From Insights to Intervention: Building Safer Roads with Smarter Data

Posted on by Mark Pittman

Safety threats do not always wait for the next inspection or make themselves obvious. A missing stop sign, a tilted guardrail or debris from a recent storm can pose real dangers long before a complaint is filed or a crash occurs. Near real-time visual data from crowd-sourced dashcam imagery allows agencies to detect these issues earlier, reducing the risk of collisions, confusion and liability.

This is not just about reacting to problems. It is about gaining continuous visibility across your road network. When you can see more, sooner, you prevent more and protect everyone who uses your roads.

Enable a Proactive Maintenance Culture

Proactive maintenance reduces risk by keeping infrastructure from reaching a failure point. It starts with awareness. With timely insights into pavement wear, fading striping or damaged safety features, you can fix problems before they become safety hazards.

Using this approach minimizes emergencies and reduces the need to send crews into high-risk, high-traffic situations. Over time, it is not just about saving money, it is about making safer and more intelligent decisions every day.

Do Not Let Blind Spots Become Risk Zones

Not every mile of the roadway gets equal attention. Areas that are not high-traffic or complaint-heavy can still hide dangerous issues, especially if they go uninspected for long periods.

Imagery from vehicles already on the road helps reveal what is often missed. It fills in the gaps between formal inspections, surfacing problems in places crews do not regularly visit.

Safety should not depend on luck or public reports. Every segment of your road network deserves consistent visibility.

Speed Recovery After Disasters

When a storm or crisis hits, minutes matter. Near real-time, image-based insights give agencies a fast way to assess damage and identify dangerous conditions, often before crews can access the scene.

Improved visibility enables quicker, more targeted responses. Agencies can clear routes, mark danger zones and stabilize infrastructure faster, protecting both the public and their crews.

The sooner you know what you are facing, the sooner you can act.

Awareness That Improves Safety Outcomes—Not Just Oversight

Effective safety programs do not rely on complaints, scheduled inspections or guesswork. They rely on data that reflects what is happening on the ground—frequently, consistently and with the scale to match the entire network.

Whether identifying early signs of pavement failure or responding to extreme weather events, increased awareness drives better outcomes: fewer emergencies, smarter spending and safer roads for all.

To learn how better information leads to safer roads, view Blyncsy’s portfolio.

Better Together: How Nutanix and Omnissa Are Transforming End-User Computing in the Public Sector

Posted on by Mark Richards and Kevin Bacon

Budget cuts and the pressure to do more with less has pushed IT leaders in State, Local and Education (SLED) organizations to consolidate tools and resources to increase operational efficiency. Simultaneously, the dynamic of workflows are changing; modern-day students and Government workers need secure access to resources from anywhere, at any time.

Integrated solutions are helping SLED organizations eliminate the unnecessary complexity and costs associated with maintaining separate solutions for storage, compute and networking components. The recent partnership between Nutanix and Omnissa offers SLED organizations a platform for managing End-User Computing (EUC) across agencies, states, cities and school districts.

Vendor Choice and Pricing Flexibility

Faced with higher costs and more restrictions, many SLED organizations are seeking alternatives solutions that can provide similar functionality without the associated vendor lock-in risks. The Nutanix-Omnissa platform offers multiple licensing options, including per-user models that offer greater flexibility than traditional bundled approaches. Organizations can choose the licensing model that best fits their usage patterns and budget constraints.

The solution also works with a wide range of server vendors including Dell, HPE, Lenovo, Cisco and more, allowing organizations to leverage existing hardware investments or choose vendors based on their specific procurement requirements. This enables different agencies within the same Government entity to standardize on the same technology stack, eliminating disparate systems.

Hybrid Cloud Security, Compliance and Resilience

SLED organizations must be able to provide remote access to sensitive data while simultaneously meeting strict compliance mandates. The Nutanix-Omnissa Horizon platform supports certified Government cloud environments, including FedRAMP, GovRAMP and GovCloud, ensuring consistent enforcement of security policies across on-premises and hybrid deployments. Department of Defense (DoD) certifications validate the platform for regulated workloads, while unified access gateway appliances deliver secure, compliant remote access.

