Input: Cabinet nominees will keep tabs on states' needs

Spending on information technology initiatives, such as health IT, are likely to increase under the Obama administration, according to market research company Input.

The initial round of Cabinet nominees will contribute to changes to state and local government IT, said Chris Dixon, manager of state and local industry analysis at Input.

Dixon's posting on the Input blog, "B2G Exchange," examines the potential impact of President-elect Barack Obama's choices. The nomination of Tom Daschle for secretary of health and human services and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano for homeland security secretary could have a major impact on IT spending, he said.

"For example, former Senate majority leader Daschle's views on health care reform include a role for the government in health IT that [is] similar to [that] of the outgoing Bush administration," Dixon said. "However, health IT was the No. 2 policy item of the Obama campaign's health care platform, so Input expects it to see much more attention and funding under the new administration."

During Napolitano's tenure as governor of Arizona, the state has been a leader in sharing state and local intelligence with the federal government, Dixon said.

"Candidate Obama pledged to establish a grant program to support thousands more state and local-level intelligence analysts," he said. "Input expects to see significant new resources in this IT-intensive area, which should be right up her alley."

Dixon is also monitoring the potential impact of Cabinet nominees on federally funded social services.