. GovTech: Florida CISO Jeremy Rodgers Will Head to Private Sector (accessed 2026-02-23)
  4. GovTech: Florida Legislators Mull Replacing State's Current IT Agency (ASSET) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  5. Florida Senate Bill 7026 Analysis: Agency for State Systems and Enterprise Technology (accessed 2026-02-23)
  6. GovTech: Lawmakers Propose Another Restructuring of Florida IT (SB 480 DIGIT) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  7. GovTech Insider: A Look at DeSantis' IT Budget Proposals for DMS FY2025-26 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  8. Florida Broadband Office - BEAD Program (accessed 2026-02-23)
  9. TIA: Broadband Nation Launches Workforce Initiative in Florida ($1.16B BEAD) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  10. ITIC: Lessons Learned -- Florida Brings Back the State CIO (accessed 2026-02-23)
  11. OPPAGA: Florida Department of Management Services Program Evaluation (accessed 2026-02-23)
  12. Tallahassee Democrat: Florida Ranks Last in Nation for State Worker Pay (accessed 2026-02-23)
  13. NASCIO 2025 State CIO Top 10 Priorities (accessed 2026-02-23)
  14. NASCIO 2025 State CIO Survey: Leading Change Through Uncertain Times (accessed 2026-02-23)
  15. Florida Digital Government Summit 2026 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  16. Ready.net: Florida State Broadband Office Profile (accessed 2026-02-23)