To strengthen resilience, Nutanix provides automated disaster recovery and replication across sites and clouds, maintaining workload availability even during outages. Agencies can extend their EUC environments across AWS, Azure and soon Google Cloud, balancing scalability with compliance while preserving consistent management and licensing. When paired with Omnissa Horizon Cloud-Pod technology, the platform can provide a true multi-cloud solution including on-premises hybridity.

How Nutanix and Omnissa Are Transforming EUC, blog, embedded image, 2025

Simplified Infrastructure Management

Outmoded infrastructure management often requires specialized expertise across hypervisors, storage, networking components and management tools, creating operational overhead and increasing the risk of configuration errors or security gaps. The Nutanix-Omnissa Horizon integration streamline operations through Prism Central, a unified management interface for multi-cluster and hybrid environments.

The platform includes built-in capabilities for replication, disaster recovery and automated maintenance that traditionally required separate tools and specialized expertise. Lifecycle management capabilities automatically update firmware, software and system components with zero downtime, allowing organizations to perform maintenance during business hours and reduce human error during update processes.

Technical Differentiators and Release Roadmap

Beyond EUC management, the Nutanix-Omnissa Horizon solution introduces technical advantages like Clone Prep technology that enables extremely fast, reboot-free provisioning, delivering near instant clone performance. Nutanix’s metadata-based cloning and data locality ensure low-latency performance for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) workloads, while built-in deduplication and erasure coding optimize storage efficiency. Additional features further strengthen the platform’s ability to meet complex SLED requirements, including:

Nutanix Files – scalable file services that can be used for user profiles and Omnissa App Volumes
Nutanix Flow – microsegmentation and network security
Nutanix Data Lens – ransomware protection and data insights

The partnership is rolling out in phases to ensure stability and customer success. Limited Availability (LA) is currently offered, supporting Windows 10 and 11 automated pools, graphics processing unit (GPU) support and Unified Access Gateway (UAG) appliances. General Availability (GA) is expected between December and March, adding capabilities such as:

Automated remote desktop service (RDS) farms
Windows Server operating system (OS) support
Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) mode
Workspace ONE Access on-premises integration

Proven Partnership with Enhanced Capabilities

Thousands of organizations already run Omnissa Horizon on Nutanix infrastructure using vSphere, demonstrating the maturity and proven nature of the underlying technology platform. The addition of AHV hypervisor support represents an evolution of an existing partnership rather than an experimental new venture, validated real-world organizations that participated in the beta program.

The partnership brings together the complete technology stack and expertise from both organizations. Omnissa brings over 15 years of Horizon and Workspace expertise, while Nutanix contributes hyperconverged infrastructure capabilities. Together, they deliver mature, field-tested solutions that reduce operational complexity, consolidate infrastructure and enable future growth with confidence.

To learn more about how this partnership can transform your organization’s EUC strategy, watch the complete webinar, “Unlock the Future of EUC for Public Sector: Horizon 8 on Nutanix.”

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 Nutanix and Omnissa, 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.

More Coverage, Less Overhead: Rethinking Road Inspection Costs with AI-Driven Insights

Posted on by Mark Pittman

Trying to make your maintenance dollars go further without cutting corners on insight, safety or service?

If so, you’re not alone. With budgets often stretched and infrastructure demands growing, many agencies are reexamining how to get the most value out of every maintenance dollar. That’s why many are rethinking expensive, labor-intensive field inspections and turning to smarter, more cost-effective alternatives.

AI-analyzed dashcam imagery from commercial and fleet vehicles gives teams near real-time, visual insights into road conditions without the typical overhead. By using what’s already on the road, agencies can cut spending while getting even better data on pavement conditions, signage, lane markings and hazards.

Smarter Inspections. Real Savings.

Manual inspections can cost anywhere from $100 to $200 per mile, depending on the method and crew required. When you factor in vehicle costs, staffing, scheduling and delays, those expenses scale fast, especially for agencies managing thousands of miles.

