Concourse

North Dakota

IT Status Report & Strategic Plan

February 23, 2026 · Version 2.0

Executive Summary

Governor

Kelly Armstrong (R)

CIO

Corey Mock

CISO

Chris Gergen

IT Organization

North Dakota Information Technology (NDIT)

State Agencies

60

Population

784K

✓ Key Strengths

  • North Dakota is on track to become the first state with 100% broadband coverage -- NTIA-approved $130M BEAD plan combined with $37M in state broadband grants funding nearly 3,000 awards to local providers, with over 95% of households already at 100 Mbps and 70%+ at gigabit speeds
  • CIO Corey Mock brings 16 years of legislative experience including IT Committee leadership, appointed to NASCIO Executive Committee, providing unmatched policy-technology bridge that strengthens NDIT's position with lawmakers managing the $275M technology budget
  • Whole-of-State Cybersecurity program under CISO Chris Gergen defends all branches of government, preventing 4.5 billion threats annually across 252,000+ residents served daily -- a nationally recognized model for centralized state cybersecurity
  • Portfolio Steering Committee and internal dashboard provide transparent, customer-driven IT project prioritization across 60+ agencies -- eliminating silos and enabling cross-agency collaboration on shared challenges like the Mobile ID program

⚠ Key Risks

  • Mainframe migration targeting completion within two years is aggressive for systems supporting critical government operations -- delays or complications could disrupt service delivery during the transition to low-code/no-code platforms
  • CIO Mock's political background (16 years as Democratic legislator in a Republican-governed state) creates unusual dynamics -- while his bipartisan relationships are an asset, political alignment with Governor Armstrong's priorities must be continuously managed
  • NDIT's $200.5M biennial budget ($48M general fund) with 509 FTEs must support 60+ agencies while simultaneously executing mainframe migration, broadband deployment, and cybersecurity expansion -- resource constraints are significant for a state this size
  • North Dakota's small population (783,900) and geographic isolation create persistent IT workforce recruitment challenges, particularly for cybersecurity specialists, despite the state's innovative approach to cybersecurity education requirements for high school students

Capability Areas

Capability Radar

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

Current IT Projects

ProjectStatusDescriptionTimeline
100% Broadband Coverage InitiativeApproved$130M BEAD plan approved by NTIA with financial approval from NIST secured. Combined with $37M in state grants, funding nearly 3,000 projects to achieve first-in-nation 100% broadband coverage. Final 279 awards to complete coverage by 2028.2025-2028
Mainframe Migration to Modern PlatformsIn ProgressComprehensive migration of legacy mainframe systems to modern cloud and low-code/no-code platforms. Targeted completion within two years to enable rapid application development and reduce legacy maintenance costs across state government.2025-2027
Mobile ID ExpansionLaunchedNorth Dakota Mobile ID for Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, and Samsung Wallet launched October 2025. Available at 250+ airports and select businesses. Evaluating expansion to broader government service transactions and additional verification use cases.2025-2027
Whole-of-State Cybersecurity EnhancementActiveStrengthening centralized cybersecurity operations under CISO Gergen with new Director of Cyber Operations John Rodenbiker. Expanding coverage, updating threat detection capabilities, and enhancing cyber workforce through high school education mandate.2025-2027
Portfolio Steering Committee OptimizationActiveMaturing the cross-agency IT project prioritization framework with internal dashboard, transparent scoring, and customer-driven decision-making. Reducing silos between 60+ agencies and aligning modernization investments with statewide strategic goals.2025-2027
EduTech Training Application ReplacementFundedReplacing legacy EduTech training application with modern platform to support K-12 and higher education technology services. Part of broader education technology modernization aligned with cybersecurity and computer science graduation requirements.2025-2027

100-Day Strategic Plan

Quick-win initiatives for immediate impact

200-Day Strategic Plan

Strategic initiatives for sustained transformation

Sources

  1. North Dakota Information Technology (NDIT) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  2. NDIT Statewide IT Plan 2025-2027 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  3. GovTech: North Dakota CIO Corey Mock Is Focused on Connectivity (accessed 2026-02-23)
  4. GovTech: How North Dakota Prioritizes State IT Projects (accessed 2026-02-23)
  5. StateScoop: Six Months In, North Dakota's New CIO Says His Job Is 'Foolproof' (accessed 2026-02-23)
  6. GovTech: North Dakota Works to Assess, Improve IT at the Human Level (accessed 2026-02-23)
  7. GovTech: North Dakota's New Cyber Ops Leader Is From Private Sector (accessed 2026-02-23)
  8. NDIT: ND on Track to Become First State With 100% Broadband Coverage (accessed 2026-02-23)
  9. NDIT BEAD Program Overview (accessed 2026-02-23)
  10. AASHTO Journal: North Dakota's Mobile ID Program Now Live (accessed 2026-02-23)
  11. NDIT 2025-2027 Budget Guidelines (accessed 2026-02-23)
  12. North Dakota 2025-27 NDIT Legislative Budget (112-ITD) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  13. NDIT House Appropriations Testimony (March 2025) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  14. StateScoop: North Dakota Governor-Elect Names State Lawmaker as New CIO (accessed 2026-02-23)
  15. NDIT: Corey Mock Appointed to NASCIO Executive Committee (accessed 2026-02-23)
  16. Broadband Breakfast: State Broadband Officers Still Face Delays in BEAD Approval (accessed 2026-02-23)
  17. NASCIO 2026 State CIO Top Ten Policy and Technology Priorities (accessed 2026-02-23)