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ITS Quarterly Newsletter - Aug. 2025
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If you’ve been reading our quarterly ITS newsletters over the past two years, you can probably tell that our agency is more than codes, firewalls and service desk tickets. The work we do and the projects we complete, all come down to our employees and their relationships with our many supported agencies and offices.
As part of IT Modernization, the goal was, and has always been, to increase efficiency in technology support across state agencies and improve security for Idaho government. The work we do is a testament to that, but what I will always highlight, are the people behind those efforts. Thank you for your partnership and trust.
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AI Resources
ITS is rolling out guidelines and framework for AI use for state agencies. You can find a full list of resources, including Q/A, video, and framework on our website its.idaho.gov/ai.
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AI Framework
AI has been in the news a lot lately, and the topic has certainly been keeping ITS very busy.
ITS presented in front of the AI Legislative Committee, sharing draft framework and an update on guidance for agencies in early July. Our AI Consultant Jacob Crisp led a dynamic presentation that was well received.
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ITA Website
I am pleased to share that after many years, the Idaho Technology Authority (ITA) has a new website, and the old one from another era, is finally retired. You can find a link to it here.
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Digital Summit
Idaho will host its third annual Digital Government Summit Sept. 29th, with a focus on information technology, trends, and issues facing digital government today.
A link to the program and registration can be found here. Please check with your agency leadership as space is limited.
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Quarterly Low-Code User Group
In a strategic move to elevate the impact of our internal learning initiatives, ITS partnered with ITD to transform the traditional one-hour lunch-and-learn sessions into a quarterly, three-hour event designed to bring vendor-led training directly to our teams. This new format reflects a shift from informal peer sharing to structured, high-value learning experiences that blend external expertise with internal innovation.
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Commerce's BEAD Program
The Idaho Broadband Advisory Board met at the State Capitol earlier this summer. Jackie Reader and Sarah Lawrence from the ITS Data and Spatial Services (DASS) Team presented their “BEAD Application Project Areas” Map and Dashboard to the Board.
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Monthly IT Liaison Meetings Promote Communication and Collaboration
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In our continued effort to foster collaboration and alignment across state agencies we support, the ITS Service Delivery team (Chris Seffens, Mark French, Elton Kelly, Nicole Bledsoe, Tim Gates) hosts a monthly IT Liaison Meeting to provide timely updates, share best practices, and strengthen our shared IT ecosystem.
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The following topics were presented at the Liaison Meeting |
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DHW and ITS Early Partnership & Collaboration
It is not every day you see the DHW Service Desk Manager wearing an ITS polo, but that is the kind of camaraderie already forming between our teams.
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Primary Service Desk Sets Pace for Excellence at ITS
In a high-volume, fast-paced environment like ITS, exceptional work often happens behind the scenes. But when a team consistently sets the standard for professionalism, responsiveness, and collaboration, it deserves to be recognized. The Primary (Tier 1) Service Desk is doing just that.
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UEM Team Highlights
Let’s take a moment to recognize and celebrate the incredible work being done by our Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) Team.
Over 6,000 machines successfully migrated to Windows 11, a critical milestone as we prepare for the future of secure, efficient computing. With approximately 4,000 devices still to go, the finish line is well within reach thanks to their focus and follow-through.
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Idaho.gov Refresh
ITS is managing the upgrade and redesign of Idaho’s flagship website. If you haven’t visited the site recently, I encourage you to check it out. You will notice that while it served its purpose for many years, it is ready for a major refresh.
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Parental Choice Tax Credit Website
In conjunction with the Governor’s Office, Tax Commission and Division of Financial Management, the Communications team is building a new standalone website for the recently passed House Bill 93 and the Idaho Parental Choice Tax credit program.
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PIER Team
Through the Office of Emergency Management (IOEM) and Military Division, the Idaho PIER team play a role in coordinating communications among its state communication professionals.
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Network Changes and Standards
Through IT Modernization our networks and the demands on them have grown significantly. We have increased network port capacity to the point of reaching a level of saturation that has direct and negative impact on our operations and customers.
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Courtesy of Idaho National Guard
Cyber Discovery 2025
ITS hosted its annual Cyber Discovery event in partnership with the Idaho Army National Guard. Initiated in 2022, this exercise has evolved over three years into a joint training operation involving state and local government entities, college students, and military personnel from the Army and Air National Guards across Idaho and the United States.
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ITS Leads Digital Accessibility Training
Many state and local governments provide services, or access to their programs and activities, through websites, mobile applications, and the content within.
When these digital assets are not accessible, they can create barriers for individuals with disabilities that prevent them from engaging with their government.
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CYBERSECURITY ASSESSMENT OF THE MONTH
Lewis-Clark State College
Operation Cyber Idaho’s mission has aimed to enhance the State of Idaho’s cyber resilience and preparedness in the ever-evolving cyber threat sector. One initiative that helps drive this effort are the week-long vulnerability assessments. They're conducted for agencies, cities, counties, school districts, and other critical infrastructure entities.
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Laserfiche Rebuild Complete
We are pleased to announce the successful closure of the Laserfiche Rebuild project, a significant initiative launched in response to a critical infrastructure failure in 2023. Laserfiche services that hosted multiple agencies were impacted. The Idaho Department of Water Resources was most severely impacted, as the Laserfiche repository was central to their daily operations and service delivery.
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Employee Engagement Survey Success
The annual Division of Human Resources (DHR) Employee Engagement Survey wrapped up with an all-time high of 77% participation. Over 10,000 employees statewide took part, up from 71% last year.
Top Strengths
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