Concourse

New Hampshire

IT Status Report & Strategic Plan

February 23, 2026 · Version 2.0

Executive Summary

Governor

Kelly Ayotte (R)

CIO

Denis Goulet

CISO

Ken Weeks (Office of the CISO)

IT Organization

Department of Information Technology (DoIT)

State Agencies

24

Population

1.4M

✓ Key Strengths

  • Nation-leading 'Cybersecurity In a Box' program delivering turnkey cybersecurity services to local governments, K-12 schools, drinking water systems, and wastewater facilities through the Overwatch Foundation -- establishing a whole-of-state security model recognized by NASCIO as a national best practice
  • Near-universal broadband achievement with 99.2% household and business coverage as of 2025, with $196.5M BEAD allocation targeting remaining 5,100 unserved addresses -- positioning New Hampshire among the first states to achieve 100% broadband connectivity by 2026
  • CIO Denis Goulet providing exceptional leadership stability -- one of the longest-serving state CIOs nationally -- enabling consistent strategic vision across administrations for cybersecurity, privacy, modernization, and the innovative '.Gov In a Box' local government support program
  • Governor Ayotte's Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE) producing 54 actionable recommendations for improving state operations, creating executive-level momentum for technology modernization, process streamlining, and digital service transformation

⚠ Key Risks

  • COGE recommendation to end remote work for state employees could significantly impact IT talent recruitment and retention in a state where 23,400 state workers compete with Boston metro tech sector less than an hour away
  • NH Easy benefits eligibility system modernization is a complex, multi-year undertaking (Enterprise Business Intelligence 2.0 RFP through June 2029) affecting DHHS service delivery to the state's most vulnerable populations -- execution risk is significant
  • Small state population (1.4M) and workforce limits the IT talent pool, while proximity to Massachusetts and remote work trends enable skilled workers to take higher-paying positions without relocating
  • Strategic Information Technology Plan (SITP) covering 2021-2025 has reached end of planning horizon -- the state needs an updated strategic plan for 2026+ to guide technology investments during a period of significant change under new gubernatorial leadership

Capability Areas

Capability Radar

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

Current IT Projects

ProjectStatusDescriptionTimeline
Cybersecurity In a Box / Overwatch ProgramsActiveNASCIO award-winning whole-of-state cybersecurity programs delivering turnkey services to local governments, K-12 schools, drinking water systems, and wastewater facilities. Expanding to include Managed Endpoint Detection and Response for schools and accelerated critical infrastructure cybersecurity.2022-2026 (ongoing expansion)
BEAD Broadband CompletionIn Progress$196.5M BEAD program targeting remaining 5,100 unserved addresses to achieve 100% broadband connectivity across New Hampshire. Technology-neutral approach including satellite for rapid coverage of hardest-to-reach locations.2025-2026
Enterprise Business Intelligence 2.0RFP IssuedDHHS analytics modernization initiative replacing legacy business intelligence capabilities with modern platform. RFP issued with contract anticipated through June 2029 with renewal options.2025-2029
DMV Customer Scheduling and Kiosk SolutionRFP IssuedProcurement of modern customer scheduling, queuing, and self-service kiosk technology for New Hampshire DMV locations. Includes dashboards for staff KPI monitoring and citizen appointment management.2025-2027
State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP)ActiveYear-3 plan approved deploying federal cybersecurity grant funding for MFA hardware token distribution to municipalities and schools, .gov domain migration assistance, and cybersecurity training programs.2024-2026
Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE) ImplementationPlanningGovernor Ayotte's COGE has issued 54 recommendations for improving state government operations including technology modernization, process streamlining, and organizational restructuring. Implementation planning underway across agencies.2025-2027

100-Day Strategic Plan

Quick-win initiatives for immediate impact

200-Day Strategic Plan

Strategic initiatives for sustained transformation

Sources

  1. New Hampshire Department of Information Technology (DoIT) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  2. NH Strategic Information Technology Plan 2021-2025 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  3. GovTech: New Hampshire CIO Talks Privacy, AI and Modernization (accessed 2026-02-23)
  4. NASCIO: New Hampshire Cybersecurity In a Box Program (accessed 2026-02-23)
  5. NH Cyber Threat Assessment 2025 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  6. NH DoIT State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (accessed 2026-02-23)
  7. NH Business Review: A Fully Wired NH Expected by 2026 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  8. Governor's Office: NH Secures Federal Funding for Broadband Expansion (accessed 2026-02-23)
  9. COGE Chairmen's Report - Governor Kelly Ayotte (accessed 2026-02-23)
  10. NHPR: Ayotte's COGE Issues Government Efficiency Recommendations (accessed 2026-02-23)
  11. NH Department of Administrative Services Agency IT Plan FY2026-27 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  12. NH DHHS Enterprise Business Intelligence 2.0 RFP (accessed 2026-02-23)
  13. NH DMV Customer Scheduling and Kiosk Solution RFP (accessed 2026-02-23)
  14. Overwatch Foundation - New Hampshire Cyber Defense (accessed 2026-02-23)
  15. NASCIO State CIO Top Ten Policy and Technology Priorities for 2026 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  16. NH DHHS 2025-2027 Roadmap (accessed 2026-02-23)