AI-powered visual intelligence can reduce up to 90% of the manual inspections traditionally required for roadway condition assessment. That’s a considerable savings in time and money. In Hawaii, automated analysis of guardrails, striping and debris saved the state DOT over $900,000 by eliminating unnecessary field visits and allowing more strategic deployment of maintenance dollars.

With continuous AI-driven assessments, inspections shift from rigid schedules to condition-based decision-making. This allows agencies to focus their limited resources where the data shows they’re actually needed, maximizing impact while minimizing waste.

Lower Operational Strain, Lower Spend

Reducing fieldwork doesn’t just save time, it cuts expenses across the board. Fewer field deployments mean lower fuel costs, less vehicle wear and fewer overtime hours.

Instead of organizing additional field inspections, agencies can rely on regularly updated insights coming from existing vehicle networks. This reduces the need to expand teams or invest in specialized equipment to keep up with inspections. It also supports a safer inspection process by reducing risk exposure for field crews.

Better visibility leads to more accurate budgeting. Instead of flying blind—or relying on complaints—you can plan maintenance with precision, stretch your resources and avoid surprise repairs that blow up budgets.

Faster Recovery, Lower Emergency Costs

Storms, floods, and other disruptions can incur urgent, unexpected expenses. But quick, AI-enabled visual assessments can help reduce emergency costs.

Agencies can assess road damage without dispatching field teams immediately, saving time and protecting crews. Infrastructure inspections are evolving to include tools like Google Street View, providing a reliable “before” snapshot. Combined with dashcam imagery for the “after,” agencies can clearly analyze damage and document changes over time. That early insight supports faster funding requests and avoids the cost of blanket response measures that may not be necessary.

With centralized, visual data that’s easy to share, teams can streamline contractor coordination, skip redundant inspections and focus their limited funds where they’ll have the most impact.

Rewriting the Cost Equation

Road inspections don’t have to drain your budget. With AI-analyzed dashcam data, agencies are expanding visibility across their networks while significantly cutting costs.

The real value lies in shifting from reactive to efficient, insight-driven decision-making. From daily maintenance to emergency recovery, this model is helping public teams rethink how, and how much, they spend on inspections.

For any agency trying to do more with the same—or even less—budget, it’s time to rethink how inspections are conducted.

Watch the on-demand webinar to see how agencies are using AI-driven insights to reduce inspection costs while improving road safety.

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

Posted on by Corey Carpenter

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.

The End of Manual Inspections? How AI and Dashcam Imagery Are Redefining Roadway Management

Posted on by Mark Pittman

Years ago, as I waited at a traffic light, I wondered why infrastructure maintenance still leaned so heavily on manual inspections and reporting. That question sparked an idea: What if roads could tell us when something was wrong?

Today, that vision has become a reality. Dashcam imagery—passively captured from vehicles already on the road—is now powering automated AI models that detect issues like fading lane paint, damaged signs, and debris. Looking ahead, the integration of expansive imagery sources, such as Google Street View, promises to further enhance this capability, offering broader and more detailed coverage. It’s a shift from scheduled inspections to constant awareness, from sending crews out to bringing insight in.

Automation with Real Impact

Traditional inspections are resource intensive. They usually involve deploying extra staff and specialized equipment, and scheduling work during off-hours to avoid disrupting traffic. AI-driven visual intelligence of dashcam footage can reduce the number of manual surveys required by more than 90%, saving considerable time and money.

Take Fort Worth. Dashcam imagery gave the city a fresh look at lane striping and sign visibility, but from the driver’s perspective, not an aerial map. It’s how people experience the road daily, and it’s the same view automated vehicles rely on to safely navigate.

Instead of waiting months for a full inspection cycle, cities can spot and act on issues within days. Enabling faster response and more strategic use of limited resources.

Smarter Operations. Less Fieldwork.

While field checks are still common for most agencies, the model is shifting. With dashcam footage collected by vehicles already in motion and analyzed automatically, teams can now monitor more of the network without constantly dispatching field crews.

In Alaska, for example, dashcam data is used to monitor remote routes that are difficult and sometimes dangerous for crews to inspect in person. This kind of visibility can be a game changer for regions with tough geography or tight budgets.

