Tag Archives: Federal Government

Maximize Federal Data Protection with Commvault’s End-of-Fiscal-Year Bundle 

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As Federal agencies approach the final stretch of fiscal year 2025, the challenge of securing comprehensive data security coverage while maximizing remaining budget dollars has become increasingly critical. Commvault has partnered with Carahsoft to deliver a strategic end-of-fiscal-year opportunity that combines substantial cost savings with the highest level of Federal security authorization available in the data protection market. 

Consolidating Data Protection Under a Single Platform 

Federal agencies often work with a range of vendors to meet their diverse data protection needs, which can introduce added complexity, training considerations and operational demands. Commvault’s Data Protection Bundle addresses this challenge by unifying data protection, Active Directory protection and air-gapped data security capabilities under one comprehensive platform. 

This consolidation approach delivers measurable operational benefits that extend beyond cost reduction. Agencies can significantly minimize the time required for deployment and training, reduce management costs and improve their response capabilities during critical events such as ransomware attacks or data loss incidents. When every minute counts in a recovery scenario, having a unified platform can mean the difference between rapid restoration and extended downtime. 

Setting the Security Standard with FedRAMP High Authorization 

Federal agencies operate under stringent security requirements that often limit their technology choices, particularly when handling sensitive or classified information. Commvault distinguishes itself as the only data protection provider to achieve FedRAMP High authorization while maintaining availability across all major cloud platforms. 

This security credential represents the highest level of authorization available for cloud services serving Government customers, demonstrating Commvault’s ability to meet the most demanding Federal security standards. For agencies required to maintain strict compliance protocols, this authorization eliminates the complexity of lengthy security evaluations while ensuring their data protection solution meets or exceeds all regulatory requirements. 

Simplifying Deployment Across Diverse Government Environments 

Government agencies face unique infrastructure challenges, from legacy on-premises systems to modern cloud deployments, often with varying levels of technical resources and expertise. Commvault’s unified platform architecture addresses these challenges by maintaining consistency across all deployment scenarios—whether on-premises, cloud, virtual or physical environments. 

Since the underlying code remains consistent across all implementations, agencies experience significantly reduced deployment times compared to managing multiple vendor solutions. This consistency also translates to streamlined training processes and lower administrative overhead, particularly valuable for agencies with limited technical staff or those supporting geographically distributed operations. 

Leveraging Strategic Procurement Advantages 

The Data Protection Bundle is readily available through General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule contracting, providing Federal buyers with the streamlined procurement process they understand and trust. This availability is enhanced by Carahsoft’s partnership with Commvault to offer additional savings of up to 60% off manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP)—savings that stack on top of existing GSA Schedule discounts that agencies have historically leveraged. 

While the focus remains on end-of-fiscal-year procurement opportunities, Commvault has committed to honoring this pricing structure through the end of the calendar year, providing agencies with flexibility in their planning and implementation timelines. 

Supporting Widespread Federal Adoption 

Commvault’s platform is already deployed across numerous Federal agencies, spanning both Department of Defense (DoD) and civilian organizations. Many of these agencies utilize Commvault to protect shared environments through a single unified platform, demonstrating the solution’s ability to scale across diverse Government requirements while maintaining the security boundaries and operational control that Federal organizations require. 

This existing Federal footprint provides new adopters with confidence in the platform’s proven ability to meet government-specific mandates while offering opportunities for knowledge sharing and best practice development across agency lines. 

Federal agencies looking to strengthen their data protection capabilities while maximizing end-of-fiscal-year budget efficiency should evaluate how Commvault’s comprehensive bundle addresses their mission-critical requirements. With proven FedRAMP High authorization, substantial cost savings and streamlined GSA procurement, this solution offers a strategic pathway to enhanced data security and operational efficiency. 

Visit Commvault’s FedRAMP page to discover how this end-of-fiscal-year opportunity can strengthen your agency’s data protection strategy and deliver significant cost savings. 

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including Commvault we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

Palo Alto Networks Cortex Cloud™ — Unified Efficiency, Now with Dual FedRAMP Authority

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In a testament to its commitment to secured and streamlined cloud security, Palo Alto Networks Cortex Cloud™ has already achieved FedRAMP High and Moderate authorizations since launching in February 2025. This significant milestone positions Cortex Cloud as the only CNAPP in the FedRAMP Marketplace holding both High and Moderate designations, underscoring its unique ability to cater to the diverse security needs of the U.S. Government.

The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is the Government’s rigorous standard for assessing, authorizing and continuously monitoring cloud services. By achieving both High and Moderate authorizations, Cortex Cloud demonstrates its adherence to stringent security controls, paving the way for Federal agencies to confidently adopt its innovative platform.

Unlocking Efficiency Through a Unified Security Platform

At a time when Government agencies are prioritizing modernization and efficiency, Cortex Cloud offers a powerful, unified solution. As the next generation of Prisma® Cloud, it transcends traditional, siloed security tools by integrating best-in-class cloud detection and response (CDR) with industry-leading, cloud-native application protection platform (CNAPP) capabilities.

