Concourse

North Carolina

IT Status Report & Strategic Plan

February 23, 2026 · Version 2.0

Executive Summary

Governor

Josh Stein (D)

CIO

Teena Piccione

CISO

Bernice Bond

IT Organization

North Carolina Department of Information Technology (NCDIT)

State Agencies

30

Population

10.8M

✓ Key Strengths

  • National AI leadership -- North Carolina's ranking surged from 36th to 7th nationally in AI expertise, driven by AI education, tech jobs, and investment; first Deputy Secretary for AI and Policy (I-Sah Hsieh) appointed
  • IT procurement transformation reduced RFP review timelines from 264 days to 62 days (76% reduction), increasing competition and supplier participation
  • Comprehensive NCDIT 2025-2029 strategic plan with five clear goals: reliable technology, AI/emerging tech, collaborative IT ecosystem, information security, and workforce development
  • Award-winning Next Generation 911 system that rerouted nearly 90,000 calls during Hurricane Helene, earning the 2025 NASCIO State IT Recognition Award

⚠ Key Risks

  • Hurricane Helene destroyed 1,700+ miles of fiber optic cables and disrupted broadband for 200,000+ households in 39 western NC counties, requiring massive infrastructure rebuilding
  • Federal AI moratorium creating uncertainty for state-level AI governance despite Governor Stein's Executive Order No. 24 establishing the NC AI Accelerator
  • BEAD broadband program timeline uncertain due to new federal executive order linking AI policy to non-deployment fund distribution
  • Workforce development challenges in recruiting and retaining public-sector IT talent despite strong private-sector tech economy (RTP corridor competition)

Capability Areas

Capability Radar

Cybersecurity & …AI & AutomationDigital Governme…Data Management …Workforce & Tale…Cloud ServicesBroadband & Conn…IT Procurement &…Interoperability…Legacy Moderniza…
North Carolina

Current IT Projects

ProjectStatusDescriptionTimeline
NC AI Accelerator ProgramActiveGovernor Stein's Executive Order No. 24 establishing the AI Accelerator within NCDIT. Rapid experimentation sprints across cabinet agencies with dedicated Deputy Secretary for AI and Policy. Already reduced procurement from 264 to 62 days.2025-ongoing
Hurricane Helene Broadband RecoveryIn Progress$50M Broadband Recovery Program rebuilding 1,700+ miles of destroyed fiber optic infrastructure across 39 disaster-designated counties including Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians territories.2025-2027
NCDIT 2025-2029 Strategic Plan ImplementationIn ProgressFive-goal strategic framework: reliable technology services, AI/emerging tech adoption, collaborative IT ecosystem, information security, and workforce development across all state agencies.FY2025-FY2029
Next Generation 911 EnhancementOperationalNASCIO-award-winning NG911 system with geospatial call routing. Successfully rerouted 90,000 calls during Hurricane Helene. Continuing expansion of advanced capabilities including location-based routing.Operational, expanding
IT Procurement TransformationActiveComprehensive reform reducing RFP review from 264 days to 62 days (76% reduction), increasing competition and supplier diversity. AI-assisted review processes being piloted.2025-ongoing
BEAD Broadband DeploymentPlanningFederal BEAD program funding broadband infrastructure for unserved and underserved communities statewide. Implementation timeline dependent on NTIA authorization and federal policy developments.2026-2030

100-Day Strategic Plan

Quick-win initiatives for immediate impact

200-Day Strategic Plan

Strategic initiatives for sustained transformation

Sources

  1. NCDIT: 2025 -- A Landmark Year for NCDIT in AI, Innovation, Connectivity (accessed 2026-02-23)
  2. NCDIT: Leadership -- Teena Piccione (accessed 2026-02-23)
  3. GovTech: New North Carolina State CISO Was Nonprofit Cyber Leader (accessed 2026-02-23)
  4. NCDIT Strategic Plan 2025-2029 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  5. CIO.inc: How North Carolina Is Modernizing IT With AI (accessed 2026-02-23)
  6. Carolina Forward: Governor Stein's Plan for Ethical AI Governance (EO No. 24) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  7. Governor Stein: $50M Broadband Recovery Program Announcement (accessed 2026-02-23)
  8. Broadband Breakfast: NC Launches $50M Broadband Recovery Program (accessed 2026-02-23)
  9. ncbroadband.gov: Broadband Recovery Program (accessed 2026-02-23)
  10. NCDIT: NC NG911 System Receives National Award (accessed 2026-02-23)
  11. ncIMPACT/UNC: Deep Waters -- Impacts of Tech Innovations on Helene Recovery (accessed 2026-02-23)
  12. First Flight Venture Center (accessed 2026-02-23)
  13. NCWorks Training Center (accessed 2026-02-23)
  14. NC Office of Human Resources: Current State Employee Statistics (accessed 2026-02-23)
  15. NASCIO 2025 State CIO Top 10 Priorities (accessed 2026-02-23)
  16. StateScoop: Five State Tech Stories That Made 2025 (accessed 2026-02-23)