Instead of following a fixed schedule or responding to complaints, agencies can now rely on AI-driven alerts to flag when conditions change. It’s a shift from routine patrols to focused action, and it means fewer trips to the field, less fuel, and better outcomes with the same (or smaller) team.

Compliance without the Complexity

Staying compliant with FHWA, MUTCD, and other federal standards typically requires a lot of paperwork. However, with AI-based monitoring, those checks can happen automatically in the background. Retroreflectivity, sign placement, and line clarity are continuously reviewed and documented.

Each data point is visual, time-stamped, and ready for audits, grant applications, or internal reviews. Even better, it’s easy to share. Operations, maintenance, and planning teams can stay aligned without sifting through emails or outdated spreadsheets.

A New Model for Infrastructure

The future of road operations isn’t about more inspections. It’s about smarter ones. Or, in many cases, none at all. When roads can essentially report their condition using dashcam footage and AI, agencies don’t have to guess or wait. They already know what’s happening.

And this is only the beginning. As capabilities such as historical imagery access and visual change detection over time emerge with Google Street View and become integrated, transportation teams will gain even deeper insight into how their infrastructure evolves. These images will empower agencies to identify long-term patterns, track degradation over time, and intervene before minor issues escalate into costly repairs.

For public teams expected to cover more ground with fewer resources, this isn’t just about saving time. It’s about working in a more intelligent, sustainable way, built for the demands of today’s infrastructure and ready for tomorrow’s.

Ready to stop checking and start knowing?

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

Posted on by Andrew Phelps

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:

The City of Sacramento, California, saved $300,000 in fuel costs.
The City of Allentown, Pennsylvania, saved an estimated $1 million in insurance claims.
Canyons School District in Utah reduced incidents by 50%.

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.

Top 7 State and Local Contract Vehicles to Support Your SLG Fiscal Year Requirements

Posted on by Robert Moore

As the end of the SLG and EDU fiscal year approaches, State and Local Governments and education institutions are ramping up purchasing to ensure every allocated budget dollar is spent and their organization is prepared for further IT advancements in the coming year. Leveraging the right contract vehicles can streamline procurement processes, ensuring timely and efficient acquisition of necessary technologies and services. These contracts can also provide technology vendors and resellers unique opportunities to expand their Public Sector businesses.

Below, we explore the top contract vehicles that State and Local Governments (SLG) and education institutions (EDU) are using as they close out their fiscal year with their preferred reseller partner this month.

1. NASPO ValuePoint

NASPO ValuePoint is the cooperative purchasing arm of the National Association for State Procurement Officials, designed to provide access to the best possible IT solutions. It is considered to be the nation’s most significant public contracting cooperative. The contract offers a wide variety of cloud solutions, including IaaS, PaaS and SaaS.

Carahsoft’s Contract: NASPO ValuePoint contract #AR2472 includes thousands of technology vendors.

Who Can Use It: State and Local Governments, municipalities and public education entities (K-12 and Higher-Education).

2. GSA Cooperative Purchasing Program

The General Services Administration (GSA) Cooperative Purchasing Program  grants State and Local Government entities access to Federal GSA Schedule contracts for IT solutions and professional services. The GSA Cooperative Purchasing Program provides a streamlined procurement process for State and Local Governments to purchase IT solutions, often with pre-negotiated and cost-effective pricing structures.

Carahsoft’s Contract: GSA Schedule #47QSWA18D008F, aggregates solutions from many technology vendors.

Who Can Use It: State and Local Governments.

3. Texas Department of Information Resources (TX DIR)

The Texas Department of Information Resources (TX DIR) has established a Cooperative Contracts Purchasing Program which offers a wide range of product offerings, services and technology solutions to Public Sector customers in Texas and nationwide. The DIR contracts streamline the procurement process by handling all of the preliminary work upfront, making it easier for eligible entities to acquire a wide range of hardware, software, cloud solutions and professional IT services. Public organizations outside of Texas are also eligible to purchase through DIR contracts.

Carahsoft Contract: Carahsoft holds seven TX DIR contracts, offering a wide variety of products and services from hundreds of technology vendors.