This platform-centric approach delivers measurable benefits:

  • Streamlined Procurement – By choosing Cortex Cloud with FedRAMP High authorization to secure your environment, agencies can bypass the complexities and delays of redundant security assessments.
  • Reduced Complexity and Risk – By integrating security across the entire cloud lifecycle (from code to cloud to SOC) Cortex Cloud eliminates the operational overhead and potential vulnerabilities associated with managing disparate security tools.
  • Enhanced Operational Efficiency – The unified platform provides comprehensive visibility and context, enabling security teams to prioritize risks effectively, automate responses and reduce the mean time to respond (MTTR) to threats.
  • Intelligent Risk Reduction – Cortex Cloud’s cloud posture security capabilities offer agentless visibility and intelligently group-related issues, empowering security teams to focus on the most critical risks with minimal effort.
  • Proactive Threat Prevention – Stop attacks in real time with cloud detection and response (CDR), maintaining the integrity and availability of Government systems, as breaches are prevented before impacting mission-critical operations.
  • Securing the Application Lifecycle – Cortex Cloud’s application security features enable agencies to identify and remediate vulnerabilities in the software supply chain, preventing risks from ever reaching production.

Meeting Diverse Government Needs with a Single, Powerful Platform

The dual FedRAMP High and Moderate authorizations empower Cortex Cloud to address a wide spectrum of Government requirements:

  • FedRAMP High – For the most sensitive, unclassified data where compromise could severely impact national security, economic stability or public safety. Cortex Cloud meets over 400 rigorous security controls for mission-critical applications.
  • FedRAMP Moderate – For Federal information where loss of confidentiality, integrity or availability would have serious adverse effects. Cortex Cloud adheres to over 300 security controls, suitable for a broad range of data, including PII.

Furthermore, Cortex Cloud’s GovRAMP High and Moderate certifications highlight its commitment to serving State and Local Governments with equally robust and efficient cloud security solutions.

Driving Productivity and Cost Savings

The U.S. Government’s focus on maximizing efficiency and productivity aligns perfectly with the benefits offered by Cortex Cloud’s unified platform.

By consolidating security functions and providing intelligent insights, Cortex Cloud helps agencies:

  • Optimize Resources – Security teams can operate more efficiently, focusing on strategic initiatives rather than managing a complex web of point solutions.
  • Improve Security Outcomes – Comprehensive visibility and integrated threat intelligence lead to a stronger security posture and reduced risk of costly breaches.
  • Accelerate Cloud Adoption – Agencies can confidently embrace the scalability and flexibility of the cloud while maintaining the highest security standards.

Cortex Cloud’s FedRAMP High and Moderate authorizations are more than just certifications; they represent a commitment to providing Government agencies with an efficient, unified and highly secure cloud security platform. By streamlining operations, reducing complexity and delivering comprehensive protection, Cortex Cloud empowers the U.S. Government to achieve its modernization goals while safeguarding its most critical assets.

Secured in America. Built for Government.

Headquartered in California, Palo Alto Networks proudly celebrates two decades of cybersecurity innovation and leadership. Across the United States, we employ more than 8,800 people in 49 states with physical offices in California, New York, Texas and Virginia. Championing American production excellence, we assemble all of our hardware firewalls in the United States, with our primary assembly and fulfillment center located in Texas. With over $1.8 billion in annual R&D, Palo Alto Networks is driving continuous innovation to maintain American technological leadership and excellence.

Learn more about our commitment to serve Federal organizations as the Government’s cybersecurity partner of choice.

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including Palo Alto Networks, we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

From Noise to Impact: How Agencies Can Build Real AI Use Cases

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Insights from Federal data, legal and technology leaders on turning AI potential into mission-driven action

Everyone’s talking about AI. But in Government, where budgets are tight, oversight is strict and the stakes are high, talk isn’t enough. Agencies need AI use cases that solve real problems, not just generate headlines.

At a recent panel discussion in D.C. hosted by ZL Tech and Carahsoft, experts from data, legal and tech roles shared their insights on how Federal agencies can move from experimentation to impact. Their message was clear: success with AI starts with governance, strategy and the right people at the table.

1. Want Real AI? Start at the Top

The biggest challenge agencies face? Starting small and remaining siloed.

“Start at the highest, most strategic level of the organization,” said Matthew Versaggi, a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow for AI. “Don’t begin in your own department, by then it’s too narrow. Instead, ask: what’s the most impactful agency-wide use case we can build toward?”

The panelists emphasized that departmental pain points might improve workflows, but agency-wide pain points tied to the mission are where AI can truly move the needle.

“Without a structured process, you’re just chasing your tail,” added Kon Leong, CEO of ZL Tech. “Start small, but make sure your experiment is scalable and aligned to long-term strategy.”

2. Governance Isn’t a Roadblock. It’s the Roadmap.

AI can’t succeed without trust in the data. And trust depends on governance.

“Governance is accountability,” said Leong. “It’s what separates scalable, sustainable innovation from science experiments.”

Jason Baron, a professor and former senior Government attorney, described governance as a mesh, not a silo: “True governance links your CISO, CIO, records officers, FOIA leads, legal teams—all under shared policy and ownership. We used to work in silos. That has to end.”

And as Matthew pointed out, AI governance isn’t a blocker, it’s an enabler: “AI governance becomes the mechanism for sustaining innovation. If we’re going to compete globally, we have to embrace it.”

3. Talk to Your CDO—Yes, You Have One

One of the most actionable takeaways: if you’re not already talking to your Chief Data Officer, you’re behind.

“Every agency has a CDO,” said Jason. “Go find them. Hopefully you like them. Have a conversation.”

CDOs are uniquely positioned to bridge mission needs with data access and policy. As one attendee noted during the session, “Awareness is the first step. Records and governance leaders are finally getting a seat at the table.”

It’s no longer enough for legal, records and privacy teams to operate in isolation. Building AI responsibly requires alignment—and that starts with the CDO.

4. Unstructured Data Is the Game-Changer

Structured data, like spreadsheets and databases, has been the traditional foundation for reporting and analytics. But that’s not where the majority of Government data lives.

