Concourse

Virginia

IT Status Report & Strategic Plan

February 23, 2026 · Version 2.0

Executive Summary

Governor

Abigail Spanberger (D)

CIO

Robert "Bob" Osmond

CISO

Michael Watson

IT Organization

Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA)

State Agencies

65

Population

8.6M

✓ Key Strengths

  • VITA's managed services/integrator model delivers consolidated IT across 65 agencies with a six-year technology project plan and $699M active project portfolio
  • Nation-leading cybersecurity posture: reduced critical cyber incidents to just two in the past year while defending against 100M+ annual cyberattacks, driving down cybersecurity insurance costs
  • Early AI governance leadership with secure CoPilot environment for state employees, automatic website translation, and substance-use data platform integrating 10 agencies
  • Northern Virginia data center corridor -- the world's largest data center market -- with Amazon HQ2, Virginia Tech Innovation Campus, and $12B+ in public-private tech investment

⚠ Key Risks

  • VITA's multi-year IT contract re-competitions for cloud services and end-user devices create procurement risk -- disruptions during transition could impact 65 agencies and 100,000+ employees
  • CommonHelp benefits portal modernization stalled: General Assembly directed DSS to evaluate upgrade-or-replace options by September 2024, but no public implementation plan released
  • DOJ WCAG 2.1 AA website accessibility compliance deadline of April 24, 2026 approaching with website modernization still in progress across Commonwealth domains
  • Governor transition from Youngkin (R) to Spanberger (D) in January 2026 creates potential IT strategy and priority shifts during active procurement cycles

Capability Areas

Capability Radar

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

Current IT Projects

ProjectStatusDescriptionTimeline
VITA IT Contract Re-CompetitionsIn ProgressMajor multi-year procurement re-competitions for cloud services, end-user devices, and managed services contracts supporting 65 agencies and 100,000+ employees.2025-2027
Zero Trust Security ImplementationIn ProgressEnterprise-wide zero trust strategy deployment including identity and access management modernization, network segmentation, and continuous verification across all state systems.2025-2028
Commonwealth Website ModernizationIn ProgressUpdating Commonwealth websites to meet current compliance, security, and accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA) ahead of April 2026 DOJ deadline.2024-2026
AI Integration & Secure CoPilot ExpansionIn ProgressExpanding secure CoPilot environment for state employees, deploying automatic translation tools, and establishing AI governance framework for agency-level adoption.2025-2027
BEAD Broadband DeploymentPlanning$1.4B+ federal broadband deployment program targeting underserved rural communities in Southwest Virginia and Southside regions.2026-2028
Data Governance & Analytics IntegrationIn ProgressIntegration of Office of Data Governance & Analytics into VITA per HB1632, establishing enterprise data management capabilities and cross-agency analytics.2025-2027

100-Day Strategic Plan

Quick-win initiatives for immediate impact

200-Day Strategic Plan

Strategic initiatives for sustained transformation

Sources

  1. VITA FY26-28 IT Strategic Plan (accessed 2026-02-23)
  2. VITA Strategic Business Plan FY2023-2027 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  3. VITA August 2025 IT Project Status Report (accessed 2026-02-23)
  4. VITA Leadership Team (accessed 2026-02-23)
  5. CitizenPortal: Virginia CIO briefs committee on VITA modernization, cybersecurity gains and AI plans (accessed 2026-02-23)
  6. GovTech: CIO Bob Osmond honored with Top 25 Doers, Dreamers, and Drivers 2025 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  7. Virginia General Assembly SB30 Item 334#2s - CommonHelp Enhancement Mandate (accessed 2026-02-23)
  8. Virginia SEC530 Cybersecurity Standard Guide (accessed 2026-02-23)
  9. Governor Spanberger Inaugural Address (accessed 2026-02-23)
  10. NVTC Data Center & Cloud Community (accessed 2026-02-23)
  11. National Landing 2026: Amazon HQ2, National IQ, and $12B Investment (accessed 2026-02-23)
  12. Virginia Department of Social Services - CommonHelp (accessed 2026-02-23)
  13. NASCIO 2025 State CIO Top 10 Priorities (accessed 2026-02-23)
  14. DOJ Title II Web Accessibility Rule - WCAG 2.1 AA (accessed 2026-02-23)
  15. StateTech: State & Local IT Influencers Worth Following in 2025 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  16. StateScoop: Virginia's new CIO targets cyber, smart growth (accessed 2026-02-23)