Herndon, VA – TechSur Solutions, LLC (TechSur) is pleased to announce an award in support of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AOUSC) Technology Solutions Office (TSO) for IT Support Services in emerging technologies and digital modernization, initially valued at $34M. This award was the first Prime contract for TechSur, a Small Business Administration (SBA)-certified 8(a) and Economically Disadvantaged Women Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) Small Disadvantaged Business.
AOUSC’s Chief Technology Officer has established a roadmap for secure transformative technology for the next generation of cloud-native technology solutions. The mission of the TSO is to provide strategic vision and support to Courts and AOUSC Program Offices with modernizing technology critical to the Judiciary’s mission. TechSur supports TSO’s initiatives leading the Judiciary’s digital transformation through the establishment of technical standards, research and innovation efforts, and modernization consulting services. TechSur Solutions supports TSO’s collaborative efforts with Judiciary units to empower the implementation of innovative technologies and services to drive business-focused IT transformation. The immediate priorities are focused on assessments and implementation strategies for Enterprise DevSecOps, Enterprise Architecture, Identity, Credential and Access Management (ICAM), Cloud Migration, Hybrid Multi-Tenant Cloud Strategies, Enterprise Portfolio and Program Management, Agile Adoption, and Multi-Factor Authentication.
Rupinder Yadav, President and co-founder of TechSur Solutions, says, “We are proud to have built on nearly 7 years of success and guidance under the SBA through their programs for women-owned companies to arrive at this point of readiness to help modernize the Courts.”
About TechSur Solutions
TechSur Solutions is an Emerging Technologies & Digital Transformation company serving Federal Enterprise customers since 2016. We deliver IT Services for Mission Platform Engineering (DevSecOps, Data Analytics, Cloud-Native Application Development), Hyper-Automation (Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Robotic Process Automation), and Multi-Channel Digital Engagement (Website Design & Development, Strategic Communications). This SBA-certified 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) Economically Disadvantaged Minority Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) was ranked by Washington Technology as the 7th fastest-growing small Government Contractor on their Fast50 List. In recent exciting news, an Artificial Intelligence solution delivered by TechSur Solutions to a Federal customer was awarded a Disruptive Technology Award!
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for protecting the US from a wide range of threats. This includes terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and cyberattacks. To ensure the nation’s safety, DHS security strategies must remain effective and up-to-date. DevSecOps is a tried-and-true practice that can help DHS modernize its security strategies to better protect against digital threats.
A recent IBM survey revealed that security is one of the main motivators behind government IT infrastructure modernization. 70% of US government IT decision-makers identified security risks as the primary obstacle when transitioning to cloud-based platforms. DevSecOps allows for both modernization and enhanced security. It thus becomes a logical choice for federal agencies that prioritize security when modernizing.
DevSecOps in DHS Security Strategies
DevSecOps, plays a crucial role in modernizing the security strategies of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It is a combination of development, security, and operations that focuses on integrating security into the software development process from the beginning rather than adding it as an afterthought. This approach ensures that developers build security into the system from the start. It also allows any vulnerabilities to be detected and fixed early in the development process.
In the context of the DHS, DevSecOps can help improve the security of critical infrastructure and prevent cyber-attacks. The DHS has a broad mandate to protect the nation’s critical infrastructure, which includes everything from energy and water systems to transportation and communication networks. DevSecOps can help modernize the security strategies of the DHS by providing a more agile and iterative approach to software development that is better suited to the fast-paced, rapidly evolving threat landscape.
By adopting DevSecOps practices, the DHS can improve collaboration and communication between the development, security, and operations teams. This will allow them to work together more effectively to identify and address security issues. DevSecOps also encourages automation, which can help reduce the risk of human error. It further ensures that organizations have consistently applied security controls across all systems and applications.
How DevSecOps Can Enhance DHS Security Strategies
DevSecOps can significantly improve the agency’s ability to detect, prevent, and respond to cyber threats by integrating security into every stage of the software development lifecycle. Here are some ways in which DevSecOps can help modernize DHS security strategies.
Improved Security Posture
This approach to development emphasizes the integration of security into every stage of the software development lifecycle. It promotes the use of automated security testing tools that can continuously scan code and applications for vulnerabilities. By identifying and addressing vulnerabilities early, DHS can improve its security posture and reduce the risk of cyber-attacks.
