The aftershocks of Sept. 11 are exposing serious fault lines in the technology and information infrastructure of state and local government. Well-publicized difficulties in coordinating responses to bioterrorism are just the tip of the iceberg.
There has been much speculation ? often accompanied by breathless announcements ? about what the war on terrorism means for state and local government. Visions of new spending for advanced security systems, enhanced emergency response capabilities and integrated databases are popping up everywhere.
Now and then an award is made that signifies a major shift in the competitive landscape of the state and local market. This happened recently when California awarded a $25 million, five-year contract to National Information Consortium Inc., the pioneer e-gov portal company.
Electronic government companies are discovering what successful software companies of an earlier generation also found: The road to success for new companies in state and local government often comes through partnering with others.
After a brief hiatus, mega-contracts ? those wins that exceed $50 million ? are making a comeback in state and local government. The lull that followed the cancellation of Connecticut's outsourcing procurement a couple of years ago appears to have been temporary.