“Unstructured data is radioactive,” said Leong. “That’s where every crisis lives. And now, it’s center stage in AI.”

Unstructured data includes everything from emails and PDFs to file shares, chat logs and documents. It makes up more than 80% of enterprise data, yet many agencies lack visibility or control over it.

Jason gave a real-world Federal perspective: “As a records guy, I’d take out my watch and wait to see how long it took vendors to say ‘FOIA’ or ‘FedRAMP.’ If they don’t understand the challenges around Federal unstructured data, they’re not serious.”

5. Use the Impact vs. Effort Matrix to Prioritize Wisely

With hundreds of possible AI use cases, how can agencies filter out distractions and find the ones worth pursuing?

Panelists recommended the Impact vs. Effort Matrix—a simple yet powerful tool to map use cases by how much effort they require and how much impact they’ll deliver.

What Is the Impact vs. Effort Matrix?

This tool helps agencies focus on what’s worth doing, especially when time, talent and resources are limited. Each AI idea gets placed into one of four categories:

  • Quick Wins (High Impact, Low Effort): Prioritize these immediately.
  • Major Projects (High Impact, High Effort): Worth the investment—plan carefully.
  • Fill-Ins (Low Impact, Low Effort): Do when time permits.
  • Thankless Tasks (Low Impact, High Effort): Avoid or minimize these.

“We see hundreds of AI ideas across agencies,” one panelist said. “But when you apply the matrix, only a handful have real traction. The juice has to be worth the squeeze.”

The matrix helps filter noise and ensure teams are spending time on the projects most likely to scale, succeed and support the mission.

6. Build with Scale in Mind, Even If You Start Small

AI is experimental. Not every idea will pan out. But successful projects need a path to grow from day one.

“Do a small test with an enterprise mindset,” said Matthew. “Security, governance and scale should be built in from the start.”

Leong agreed: “Get your data ducks in a row, and everything else will follow. You don’t want to make long-term bets on projects that were never designed to scale.”

7. Custom or Off-the-Shelf? Choose Based on Complexity

Should agencies build custom platforms or adapt off-the-shelf tools? It depends.

“Don’t overpay for generic tools,” said Matthew. “But for deep, high-end capabilities, you may need in-house builds—just know the tradeoffs.”

The more specialized the use case, the more likely a tailored solution is required. But whether buying or building, the panel emphasized the importance of involving records officers, legal teams and SMEs early—not just the CIO chasing the next shiny object.

Final Thought: The Data Is There. The Champions Are Too.

The core message of the session? Agencies already have the data—and they have the people who care about getting it right.

What’s missing is coordination, prioritization and a strong governance foundation.

Start with strategy. Talk to your CDO. Use the matrix. Build with intent.

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including ZL Tech, we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

How AI-Powered Compliance Solutions Are Transforming Regulatory Management for Government Agencies

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Government agencies manage between 12,000 and 40,000 regulatory obligations, with approximately 200 to 250 new regulatory alerts issued globally every day across the financial services sector alone. This escalating complexity is driving agencies to rethink their approach to compliance management, moving away from manual, reactive processes toward intelligent, proactive solutions.

The Overwhelming Scale of Modern Regulatory Compliance

Traditional compliance methods cannot keep up with today’s regulatory demands. In the U.S., the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) account for over 5,000 of those obligations. In the future, 74% of organizations anticipate even more regulatory activity, highlighting the rise and complexity of compliance requirements.

The challenge extends beyond just volume to the speed at which regulations evolve and their divergence across jurisdictions. Traditional methods—spreadsheets, siloed systems and manual tracking—leave agencies vulnerable to gaps and inconsistencies that can result in significant penalties and reputational damage.

For Government agencies, the stakes are even higher. They must demonstrate complete adherence to regulatory standards while maintaining public trust through transparency and accountability. This creates additional pressure on compliance teams to meet regulatory requirements in a way that can withstand public scrutiny and audits.

The Hidden Costs of Manual Compliance Operations

Manual compliance processes are costly and inefficient. A 10-person compliance team loses approximately $500,000 annually to manual tasks like monitoring, tagging, mapping and documentation—excluding the costs of fines and remediation. That time could instead be spent on strategic analysis and risk prevention.

A high employee turnover rate of 23% further inflates costs, as onboarding new analysts takes months. By the time they are fully trained, they are often ready to move on from routine tasks, creating a cycle of constant training, development and replacement.

Manual processes also introduce risks such as compliance gaps, failed audits and regulatory penalties. Organizations using manual processes experience 3.2 times more violations than those with automation. These inefficiencies contribute to the expectation that compliance costs will rise 6-9% annually through 2030, making automation a financial necessity.

AI as a Force Multiplier for Compliance Teams

Archer, AI-Powered Compliance Solutions Are Transforming Regulatory Management, blog, embedded image, 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) serves as a force multiplier that can put the expertise of a 15- or 20-year analyst into the hands of an amateur. By delivering institutional knowledge and step-by-step guidance through complex processes, AI significantly reduces onboarding time for new team members.

Its impact is both immediate and measurable. AI-powered horizon scanning reduces the time analysts spend reviewing regulatory updates from hours to minutes, filtering out up to 95% of irrelevant alerts so teams can focus on the 5% that truly matter. Natural language further enhances efficiency by breaking down complex regulatory text into digestible summaries, helping teams quickly understand and act on new requirements.