Moreover, DevSecOps encourages collaboration between development, security, and operations teams. This helps to ensure that everyone is working together to improve security. This assists in breaking down silos and improving communication, resulting in better security outcomes.
Early Detection of Security Issues
DevSecOps can help the DHS detect security issues early in the development lifecycle. This, in turn, allows developers to fix vulnerabilities before they become a more significant problem. Little to no vulnerabilities lower the overall chances of cyber-attacks. Moreover, the use of automated security testing tools can detect vulnerabilities that a human developer may have missed during manual code reviews. This makes it easier for the DHS to address security issues proactively. All of this aligns perfectly with the vulnerability reduction pillar of the DHS cybersecurity strategy, which aims to protect the federal enterprise by minimizing its organizational and systemic vulnerabilities.
Continuous Monitoring
The DevSecOps approach involves continuous monitoring of systems and applications, which can help the DHS detect and respond to security incidents in real time. Better visibility into the system status can help cut down on the time between detection and response. This makes it easier to mitigate the impact of a cyber-attack.
Automated Remediation
Shifting security to the left as part of DevSecOps promotes the use of automated remediation tools that can fix security issues as they are identified. With this, the agency can shrink the amount of time and effort required to address security issues, enabling the DHS to respond more quickly and effectively to security incidents.
Infrastructure as Code
DevSecOps supports the use of infrastructure as code, which means that infrastructure is treated as code and is version-controlled. This can ensure that the DHS configures its infrastructure securely and consistently, significantly reducing the risk of misconfigurations leading to security breaches.
Regulatory Compliance
The DHS must comply with various regulations and standards related to security and data protection, such as the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework. As per the DHS strategic plan,
DevSecOps can help the DHS achieve compliance by integrating security into every stage of the software development lifecycle. Through this, the agency can ensure that they meet security requirements throughout the development process. Subsequently, they can reduce the risk of compliance failures.
The Future of DHS Security Strategies
DevSecOps has the potential to revolutionize how DHS manages its security strategies. By adopting a DevSecOps approach, the agency can build more secure systems, reduce the risk of cyber-attacks, and respond more effectively to security incidents. With the right investments in place, DHS can modernize its security strategies and achieve a more proactive and preventative approach to security, helping to safeguard the nation against cyber threats.
TechSur Solutions’ DevSecOps REPLAY Platform can help federal agencies quickly produce secure code with existing technologies and staff. Get started now and experience the ease of cloud-native solutions with built-in auto-scaling at platform and component levels.
TechSur leadership recently sat down with OrangeSlices.ai to preview our exciting DevSecOps Platform that’s making waves in Federal agencies! We are finally at a point where DevSecOps is moving from a capability to a representation as a platform – a one-click platform that we can simply demo by running a quick command prompt. Read our article below about the 5 benefits to Federal agencies who implement this end-to-end Enterprise DevSecOps platform, then reach out to our team for your own demo.
Across the GovCon space, there are companies that catch our attention for a variety of reasons. One that recently made us sit up a little straighter is an SBA-certified 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) Economically-Disadvantaged Minority Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB),TechSur Solutions. An interview with Amit Yadav (co-founder and Chief Technology Officer), Craig Park (Senior Vice President of Operations), Jessica Gressett (Director of Growth), and Jen Falcone (Director of Marketing), provided insight on how this team is growing and winning. The team also shed some light on DevSecOps opportunities for Government agencies and how industry can help move the needle forward.
The Benefits of DevSecOps for Government Clients
More Excited Federal Employees
One of TechSur’s founding goals was a desire to make the work life of government clients easier, more efficient, and even fun – really! “Whether it’s a worker at NOAA excited about tracking and counting fish to ensure the size and health of fish populations, or a civilian employee in the health sector concerned with service delivery to beneficiaries, people who work in government are often passionate about their specific mission.”
Recognizing that if people could be freed from routine tasks, unburdened from having to work in multiple systems for each task, and having IT work for them so they can move faster, the evolution of DevSecOps has created an environment for better-enabled and better-served Federal employees.
“Younger Federal workers have expectations for how they will complete their daily tasks.This next generation of government workers simply will not tolerate clunky systems built over a decade ago that have been hacked to fit together. We need to energize these new users – if they are freed of some of their burdens, they can really harness the passion, the mission, the bigger picture view they have.”
