Concourse

Washington

IT Status Report & Strategic Plan

February 23, 2026 · Version 2.0

Executive Summary

Governor

Bob Ferguson (D)

CIO

Bill Kehoe

CISO

Ralph Johnson

IT Organization

Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech)

State Agencies

100

Population

8.1M

Key Strengths

  • Comprehensive 2025-2028 IT Strategic Plan built with input from 80+ business and IT leaders across four strategic goals: inclusive government, data leverage, relevant technology, and work transformation
  • National cybersecurity leadership with Office of Cybersecurity (OCS) publishing a 2025-2027 Enterprise Security Strategy targeting 'Zero Impact from Cyber Incidents' across three pillars: public trust, collaboration, and workforce
  • Formal AI governance framework with December 2025 AI Policy requiring agency AI contacts, risk assessments, employee training, and documentation -- complemented by AI Task Force legislative recommendations
  • One Washington $518M ERP modernization initiative transforming finance, procurement, HR, and budgeting across 40+ state agencies using Workday cloud platform

Key Risks

  • One Washington ERP project already missed its initial go-live date in July 2025 -- Phase 1A now targeting October 2027 with $518M budget and significant change management challenges across 40+ agencies
  • State Auditor flagged significant gaps in digital equity strategy: no comprehensive statewide plan, no designated leader, and divided responsibilities between Broadband Office and Office of Equity
  • Governor Ferguson's proposed 6% agency spending cuts ($1.8B over biennium) may constrain IT modernization budgets during critical transformation period
  • Nearly $1.2B BEAD broadband allocation requires rapid scaling of construction and permitting processes with universal coverage goal by 2028

Capability Areas

Capability Radar

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

Current IT Projects

ProjectStatusDescriptionTimeline
One Washington ERP ModernizationIn Progress$518M Workday-based enterprise resource planning project modernizing finance, procurement, HR, and budgeting across 40+ state agencies. Phase 1A targeting October 2027 go-live.2023-2027+
Enterprise IT Security Strategy 2025-2027ActiveComprehensive cybersecurity strategy targeting 'Zero Impact from Cyber Incidents' built on four pillars: Risk Management, Digital Trust, Integrity, and Governance.2025-2027
BEAD Broadband ExpansionIn ProgressNearly $1.2B federal broadband deployment program targeting universal access for every business and household by 2028. Second round of subgrantee applications completed May 2025.2025-2028
Statewide AI Policy ImplementationActiveOperationalizing December 2025 AI Policy across state agencies -- requiring designated AI contacts, risk assessments, documentation, and mandatory employee AI training.2025-2026
IT Strategic Plan 2025-2028 ExecutionIn ProgressFour-goal framework: inclusive government experience, data leverage, relevant technology, and work transformation. Cross-agency action cycles driving measurable outcomes.2025-2028
Digital Equity & Accessibility InitiativePlanningResponding to State Auditor findings on gaps in digital equity coordination. WSBO Digital Equity Dashboard and Five-Year Action Plan addressing broadband access disparities.2025-2028

100-Day Strategic Plan

Quick-win initiatives for immediate impact

200-Day Strategic Plan

Strategic initiatives for sustained transformation

Sources

  1. WaTech 2025-2028 IT Strategic Plan (accessed 2026-02-22)
  2. WaTech Enterprise IT Security Strategy 2025-2027 (accessed 2026-02-22)
  3. WaTech AI Policy (DATA-04) (accessed 2026-02-22)
  4. WaTech AI Resources & Reports (accessed 2026-02-22)
  5. Washington AI Task Force Interim Report (December 2025) (accessed 2026-02-22)
  6. WaTech Office of Cybersecurity (OCS) (accessed 2026-02-22)
  7. GovTech: 'Washington State IT Project Reaches Beyond Tech to Structure' (January 2026) (accessed 2026-02-22)
  8. One Washington ERP Project (accessed 2026-02-22)
  9. Washington State Broadband Office (WSBO) (accessed 2026-02-22)
  10. WSBO BEAD Program NOFO (accessed 2026-02-22)
  11. Broadband Breakfast: 'State Audit Flags Gaps in Washington's Digital Equity Strategy' (January 2026) (accessed 2026-02-22)
  12. WaTech About Page (CIO Bill Kehoe) (accessed 2026-02-22)
  13. NASCIO: Bill Kehoe Executive Committee Appointment (accessed 2026-02-22)
  14. Washington State Standard: 'Ferguson Wants to Cut WA Agency Spending by 6%' (February 2025) (accessed 2026-02-22)
  15. U.S. Census Bureau: Washington State Population QuickFacts (accessed 2026-02-22)
  16. GovTech: CIO Bill Kehoe at Washington State IT Industry Forum (accessed 2026-02-22)
  17. Cybersecurity Center of Excellence WA (Whatcom Community College) (accessed 2026-02-22)