Who Can Use It: State and Local Governments, public education and other public entities nationwide.

4. California Software Licensing Program (CA SLP)

The California Software Licensing Program (CA SLP), established in 1994 and administered by the Department of General Services’ Procurement Division provides State and Local Government entities within the state of California with access to discounted software licensing agreements. This vendor held contract expedites and simplifies the procurement process while supporting State Government modernization goals with a host of technology solutions.

Carahsoft Contract: Carahsoft acts as a reseller on 19 CA SLP contracts, offering solutions ranging from data management to cybersecurity and more.

Who Can Use It: State and Local Government agencies in California.

5. E&I Cooperative Services

E&I Cooperative Services is the largest and most experienced member-owned, non-profit purchasing cooperative focused on education. E&I provides education institutions with access to IT products and services, including learning management systems, classroom technologies and administrative software tailored to their unique needs.

Carahsoft Contract: E&I Cooperative Services contract #EI00063-2021MA provides E&I members with cloud and managed service solutions and related IT products and services.

Who Can Use It: Educational institutions, including K-12 schools, teaching hospitals, colleges and universities.

6. OMNIA Partners Public Sector

OMNIA Partners is one of the largest Public Sector cooperative purchasing organizations, providing comprehensive access to a wide variety of technology contracts across hardware, software and cloud solutions. The cooperative purchasing program is focused on efficiency, compliance and value, aiming to further streamline the procurement process for the Public Sector entities that leverage this contract.

Carahsoft Contract: Carahsoft’s contracts with OMNIA Partners, #R240303 and #23-6692-01, provide State and Local Governments and education institutions with access to technology from over 150 vendors.

Who Can Use It: State and Local Governments, public education institutions and nonprofits that are approved OMNIA partners.

7. The Quilt

The Quilt is a national coalition of advanced regional networks for research and education, providing members with access to IT services and technologies. The Quilt provides access to technologies that meet the specific needs of educational and research communities, offering high-performance computing, research networking and related IT services to hundreds of universities and thousands of other education institutions.

Carahsoft Contract: MSA – 05012019F offers members with access to networking, cloud infrastructure, data management, cybersecurity, virtualization and enterprise technologies.

Who Can Use It: Higher education institutions, research institutions and related organizations.

By turning to these popular contract vehicles, State and Local Governments and education institutions can easily find and purchase technologies that map to their modernization efforts while ensuring compliance and maximizing investments through their preferred resellers. As the fiscal year draws to a close, these contracts serve as a vital resource for timely and cost-effective procurement, driving end-of-year business to new heights and propelling Public Sector advancements.

For more information on Carahsoft’s offerings under each of these contract vehicles, please reach out to contracts@carahsoft.com.

Comprehensive Identity Security: 1Kosmos Achieves FedRAMP High Authorization and Kantara Certification

Posted on by Christine Owen

As cybersecurity demands increase across all levels of Government, 1Kosmos’s credential service provider (CSP) platform represents a shift in how agencies approach identity verification and authentication. Rather than forcing agencies into rigid, one-size-fits-all solutions, the platform offers unprecedented flexibility through its modular architecture. Organizations can deploy everything from simple document capture for in-person verification to comprehensive digital identity wallets that put end-users in complete control of their personal information.

This adaptability proves crucial for Government agencies with diverse operational requirements. Some organizations need only Identity Assurance Level 2 (IL2) workflow integration with existing identity providers like Okta or Microsoft, while others require the full spectrum of identity verification, digital wallet creation and Authenticator Assurance Level 2 (AL2) authentication capabilities. The platform’s ability to scale from basic document verification to complete identity lifecycle management ensures agencies can start with their immediate needs and expand functionality as requirements evolve.

The Power of Dual Certification

As the only CSP to achieve both FedRAMP High authorization and Kantara certification, 1Kosmos has established itself as the definitive solution for Government agencies seeking uncompromising identity security. This dual certification creates a security foundation unmatched in the identity verification space and works in concert to address both the “what” and “how” of secure digital identity management. Kantara certification, based on National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800-63-3 digital identity guidelines, validates that the platform operates according to the gold standard for identity verification processes and procedures.