Most notably, AI automates obligation extraction from dense regulatory text—a process that manually takes 5.3 hours per obligation and has a 14.6% error rate. AI identifies obligation statements, provides rationale and tags content for routing to the appropriate business units. In doing so, AI not only streamlines workflows but also ensures greater quality and accuracy over time through expert-in-the-loop validation.

End-to-End Lifecycle Management for Regulatory Changes

Modern compliance requires a holistic approach, from identifying regulatory updates to operational implementation and audit readiness. The true value comes from operationalizing these insights into frameworks, policies, controls and measurable testing programs. Yet only 38% of organizations successfully map regulatory changes through to updated controls and audit trails.

Lifecycle management starts with comprehensive horizon scanning and extends through policy governance, control alignment and continuous monitoring. When updates—such as tighter insider trading language—triggers changes, AI flags policy conflicts, creates change requests and ties them directly to relevant citations. This creates a clear audit trail, ensuring that modifications are documented, defensible and properly embedded back into the compliance framework.

AI also strengthens control management by flagging gaps between obligations and controls, identifying conflicts with evolving regulations and static policies—such as a privacy policy’s opt-in age that conflicts with new jurisdictional requirements—and recommending changes before violations occur. This creates a responsive system where regulatory changes automatically drive updates across policies, controls and audits.

Proactive Risk Management Through Intelligent Automation

Shifting from reactive to proactive compliance enables smarter risk management. Intelligent automation identifies potential issues before they become violations and informs decisions about expanding products and services or entering new markets. Instead of months-long manual assessments, agencies can use AI to instantly identify control gaps and readiness. This can speed up service expansion or help agencies determine not to proceed.

Automated insights also enhance leadership decision-making. By combining real-time monitoring with impact analysis, agencies can prepare for regulatory changes instead of responding after implementation deadlines. These capabilities yield real results: organizations leveraging AI-driven compliance systems report a 79% reduction in audit cycle times—from 42 days to nine—and 90% fewer evidence requests from business units.

The future of Government compliance lies in embracing intelligent automation that enhances human expertise rather than replacing it. By implementing AI-powered solutions that can manage the velocity and complexity of modern regulatory requirements, agencies can transform their compliance programs from reactive cost centers into proactive strategic assets.

To learn more about how AI-powered compliance solutions can transform your agency’s regulatory management approach, watch the full webinar “Archer Evolv Compliance” and view the solution brief for a deeper dive into the platform’s capabilities.

* All statistics referenced in this blog are sourced directly from the webinar on which this content is based.

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including Archer, we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

Meeting the AI Mandates with Confidence: Why Federal Teams Trust Snyk

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Federal agencies are moving fast to unlock the potential of AI—from improving citizen services to driving mission outcomes. But with all that innovation comes a new wave of complexity and risk.  Security, trust, and transparency can’t be afterthoughts. They need to be part of the build process from day one.  That’s where Snyk for Government comes in—now FedRAMP authorized, we’ve taken it even further with the launch of the Snyk AI Trust Platform May 2025. 

AI isn’t magic. It’s built on code, containers, infrastructure templates, and APIs—and increasingly, it’s generating code on its own, generating 40% more vulnerabilities than human developers. Agencies need to track, fix, and manage continuously.  With Snyk, you can shift left and Secure-by-Design:

  • Spot and fix risks early—automatically and at scale
  • Keep developers moving fast while staying compliant
  • Build AI systems that are secure from the ground up

Meet the Snyk AI Trust Platform

Launched in May 2025, the Snyk AI Trust Platform is the first of its kind: an AI-native, agentic security platform designed for how modern teams build today. It gives agencies the tools to move quickly without compromising trust.

This isn’t just DevSecOps—it’s security built for the era of AI-driven, autonomous software development.

How Snyk is supporting new federal AI mandates

Trusted, Transparent AI Development

As agencies embrace AI, expectations around objectivity and transparency are front and center. Snyk helps teams meet those expectations with tools that focus on real technical risks—not subjective filters.

  • Credible vulnerability intelligence: Sourced from standards-based orgs like CVE, CWE, and NIST
  • Customizable policy enforcement: Agencies stay in full control with Snyk Guard’s real-time, no-bias policy engine
  • Integrated into your pipeline: From GitHub to Terraform to container registries—Snyk fits your workflow, not the other way around

 Scaling Secure AI Infrastructure

New funding and fast-tracked initiatives mean federal developers need security tools that keep up.

  • FedRAMP authorized: Snyk is cleared for use across federal cloud environments
  • Automation where it counts: Agentic tools like Snyk Assist and Snyk Agent surface issues and fix them before they ship

 Building Export-Ready, Trusted AI Systems

As global collaboration increases, secure supply chains are more important than ever. Snyk helps you ship software that’s secure, auditable, and globally trusted.

  • Standards-aligned: Support for SBOMs, AIBOMS, international compliance, and NIST-aligned policies
  • Agentic AI security: Governance that scales to GenAI assistants and LLMs—wherever and however they run
  • Broad ecosystem support: Integrates with the open tools your dev teams already use

Whether you’re modernizing legacy systems, launching new GenAI services, or strengthening cross-agency pipelines, Snyk helps federal teams move fast, stay secure, and build trust into every line of code.

? Ready for a tailored AI readiness assessment?
 Let’s talk: federal@snyk.io

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including Snyk, we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

Effective Government CX Strategy: Aligning Technology, Culture and Purpose for Mission Success 

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Citizens expect fast, seamless, personalized service. Customer experience (CX) is at the heart of every agency, impacting satisfaction, engagement and trust in Public Sector institutions. At the opening keynote during the 2025 CX and Engagement Summit, thought leaders from the General Services Administration (GSA), the Veteran’s Experience Office (VEO), GovExec, Adobe and The White House discussed centering CX initiatives to meet mission objectives, decrease costs and improve operational efficiency. 

