Concourse

Tennessee

IT Status Report & Strategic Plan

February 23, 2026 · Version 2.0

Executive Summary

Governor

Bill Lee (R)

CIO

Kristin Darby

CISO

Curtis Clan

IT Organization

Department of Finance & Administration - Strategic Technology Solutions (STS)

State Agencies

23

Population

7.1M

✓ Key Strengths

  • Visionary CIO Kristin Darby driving agentic AI-native ERP replacement -- one of the first states to require native AI architecture in enterprise systems RFI
  • Published statewide AI Action Plan (November 2025) with four strategic pillars: pilot programs, data/compute infrastructure, workforce enablement, and safety/accountability governance
  • Significant broadband progress -- reduced unserved population from 20% to less than 5% since 2021, with $813M BEAD allocation approved by NTIA for remaining gaps
  • Strong fiscal position with $59.5B state budget, $35.6M Rainy Day Fund investment, and stable revenue enabling sustained IT modernization investment

⚠ Key Risks

  • Project Edison ERP system is aging legacy infrastructure -- replacement RFI signals urgency, but full procurement and implementation of AI-native successor will take 3-5 years
  • BEAD broadband construction timelines uncertain amid federal funding pause concerns -- Tennessee legislators among 162 from 28 states requesting release of paused broadband funds
  • DOJ WCAG 2.1 AA website accessibility compliance deadline of April 24, 2026 approaching with no public audit results for state digital properties
  • AI Action Plan is governance-focused but lacks dedicated funding allocation -- risk of implementation stalling without appropriated resources for pilot programs and infrastructure

Capability Areas

Capability Radar

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

Current IT Projects

ProjectStatusDescriptionTimeline
AI-Native ERP ReplacementRFI StageReplacing legacy Project Edison ERP with next-generation system featuring native AI architecture for proactive anomaly detection in payroll, procurement, and compliance. RFI seeks extensible, secure, and auditable AI capabilities.RFI 2026, procurement 2026-2027, implementation 2027-2029
Tennessee AI Action Plan ImplementationIn ProgressOperationalizing the AI Advisory Council's four-pillar Action Plan: pilot programs, data/compute infrastructure, workforce enablement, and safety/accountability governance across state agencies.2025-2028 (annual progress reports)
BEAD Broadband ExpansionSubgrantee Selection$813M BEAD program to extend high-speed broadband to remaining unserved and underserved locations. NTIA-approved proposal with ISP selection and grant application process underway.2025-2028
STS Gen AI Governance RoadmapActiveStrategic framework for safe deployment of generative AI across state government, aligned with Enterprise Information Security Policy and NIST AI Risk Management Framework.2024-2026
Digital Procurement ModernizationIn ProgressTransforming state IT procurement practices to foster agility, innovation, and citizen-centric approaches. Includes vendor engagement reform and small business participation expansion.2025-2027
Digital Opportunity Grants ProgramActive$17M program funded by American Rescue Plan to enhance digital skills, education, and workforce development. Grants up to $1M per project covering digital literacy and technical proficiency.2024-2026

100-Day Strategic Plan

Quick-win initiatives for immediate impact

200-Day Strategic Plan

Strategic initiatives for sustained transformation

Sources

  1. Tennessee Department of Finance & Administration -- Strategic Technology Solutions (accessed 2026-02-23)
  2. Tennessee Names New Chief Information Officer (Kristin Darby appointment) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  3. GovTech: Tennessee CIO on Agentic AI, Govt.'s 'Inflection Point' (accessed 2026-02-23)
  4. Tennessee AI Advisory Council Action Plan (November 2025) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  5. STS Generative AI Roadmap (accessed 2026-02-23)
  6. GovTech: Tennessee Action Plan Looks to Guide How AI Will Be Used (accessed 2026-02-23)
  7. TNECD BEAD Program -- $813M Broadband Deployment (accessed 2026-02-23)
  8. TNECD Announces Approval of $813M BEAD Proposal (accessed 2026-02-23)
  9. TNECD $101.6M Broadband Infrastructure Investment (accessed 2026-02-23)
  10. Tennessee Digital Opportunity Grants Program (accessed 2026-02-23)
  11. Inside Tennessee's Digital Future -- Public Sector Network (accessed 2026-02-23)
  12. Governor Lee 2025 State of the State Address (accessed 2026-02-23)
  13. NASCIO 2026 State CIO Top 10 Priorities (accessed 2026-02-23)
  14. DOJ Title II Web Accessibility Rule -- WCAG 2.1 AA (April 24, 2026 deadline) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  15. Broadband Breakfast: Tennessee BEAD Proposal Approved (accessed 2026-02-23)
  16. Tennessee BEAD Application Guide and Timeline (accessed 2026-02-23)