Safe Space for Innovation
Within TechSur there is a mantra that leadership never expects perfection from employees, only continuous improvement. “Working under a fear of failing is not a comfortable place for anyone. There must be discussions about what has gone well, or not as well. But that discussion should be done within a framework that avoids blame and is positioned to take lessons learned and move forward from those lessons.”
Within a DevSecOps environment, where models are set and feedback is gathered along the way, agencies can move quickly, learn from stakeholder feedback and from issues noted along the way, then pivot quickly.
“Whether it is a senior manager or a junior developer, this safe space changes the conversation to one in which no one person failed. Rather, a lesson was learned, and the team can move forward from there.”
Security Embedded
The “Sec” is no longer an optional component of Development, Security, and Operations (DevSecOps). Security is a mandatory component in TechSur’s software development fast-release cycles and present at the heart of all their DevSecOps initiatives. “Security cannot be an afterthought. Security must be baked into what you do from the start and be part of the direction of everything you do.”
There exists within government the dual challenge of getting new products into the hands of users fast enough to satisfy their demands, and the challenge of ensuring the high levels of security any government product, application, or digital experience must meet. “DevSecOps creates a repeatable process for capabilities focused on quality and security that allows the capabilities to move faster and with the assurance that security has been considered at every step along the way.”
Understanding that no government agency is a single entity – that all have multiple levels, subagencies, and layers of engagement – the ability to work from a place of platform delivery that successfully connects and meets the requirements of all those touchpoints is key.
“Government wants the ability to deploy in any cloud of their choice.TechSur has observed that DevSecOps is moving from being a capability to representation as a platform.When we think of DevSecOps from this lens, we can start to think of it as a product, of how we can improve on it, how we can engage users for the best experience, how it can continue to evolve as the industry changes and as technology changes.”
Avoiding Ground Zero
TechSur’s view of DevSecOps as a platform (which they term their “DevSecOps REPLAY Platform”) also avoids the time and money required when starting from scratch time after time. It saves the client cost and effort when DevSecOps is viewed as the engine that powers product delivery.
“It can be challenging for small companies to make the investment to develop something ahead of time, but we are evolving into a space where we cannot just walk in, ask our client what they need, and then start inventing on their time. Instead, the focus needs to shift to coming to the table with a capability – with the thought process – and something that will demonstrate capability already in place. Though challenging, this must be a priority for industry and will take commitment from a vendor’s leadership to ensure they are prepared.We are deliberately at a point with this platform where we can simply demo the one-click platform by running a quick command prompt.”
Improved User Experience
The commercial sector has long challenged the user-experience of the government client, pushing the boundaries of what is expected. COVID shed a light, both on user-experience gaps and on those agencies that were able to meet the demands of customer experience abruptly. That user, whether citizen or government employee, is the most important element to every agency.
Through a DevSecOps framework, agencies can take feedback from users along the spectrum and act on that feedback in an Agile way. Users across the agency benefit from faster rollout, more up-to-date and current versions, and can see their concerns or challenges being addressed, leading to greater confidence and satisfaction with the agency.
Within TechSur, a passion for the mission results in decisions across the company that are made with the customer in mind. That same ability to put mission and people first can help government better engage with and deliver to its stakeholders.
Delivering, Guided by a Culture of Ownership
TechSur was founded with a view of ownership, of enabling decision-making. This foundational view creates a culture of supporting a greater passion. Taking it a step further, TechSur extends that same opportunity to those within the government space. “When the systems are in place, when there is input and a direction has been set, people are encouraged to act, to move forward on their own, knowing their role as part of the whole, and as leaders.”
Stretching their boundaries because they believe in the mission – because they are part of the team – sets a foundation for creative energy, for bringing their best to the table every day. “People stretch to improve, to do better, because they are in it together. As a company, we are deliberately building a system of systems to ensure there is alignment and that processes are met across delivery, marketing, operations, etc. – but then our TechSur employees are the owners of those systems.”
That view of culture also ensures conversations are ongoing. Rather than waiting for an annual review to check in with team members, ongoing dialogue means challenges are resolved as they happen, feedback is available as needed, so everyone is continuously growing and improving.