Carahsoft and its partners, such as  Calabrio, Figma, Granicus, Help Scout, Liferay and NetDocuments, are equipped to connect agencies with the latest technology for CX solutions. 

The Strategy Behind Effective CX 

CX-centered solutions improve operations and reinforce trust in Public services. Brian Chidester, the Head of Global Strategy and Innovation at Adobe, emphasized that customers expect the same standards from Government service that they do of leading private companies. Poor CX can result in dissatisfaction, reduced engagement and erosion of trust in Public institutions. 

But CX is not merely about satisfaction. A customer’s experience correlates to operational efficiency, cost savings and service effectiveness. When well-designed, centering CX enables agencies to reduce duplication, minimize support needs and improve system interoperability. 

Constance Sayers, the President of GovExec, discussed the importance of engaging with customers in the face of decreasing trust in Government systems. By centering CX, Public agencies can prove their reliability and effectiveness. 

There are a few main ways to center CX strategies. Public institutions can: 

  1. Empower Public agencies and services 
  1. Leverage modern tools to deliver efficient, user-centric experiences 
  1. Employ both skilled personnel and relevant technology to provide faster, inclusive and reliable service 

CX must be grounded in outcomes. By starting with a measurable goal, agencies can determine how well strategies and technology meet user needs. Technology such as advanced analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing all enable real-time decision-making and proactive service delivery. Operational goals, such as reducing call volume or wait time, can be directly addressed through CX.  

Achieving Mission Objectives Through CX-Centered Planning 

Maria Roat, the Former US Deputy Federal Chief Information Officer for the Executive Office of the President, emphasized that CX must be a mindset across all teams and departments. To improve mission-related outcomes, proficient staff with specialized skills and experience are essential to seeing continuous improvement. Teams should begin with a clear, defined concept of their mission objectives and desired end-state. Policy constraints and operational hurdles should be taken into account when designing a strategic process to accomplish objectives. Roat advises team leaders  to conceptualize their goals into a single sentence to maintain focus on the mission. By questioning existing procedures, teams can overcome outdated policies and misaligned priorities that create roadblocks to progress. By overcoming barriers and prioritizing preparation and realistic planning, agencies can ensure continued, long-term success for CX initiatives and beyond.  

Sonny Hashimi, the Former Commissioner of Federal Acquisition Service in the GSA, echoes this point, attesting that effective CX begins with understanding the “why;” which issue is being addressed, and who the audience is. Processes cannot be effectively updated without measuring the progress. By defining clear goals and tracking their progress, teams can improve CX by fulfilling grounded outcomes that are measured by how well they meet user needs. By embedding CX into core operations to ensure services are designed around user needs and not internal processes, agencies can offer seamless service. 

People-First CX Initiatives 

At the closing keynote “The Future of Government Customer Experience,” Barbara C. Morton, the Deputy Chief Veterans Experience Officer at the VEO of the Department of Veterans Affairs, discussed how active listening and CX are intrinsically tied. Listening to veterans, survivors and their families empowered the VEO with actionable items to improve their CX. The VA CX Office was established on that very principle, using data and insights to embed CX into everyday programs, services and trainings. In action, this looks like offering services that customers can directly interact with, ensuring users do not “fall between the seams.” CX teams utilize feedback to identify service gaps and implement cross-functional action plans. Technology can be used to amplify human-centered service by improving speed and accuracy. AI, for example, has enabled the VA to scale its services to maximize efficiency. Human-centered design ensures that service design and delivery begin with the lived experiences of customers. Morton attests that in a democracy, to serve is to listen; CX is foundational to Government legitimacy. By tuning in to customer stories, the VEO and other agencies maintain focus on people, not just processes.    

By prioritizing customer experience, agencies can ensure their work reflects both their internal values and the communities they serve. 

To learn more about the topics discussed at the 2025 CX & Engagement Summit, view the session recordings, on-demand. To learn more about the technologies that can help meet your agency’s mission statement, take our Carahsoft’s CX Buyer’s Guide Quiz, or visit our CX and engagement solutions portfolio.  

How AI-Powered Contract Writing is Transforming Federal Acquisition Operations

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Federal agencies are facing growing pressure to deliver acquisition solutions faster, more efficiently and with deeper commercial market engagement; however, traditional manual contract processes are proving insufficient for meeting mission-critical timelines. The union of artificial intelligence (AI) and enterprise resource planning systems now offers a transformative solution that automates contract creation, ensures compliance and maintains the real-time visibility essential for modern Federal operations.

AI-Driven Contract Automation and Efficiency

Integrating AI into contract writing shifts Federal contracting professionals’ focus from administrative burden to strategic work. Modern AI-powered platforms automatically select and populate appropriate Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses based on acquisition parameters such as contract type, commodity classification and procurement method. This automation eliminates time-consuming manual clause selection and reduces the risk of human error in compliance requirements.

Beyond simple clause insertion, the technology supports form generation and contract assembly. When contracting officers define basic parameters—whether procuring supplies or services, acquisition type and contract structure—the AI system cascades these selections to generate comprehensive solicitation packages. What once required weeks of manual preparation becomes a streamlined process completed in hours. The system maintains full version control and audit trails to document every modification and decision point for future reference and compliance reviews.

This automation enables teams to prioritize higher-value strategic tasks such as developing innovative procurement strategies, refining requirements and engaging with industry to identify cutting-edge solutions that advance mission objectives.