FedRAMP High authorization takes security to the next level, implementing over 400 security controls based on NIST 800-53 standards. This represents the most stringent civilian agency security requirements available, with only 20 additional controls separating High from IL4 defense-level certification. The comprehensive nature of these controls means agencies receive verified, not just claimed, security hardening that has undergone rigorous third-party assessment.

This dual certification approach provides Government buyers with unprecedented assurance. While other solutions may meet basic compliance requirements, 1Kosmos offers the most verified hardening available in the market. For agencies navigating complex procurement requirements across Federal, State and Local levels, this certification combination simplifies vendor evaluation and reduces compliance risk. The FedRAMP High baseline ensures smooth flow-down compliance for State and Local implementations, eliminating the complexity of multiple security assessments.

Security and Privacy by Design

True security extends far beyond meeting regulatory checkboxes, and 1Kosmos has embedded privacy and security principles into every aspect of the platform’s architecture. The decision to pursue FedRAMP High from the outset reflects a commitment to protecting what 1Kosmos considers the highest-value data in existence: end-user personally identifiable information (PII).

1Kosmos, 1Kosmos Achieves FedRAMP High Authorization and Kantara Certification, blog, embedded image, 2025

Every piece of data within the 1Kosmos environment undergoes Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-3 encryption both in transit and at rest. This is not merely a compliance requirement—it is a recognition that Government agencies entrust identity platforms with irreplaceable citizen information. The platform employs a unique double-encryption approach for digital wallets, where identity evidence receives initial encryption before being secured again within the user’s wallet, with encryption keys remaining under end-user control exclusively.

The platform operates on a privacy-first data retention philosophy. By default, the system processes identity data, stores only what is necessary for wallet creation and immediately deletes excess information. This approach ensures that data remains in the system only as long as operationally required, with automatic deletion on specified retention dates. The platform’s architecture makes it impossible for 1Kosmos or their customers to access end-user wallet data without explicit user consent, creating true user sovereignty over personal information.

What is More Valuable Than Identity?

The question of data value reveals why identity security demands such rigorous protection. In commercial contexts, student records command higher dark web prices than credit card or healthcare information due to the extended window before detection—students typically do not monitor credit for years after graduation. This extended vulnerability period makes educational identity data particularly attractive to cybercriminals and highlights why robust identity verification is essential across all Government sectors.

Government agencies face even higher stakes. Beyond financial fraud, identity compromise can affect national security, citizen services and public trust. The 1Kosmos platform addresses these concerns through continuous security monitoring and automated threat detection capabilities that immediately alert administrators to potential security issues. This proactive approach, combined with comprehensive logging and audit capabilities, ensures agencies maintain complete visibility into their identity security posture.

The platform’s global deployment success stories demonstrate scalability and reliability under real-world conditions. One global business process outsourcing company successfully transitioned half their worldwide user base to 1Kosmos authentication within just two months, showcasing the platform’s ability to handle massive-scale implementations without compromising security or performance.

Building the Future of Government Identity Security

As Government agencies accelerate digital transformation initiatives, the need for trustworthy, scalable identity solutions becomes increasingly critical. The 1Kosmos platform provides the security foundation necessary for agencies to confidently expand digital services while maintaining the highest protection standards for citizen data. With plans to extend certification to IL4 levels for defense customers, 1Kosmos continues pushing the boundaries of what is possible in Government identity security.

Learn more about how 1Kosmos can transform your agency’s identity security posture by exploring their comprehensive platform capabilities and certification achievements.

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 1Kosmos 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 Concept to Implementation: Operationalizing Zero Trust Architecture in Government Environments

Posted on by Norman Wong

Zero Trust has evolved over the last 15 years into a cornerstone of Federal cybersecurity strategy, influencing enterprises as well as State and Local Governments. While the principles of continuous authentication and least privilege are widely accepted, many organizations still need the industry’s support with implementation.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) National Cyber Center of Excellence (NCCoE) has bridged this gap by offering practical guidance for applying Zero Trust concepts in real-world solutions.