The Lens of Partnership
Still a small business, TechSur has followed a path that is common to many – starting with multiple subcontracts, then graduating over the past year to securing six Prime contracts. Whichever role they play, their role as a partner does not change. “Whether we are there as the Prime or the subcontractor, we are there for the client and we meld with our partner to act as one team. We are not there for short-term relationships but instead develop strong partnerships with our partners so that no one is part of this team or that team. We are all one. We support each other mutually and both sides are better for it.”
As it grows, TechSur is eager to grow in its relationships, with partners and with clients, as is always open to new introductions and new partners.
About TechSur
In August 2016, a wife and husband duo in the D.C. metropolitan area had grown increasingly frustrated by the conversations about government IT modernization. They formedTechSur Solutionswith the belief that government agencies deserve a better answer to their complex technical challenges. There is a path forward to transform Federal work life without sacrificing requirements or excluding current contractors or platforms. Government deserves better engagement.
TechSur Solutions implemented Adaptive Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver solutions at the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), an independent agency of the U.S. Federal government which provides library grants, museum grants, policy development, and research. The IMLS First Check Program was originally performed by Program Officers going through application files and databases to validate a grants application manually, taking up to 2 weeks. With TechSur’s First Check Program, application reviews happen in a fraction of the time, saving thousands of manpower hours and resources. TechSur Solutions is delighted to announce that FORUM (formerly FedHealthIT) have recognized the IMLS First Check Program with a 2023 Disruptive Technology Award! This award recognized Federal IT Programs that are working every day to take calculated risks and positively disrupt the Federal market.
At IMLS, TechSur AI Engineers:
created digitized PDFs from unstructured data to structured;
implemented Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to streamline the verification process;
used Natural Language Processing (NLP) to extract key data elements and document similarities, summarizations, and keyword searches; and,
employed image detection for legal document verification.
As a result, the tool automates 95% of the First Check rules which allows Program Officers to focus on validating tool’s results and performing rule checks outside of the tool’s scope. TechSur Solutions looks forward to accepting this honor at the #DisruptiveTechSummit on April 12, 2023. Congratulations to all the other winners of this prestigious award!
The recent Cybersecurity Ventures report predicts that in 2023, the global annual cost of cybercrime will exceed $8 trillion. This figure could potentially be much higher than initially thought. With the rise of cyber threats and attacks, government agencies must adopt a proactive approach to protect their networks, data, and systems. As such, DevSecOps, a combination of development, security, and operations, is essential for government cybersecurity.
Recently, President Biden issued an Executive Order on improving the nation’s cybersecurity, and federal agencies have responded by releasing DevSecOps best practices based on the Enduring Security Framework. As a result, government organizations are taking steps to implement and standardize their DevSecOps processes for addressing current cybersecurity threats.
Here is a closer look at why DevSecOps is critical for government cybersecurity, how it can improve local and federal government cybersecurity, and some examples of how government agencies have successfully implemented DevSecOps practices.
Why DevSecOps is Critical For Government Cybersecurity
Traditionally, government agencies have followed a waterfall approach to software development, where each phase of development is completed before moving to the next phase. This approach can be time-consuming and costly, and it does not prioritize security. In contrast, DevSecOps is a continuous process that integrates security into every phase of the development lifecycle, from design to deployment and beyond. Government agencies can then detect and remediate security vulnerabilities early in the development process, reducing the risk of cyber-attacks.
In addition to this, DevSecOps fosters a culture of shared accountability for security by promoting communication between operations, security, and development teams, breaking down organizational barriers. By working together, these teams can more effectively and efficiently detect and handle security issues. This results in a reduced cost of cybersecurity for the organization as a whole.
Improving Local Government Cybersecurity with DevSecOps
Local government agencies often have limited resources and expertise in cybersecurity. They may also be more vulnerable to cyber-attacks due to their reliance on legacy systems and software. DevSecOps can help these agencies improve their cybersecurity posture. This is done by prioritizing security in the development process and providing a framework for collaboration between teams.
Improving Federal Government Cybersecurity with DevSecOps
Federal government agencies face unique cybersecurity challenges. This is mainly due to the sensitivity of the data they handle and the potential impact of a cyber-attack. These agencies must comply with strict security regulations, such as the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) cybersecurity framework. DevSecOps can help these agencies comply with these regulations by integrating security into every phase of their development process. It further provides a framework for continuous monitoring and remediation of security vulnerabilities.