Seamless ERP Integration and Data Flow

Modern contract management lies in seamless integration across the procurement ecosystem. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) integration eliminates data silos, creating a unified environment where contract information flows automatically between sourcing, execution and financial systems. Vendor master data, pricing information and contract line-item details populate without requiring duplicate data entry across platforms, establishing a single version of truth for contract data.

When sourcing events transition into contract execution, all relevant information transfers seamlessly, maintaining continuity throughout the lifecycle. Execution activities automatically update contract status and performance metrics, providing real-time visibility into utilization, budget consumption and milestones.

This integrated environment proves valuable for complex Federal acquisitions involving multiple stakeholders and extended timelines. Project command centers automatically populate with relevant documents, team members and milestone tracking based on acquisition type and requirements. Comprehensive audit trails and proactive management of contract modifications, amendments and closeout procedures support effective oversight and decision-making across large contract portfolios.

Federal Compliance and Risk Mitigation

Icertis, AI Powered Contract Writing, blog, embedded image, 2025

Compliance with Federal acquisition regulations has grown increasingly complex as oversight requirements intensify and regulatory frameworks evolve. AI-powered contract systems address these challenges through automated compliance checking that ensures appropriate clauses, terms and conditions are consistently applied across all contract types. Clause libraries remain current by syncing with acquisition.gov, incorporating regulatory updates and agency-specific supplements automatically.

The system recognizes compliance requirements based on contract characteristics and dollar thresholds. For example, small business set-asides trigger inclusion of socioeconomic clauses and certification requirements, while construction contracts incorporate relevant safety and environmental provisions. This automation reduces the risk of protests and disputes while ensuring consistent compliance across an agency’s entire contract portfolio.

Risk mitigation capabilities include proactive monitoring and automated alerts for critical milestones. The system identifies potential supply chain vulnerabilities, flag contracts approaching funding limits and recommends amendments or modifications before performance is impacted. This approach helps agencies address issues early to maintain operational continuity and comply with Federal oversight.

Mission Readiness and Supply Chain Resilience

Modern Federal operations demand the ability to respond rapidly to evolving mission requirements and supply chain disruptions. AI-powered contract intelligence equips acquisition professionals with dashboards offering both macro and micro perspectives on contract portfolios. This visibility enables rapid identification of alternative sources when primary suppliers face disruptions or surge contracting requirements emerge.

During crisis response, contracting officers can quickly assess contracts offering similar solutions or services, explore modification options and evaluate supply chain pivots. The system also highlights relevant clauses affected by changing requirements and what alternative sourcing strategies are available within existing vehicles. Instead of relying on institutional knowledge or manual searches, acquisition professionals can access real-time analytics on contract performance, vendor capabilities and available vehicles. This capability is essential when scaling operations or pivoting to address emerging threats while maintaining compliance.

End-to-End Contract Lifecycle Management

Comprehensive contract lifecycle management spans every phase, from requisition through closeout, maintaining continuity and institutional knowledge. Modern platforms support the full Federal contract framework, including all sections of the Uniform Contract Format (UCF) and management of complex parent-child relationships between base contracts and amendments. This ensures modifications maintain proper documentation and approval workflows while preserving historical context essential for audit and oversight.

Amendment processing is a particular strength: Standard Form (SF)-30 modifications can be generated automatically while retaining all original contract information and maintaining version control. Contracting officers can modify delivery schedules, quantities or performance requirements as needed—essential for managing long-term contracts that evolve over time.

AI capabilities also extend to contract analysis and summarization, enabling rapid comprehension of complex documents. Contracting officers can query contracts in natural language to locate specific clauses, assess risk or understand approval workflows. This proves valuable during reviews, protest responses or when new team members need to quickly understand contract structures and requirements.

Federal acquisition operations continue evolving as agencies balance increasing mission demands with the need for transparency, efficiency and compliance. AI-powered contract writing offers a transformative opportunity to modernize acquisition processes while maintaining the rigor and oversight Federal operations require. The convergence of AI, enterprise integration and comprehensive lifecycle management equips acquisition professionals with the tools to meet today’s challenges and prepare for future success.

Discover how AI-powered contract writing can transform your agency’s acquisition operations by watching the full webinar, “Advancing Mission Readiness with AI-Powered Contract Writing.”

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including Icertis, we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

Breaking Down Barriers: How SAS and Carahsoft Are Making Trustworthy AI More Accessible to Government Agencies

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Government agencies face a unique challenge when it comes to adopting new technologies: they need cutting-edge capabilities, but they also need absolute certainty that those tools meet the highest security and compliance standards. For AI and analytics, this balance has historically been difficult to achieve—until now.

A Major Milestone for Government AI Access

Data and AI leader SAS has achieved FedRAMP® and GovRAMP (formerly StateRAMP®) authorization for SAS® AI and Analytics for Government. Alongside its partner Carahsoft, SAS empowers Government agencies to improve efficiency, reduce risk and enhance data security with SAS® Viya®, its cloud-native data and AI platform.

Enhanced Access to Dependable AI in the Cloud

FedRAMP is a Government-wide program that establishes a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services to ensure the protection of Federal information. GovRAMP, a nationally recognized risk authorization management program, provides a standardized approach to assessing cloud products. With these authorizations, even more Government agencies can use SAS Viya in the cloud operationalize predictive analytics and AI regardless of whether code is developed in SAS or open source. SAS has served as a trusted Government technology provider for nearly five decades and is used in all 15 executive departments of the US Federal Government and all 50 states.