Understanding Zero Trust Principles

Zero Trust is a cybersecurity strategy built on the assumption that networks are already compromised, making it the most resilient approach for securing today’s hybrid environments. Rather than relying on network perimeters, Zero Trust focuses on continuous authentication and verification of every access request, regardless of where those resources are located.

This approach requires organizations to secure all communications through encryption and authentication, grant access on a per-session basis with least privileges, implement dynamic policies, continuously monitor resource integrity and authenticate before allowing access. The objective is to reduce implicit trust between enterprise systems to minimize lateral movement by potential attackers.

Organizations must also collect and analyze as much contextual information as possible to create more granular access policies and strengthen current controls for an enhanced Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA).

NIST’s Role and Guidance

NIST has been instrumental in defining and operationalizing Zero Trust through guidance documents and practical demonstrations like Special Publication (SP) 800-207, published in 2020, which established the foundation for ZTA. Building on this framework, NIST’s NCCoE worked with industry, Government and academia to launch a project to show how these concepts could be implemented in real-world environments.

Initially focused on three example implementations, the project expanded to 19 different ZTA implementations using technologies from 24 industry collaborators, including Palo Alto Networks.

These implementations were built around three primary deployment approaches:

Enhanced Identity Governance: Emphasizes identity and attribute-based access control, ensuring access decisions are linked to user identity, roles and context.
Microsegmentation: Uses smart devices such as firewalls, smart switches or specialized gateways to isolate and protect specific resources.
Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP): Creates a software overlay to protect infrastructure—like servers and routers—by concealing it from unauthorized users.

Although not included in SP 800-207, the project also recognized Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) as an emerging deployment model that integrates network and security functions into a unified, cloud-delivered service.

Practical Implementation Strategies

Palo Alto Networks - Operationalizing Zero Trust - Blog - Embedded Image - 2025

The NCCoE project tackled the critical question: where should organizations start on their Zero Trust journey? By adopting an agile, incremental approach with “crawl, walk and run” stages, the project phased its implementation based on deployment approaches. This allowed gradual, manageable builds while addressing real-world complexities.

Technologies such as firewalls, SASE with Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) using Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR® were utilized, with remote worker scenarios reflecting modern hybrid environments. NIST SP 1800-35 outlines the phased approach and provides a practice guide, including technologies, reference architectures, use cases, tested scenarios and security controls built into each implementation.

One of the most significant challenges addressed was interoperability between different security solutions. Rather than overhauling infrastructure, organizations can leverage existing technologies while gradually introducing new solutions to enhance security and move toward a mature ZTA.

Integrating Technology Solutions

The NCCoE highlighted how comprehensive security platforms enable Zero Trust principles across hybrid environments. Palo Alto Networks presented a comprehensive ZTA built with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), leveraging capabilities including Cloud Identity Engine for federated identity management, next-generation firewalls for microsegmentation, cloud-delivered security services and SASE for remote access and EDR.

The approach focused on three key objectives:

Continuous trust verification and threat prevention
Single policy enforcement across all environments
Interoperability with other security solutions

AI was embedded throughout the platform—from policy creation to user and device analysis—ensuring that Zero Trust policies are enforced consistently and adapted automatically in response to evolving threats. This intelligent strategy provides a scalable and resilient foundation for securing modern, hybrid environments.

Community Collaboration and A Holistic Approach

The success of the NCCoE project underscored the importance of collaboration between Government and industry to develop practical Zero Trust solutions. This partnership enabled the development of a holistic security monitoring system that can track user behavior across on-premises, cloud and remote environments. The integration of AI and ML streamlined incident response, reducing mean time to detection and resolution.

Experts recommend that organizations begin their Zero Trust journey with fundamental capabilities such as identity and access management (ICAM), endpoint security and compliance and data security. Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA), integrated with existing Active Directory (AD) systems or identity providers, is an effective first step in strengthening access security. Monitoring network traffic and endpoint behavior using threat intelligence, user behavior analytics and AI allows organizations to proactively detect and respond to threats, providing a solid foundation for a resilient ZTA.