Trust and Transparency at the Core

SAS Viya incorporates trustworthy AI capabilities such as bias detection, explainability, decision auditability and model monitoring, governance and accountability, boosting confidence in Government agencies’ responsible AI initiatives.

This accomplishment demonstrates SAS’ steadfast commitment to providing a secure and reliable solution that Government agencies can rely on to safeguard their data and operations.

“SAS understands that security is table stakes for being a government partner. Security and trust always come first, followed closely by value, innovation and the ability to solve the most pressing problems. That’s what SAS has helped governments with for nearly 50 years” said Ben Stuart, Vice President, US Public Sector at SAS. “These certifications are further evidence of this commitment, and we’re looking forward to bringing SAS Viya to even more Government customers to help them reach their goals and make an impact.”

SAS and Carahsoft’s Partnership Delivers Advanced Software to Government Agencies

The strategic agreement between the two technology leaders designates Carahsoft as a SAS Public Sector distributor, making SAS’ data and AI solutions accessible to US Government agencies through Carahsoft’s reseller partners and various contract vehicles and Government schedules. Through this partnership, Government customers can efficiently acquire SAS products and solutions, including cutting-edge, AI-optimized analytics tools for proactive response to evolving Public Sector challenges. 

With a legacy in Government dating back to the company’s founding in 1976, SAS software is used in more than 1,600 Public Sector departments, ministries and agencies in more than 130 countries worldwide. Recognized as a leading software distributor in the market, Carahsoft provides expanded scale and reach to SAS’s products and solutions, including SAS Viya, across the Public Sector.

Looking Ahead: Empowering Data-Driven Government

SAS, in partnership with Carahsoft, is dedicated to empowering Government agencies with data and AI solutions. SAS and Carahsoft help Government agencies to make informed decisions, optimize operations and enhance public services. SAS and Carahsoft are committed to driving positive change and delivering measurable results for the Public Sector.

Ready to explore how SAS can support your agency’s data and AI initiatives? Learn more about SAS public sector analytics, including FedRAMP and GovRAMP certifications.

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including SAS we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

Transforming Public Sector Fleet Safety: How AI-Powered Solutions Drive Results and Build Employee Trust

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Despite advancements in vehicle safety technology, fatal vehicle crashes continue to rise. Notably, 87% of commercial vehicle crashes are caused by avoidable risky driving or driver error. For Public Sector fleet managers—whether overseeing school buses, emergency response vehicles or other municipal fleets—these trends jeopardize public safety, strain budgets and put essential services at risk.

Recent research shows the Public Sector is leading the way in addressing these challenges. While 32% of organizations globally have adopted artificial intelligence (AI), 58% of Public Sector organizations in the U.S. have done so, and 95% plan to increase their AI investments in the coming year.

The Critical Need for AI-Powered Fleet Safety Solutions

The Public Sector’s strong AI adoption reflects its commitment to smarter, more reliable service delivery. Solutions like Samsara’s Connected Operations Platform are transforming fleet management by integrating data from vehicles, assets and operations to enhance safety, efficiency and sustainability. Rather than solely relying on reactive measures, AI-powered tools enable drivers to self-correct in real time and give fleet managers predictive insights to prevent incidents before they occur.

AI is increasingly being applied across several key areas that directly impact public safety. Early implementations focus on driver behavior detection, predictive maintenance and fleet health monitoring to reduce downtime and ensure vehicle readiness. In parallel, AI-powered tools support route optimization and dispatch efforts, helping agencies respond faster and operate more efficiently. This shift from basic automation to proactive operations management marks a significant evolution in fleet safety.

Addressing Road Safety Challenges and Rising Costs

Public Sector fleets are facing growing road safety challenges that carry significant financial consequences. With crashes costing an estimated $340 billion annually, and insurance premiums rising 40% over the past decade, the impact on taxpayer-funded operations is substantial. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform reports that litigation costs have grown over 7% annually from 2016 to 2022, adding financial pressure on State and Local Government budgets. Every crash related cost diverts funding away from essential services like education, infrastructure and public health.

Samsara, Fleet Safety, blog, embedded image, 2025

Traditional safety measures alone are no longer sufficient. Distractions from mobile devices have surged—those who text and drive are 23 times more likely to crash. Speeding contributed to 29% of crash fatalities in 2022, and even a one- to two-hour sleep deficit can double crash risk. These preventable behaviors create challenges for Public Sector drivers who often work long shifts to meet community needs.

Technology like Samsara’s Connected Operations Platform offer a proactive solution to today’s fleet challenges. By providing real-time fleet visibility, driver coaching and predictive analytics, agencies can identify risky behaviors before they lead to incidents. Fleets that implement safety solutions often see a return on investment (ROI) within the first year through reduced collision costs, lower insurance premiums, decreased vehicle downtime and improved operational efficiency. For example:

Safety Technology Proves Effective and Resonates with Drivers

Driver buy-in is key for successful safety technology implementation. Research shows that 70% of drivers feel dash cams make driving safer, and 93% report becoming more aware of distracted driving after reviewing footage. Most notably, 90% of drivers prefer to stay with organizations that actively support safe driving habits.

When paired with real-time coaching, dash cams can reduce safety-related events by 52%. Samsara’s Connected Operations Platform enables drivers to self-correct through in-cab feedback. For example, Gwinnett County Public Schools reduced incident investigation times by 50% and harsh braking events by 60% in just three months, saving 400 administrative hours weekly and improving safety for 180,000 students with Samsara.

Strategies for Gaining Union Buy-In for Safety Technology

In unionized environments, successful technology implementation requires collaboration and transparency. The first step is establishing shared safety goals with input from fleet managers, drivers, union representatives, risk managers and administrators. Research shows that 100% of Public Sector leaders using or planning to use AI report positive employee perceptions when communication is clear and involvement is meaningful.

Unions often express concerns that dash cams could be used punitively. To address this, organizations should involve union representatives in shaping policies around data access, privacy safeguards and usage protocols. This collaboration builds trust and ensures policies reflect both operational needs and union priorities.

Transparency is critical: organizations must clearly document data access, usage guidelines and privacy protections, providing view-only administrative access to key union representatives and sharing audit logs of system changes maintains accountability and reassures unions that the technology is used fairly and appropriately.

Real-world exoneration stories highlight technology’s protective value. For instance, the City of Boynton Beach, used dashcam footage to exonerate a driver initially cited for rear-ending another vehicle; the evidence revealed the other driver was at fault, resulting in dismissal of the citation, legal claims being dropped and preventing unwarranted disciplinary action. Such cases show that safety technology protects drivers from false accusations and costly legal proceedings.

Public Sector organizations are uniquely positioned to leverage AI-powered fleet safety solutions that transform operations, build employee trust and deliver measurable ROI. With proven safety technology and collaborative implementation, agencies can achieve meaningful improvements in safety, cost control and operational efficiency—all while prioritizing transparency, employee engagement and shared safety goals.

Learn more about workforce technology trends transforming the Public Sector by exploring Samsara’s comprehensive research report.

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including Samsara, we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

How Public Sector Agencies Can Operationalize CISA’s SIEM and SOAR Guidance

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In May 2025, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in collaboration with the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), released new executive guidance to help Public Sector leaders effectively leverage Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR) platforms. This guidance aims to strengthen agencies’ cybersecurity by enhancing threat detection, response times and operational efficiencies.

Key Challenges in SIEM and SOAR Implementation

SIEM platforms aggregate and analyze telemetry data from multiple sources, including: endpoints, applications, network devices and cloud environments.

SOAR platforms complement SIEM by automating security workflows, significantly speeding up incident response and reducing alert fatigue. When effectively integrated, these tools enable agencies to centralize security monitoring, automate routine response tasks and improve compliance with cybersecurity mandates.

For all organizations, especially Public Sector organizations, SIEM and SOAR are not just technical tools; they are foundational to building a proactive and time-sensitive cybersecurity posture. These platforms can help agencies increase operational efficiency, reduce alert fatigue and drive compliance with Federal and State cybersecurity mandates.

CISA guidance highlights several common challenges that agencies often encounter when implementing SIEM and SOAR platforms. These include the difficulty of normalizing diverse log data across multiple systems, minimizing false positives that overwhelm analysts and managing the high costs associated with implementation. Agencies also struggle to ensure effective executive oversight of security operations and face ongoing challenges in attracting and retaining qualified cybersecurity talent.

Addressing Challenges with Torq Hyperautomation

Torq Hyperautomation™ directly addresses the implementation challenges faced by Public Sector cybersecurity teams by delivering strategic advantages that legacy SOAR platforms cannot. Unlike traditional solutions, Torq integrates seamlessly with existing SIEM tools to normalize and enrich log data, reduce alert noise and improve the clarity of actionable insights. It leverages AI-driven decision-making to automate dynamic incident response workflows, allowing security teams to respond faster and more precisely.

By combining AI-powered decision logic with adaptive response runbooks, Torq enables organizations to overcome the limitations of legacy SOAR, dramatically improving Mean Time to Detect (MTTD) and Mean Time to Respond (MTTR). This empowers analysts to focus on critical, high-impact threats rather than getting bogged down by repetitive, routine tasks.

Cost-Effective Automation for Resource-Constrained Agencies

Public Sector agencies struggle with resource constraints, and Torq also delivers cost-effective automation. Instead of requiring deep engineering expertise or lengthy integration cycles, Torq offers:

  • Intuitive, no-code and low-code automation capabilities
  • Seamless integrations with existing Federal, State and Local cybersecurity toolsets (endpoint, identity, cloud, firewall)
  • Rapid implementation timelines, ensuring immediate value and reduced costs

Enhanced Executive Visibility and Compliance

From an executive perspective, Torq addresses a crucial component of the CISA guidance: visibility and oversight. Executive dashboards within the platform provide real-time insights into SOC effectiveness, incident trends and automation impact. This visibility enables better budgeting decisions, more effective KPIs and compliance reporting aligned with key security and compliance frameworks.

Real-World Impact

Torq is already delivering substantial results within Public Sector environments.  Torq has enabled SOC teams to automate ransomware response, consolidate multi-environment telemetry and auto-generate compliance artifacts. Whether an agency is modernizing its cybersecurity stack, preparing for audits or trying to do more with fewer analysts, Torq is built to support their journey.

Agencies leveraging Torq have achieved the following:

  • Up to 90% reduction in investigation time
  • 3-5x increase in alert handling capacity with no added headcount
  • 95% of Tier-1 security cases auto-remediated

Taking the Next Step

CISA’s SIEM and SOAR guidance represents a critical shift from reactive cybersecurity practices toward proactive, integrated and automated security operations. As a trusted partner of Carahsoft, Torq is uniquely positioned to help Public Sector agencies rapidly operationalize this guidance. Torq’s scalable, secure and measurable automation platform ensures agencies not only comply with evolving standards but also stay ahead of modern threats.

To learn how Torq can empower your agency’s cybersecurity strategy, request a demo or explore a tailored pilot use case today.

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including Torq we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.