The journey to operationalizing Zero Trust continues to evolve, with NIST planning updates to their guidance documents to address emerging technologies like SASE and special considerations for operational technology (OT) environments. By adopting the principles, frameworks and practical implementation approaches demonstrated through the NCCoE project, Government agencies can develop more resilient security architectures that protect resources across diverse environments.

To learn more about implementing ZTAs in Government environments, watch the full webinar “Operationalizing Zero Trust: NIST and End-to-End Zero Trust Architectures,” presented by Palo Alto Networks, NIST and Carahsoft.

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.

Smarter Spending: How State and Local Governments Are Using AI-Powered Procurement Tools to Maximize Cost Savings

Posted on by Briana Crabtree

State and Local Governments are under growing pressure to make every dollar count. From rising costs to increased demand for services, public procurement teams are being called on to do more — and to do it faster, more transparently and with measurable results. The good news? Technology is making that easier than ever.

Today, modern procurement platforms equipped with AI-powered insights are helping agencies move beyond manual processes and limited visibility. These tools are transforming procurement into a strategic driver of fiscal stewardship, surfacing new opportunities for cost savings and improving how governments source, evaluate and manage supplier relationships.

This is the future of smarter public sector spending — and it’s already here.

Procurement as a Strategic Function

Procurement has long played a vital role in public sector operations, but it’s increasingly viewed as a strategic lever for achieving broader goals — from cost savings and compliance to supplier diversity and sustainability. However, traditional methods — including siloed data, spreadsheet tracking and paper-based bid evaluations — can limit visibility and slow down decision-making.

AI-powered procurement platforms change that dynamic. They offer real-time insights into spending trends, identify duplicate vendors or off-contract purchases and help procurement professionals proactively guide smarter buying decisions — all within a secure, cloud-based environment.

Euna, Smarter Spending, Blog, Embedded Image, 2025

How AI-Powered Procurement Tools Drive Smarter Spending

AI isn’t replacing public procurement professionals — it’s augmenting their expertise with data they can act on. Here’s how:

Discover the Best Value, Fast

Procurement platforms allow staff to shop across all approved contracts in one place — making it easy to compare items, vendors, prices and delivery timelines in seconds. This transparency empowers end users to identify the best value quickly, while staying within approved purchasing channels.

Use AI to Maximize Every Cart

AI-powered savings advisors enhance purchasing by automatically surfacing lower-cost alternatives and identifying cost-saving substitutions based on availability and shipping. Real-time recommendations help ensure that every cart is optimized — not just for savings, but for delivery speed, quality and compliance.

Compliance Built In, Not Bolted On

From requisition to checkout, compliance is embedded into every step. Platforms can tailor guardrails based on your agency’s policies, automatically flag off-contract items, enforce justification fields and trigger approval workflows when needed. By reducing friction while maintaining full control, agencies minimize risk without slowing down operations.

Turn Data into Strategy

Interactive dashboards provide procurement teams with visibility into spending patterns, supplier usage and contract performance. Drillable reports help identify high-volume categories, underused contracts or vendor performance issues — enabling strategic decisions grounded in real-time data. The result: more informed planning, more efficient purchasing and greater accountability.

A Positive Path Forward for Procurement Teams

In today’s fiscal environment, smart spending isn’t just about spending less — it’s about spending better. AI-powered procurement platforms support that goal by delivering the right data at the right time, helping procurement teams stay focused on value, compliance and mission outcomes.

By adopting these tools — many of which are available to State and Local Governments through trusted partners like Carahsoft — agencies can reduce cycle times, increase visibility and unlock real savings that benefit their communities.

Conclusion: Empowering Public Procurement Through Insight

Procurement professionals are some of the most resourceful problem-solvers in the Public Sector. With the right technology in place, they’re better equipped than ever to lead their agencies toward smarter, more strategic spending.

AI-powered platforms aren’t just a trend — they’re a practical, proven way to improve decision-making, increase efficiency and ensure every public dollar is working as hard as possible.

To explore how procurement solutions from Euna Solutions, available through Carahsoft, can help your agency maximize value and streamline operations, visit the Euna Procurement page.

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 Euna Solutions 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.