Other Benefits of DevSecOps
Apart from the specific benefits DevSecOps offer for government agencies, there are many other prominent advantages to adopting this approach. Here are a few of the more common ones.
Reduced Risk of Cyber-Attacks
By integrating security into every phase of the development process, DevSecOps reduces the risk of cyber-attacks that could compromise sensitive government data or systems.
Increased Speed of Software Delivery
DevSecOps enables faster and more frequent software delivery. The main reason for this is the automation of many aspects of the development process without sacrificing security or quality.
Improved Efficiency
Increased collaboration and communication between teams in DevSecOps can reduce errors and redundancies and increase overall efficiency.
Enhanced Accountability
With DevSecOps, agencies can promote a culture of shared responsibility for security, which can help ensure that security is a priority at every level of the organization.
Better Compliance
DevSecOps can help government agencies meet security regulations. This is done by providing a framework for integrating security into the development process. It further allows continuous monitoring and remediation of security vulnerabilities.
Reduced Cost
Detecting and remedying security vulnerabilities early in the development process is possible with DevSecOps. This can reduce the overall cost of software development and maintenance for government agencies.
Why Some Government Organizations Resist the Implementation of DevSecOps
A survey conducted by ATARC and the U.S. Air Force, underwritten by GitLab and Red Hat, interviewed almost 300 technical professionals across 27 federal departments, government entities, and state and local governments. The results revealed a complex DevOps environment in the public sector. The teams often faced challenges managing numerous disparate tools and working with legacy development models. The survey highlighted the following reasons for the hesitation toward DevSecOps implementation.
Cultural resistance: Traditional government organizations may resist DevSecOps because it requires a cultural shift towards a more collaborative and agile approach to software development. This may be perceived as a challenge to the existing organizational culture, structures, and adherence to the waterfall methodology.
Complex Tools: According to the survey, only 28% of the respondents reported using five or fewer tools in their software development lifecycle, while almost 40% used ten or more tools. The use of multiple tools creates a complex development process. This in turn requires teams to dedicate significant time to managing the tools. The same time could instead be used for building and delivering critical applications for their organizations.
Regulatory compliance concerns: Some government organizations may be concerned that implementing DevSecOps practices could potentially compromise their ability to meet regulatory compliance requirements.
It is crucial to understand that these reasons for resistance are not insurmountable. Government organizations are capable of overcoming them. Agencies can effectively implement DevSecOps methods to strengthen their cybersecurity posture with the correct assistance, training, and leadership.
Conclusion
DevSecOps is essential for government cybersecurity, both at the local and federal levels. By integrating security into every phase of the development process and promoting collaboration between teams, government agencies can improve their cybersecurity posture while reducing the overall cost and time required for software development. Successful implementation of DevSecOps practices requires a cultural shift towards shared responsibility for security and a commitment to continuous improvement. As cyber threats continue to evolve, government agencies must remain vigilant and proactive in their approach to cybersecurity, and DevSecOps provides a framework for achieving this goal.
TechSur Solutions’ DevSecOps REPLAY Platform can help government agencies strengthen their cybersecurity posture, improve collaboration and efficiency, and reduce the risk of cyber-attacks. Contact us today to learn how we can assist you in implementing DevSecOps practices tailored to your agency’s unique needs and requirements.
The world has entered the digital age, where technology has become a central aspect of daily life and business operations. The internet and digital devices have created a vast network that connects people from all over the world, enabling instant communication and access to information. Such a transformation, along with the rapid growth of the digital economy, has created a high demand for US digital services, and governments have had to adapt to keep pace with these changes.
Overview of the Demand for US Digital Services
In recent years, the demand for digital services has increased dramatically, and this trend is only expected to continue. A recent Accenture report indicates that the demand for digital services from US citizens has grown, as reflected in the increase of those who wish to have more digital interaction with their government: 39% of respondents in 2022 compared to 29% in 2019.
Customers and citizens expect easy access to government services and information online. They want these services to be fast, efficient, and reliable. This has put pressure on government organizations to upgrade their digital offerings. They now must keep up with the evolving needs of their constituents.
Meeting the demand for US digital services would mean government organizations can improve their efficiency and effectiveness in serving the public. By leveraging technology and modernizing their systems, they can streamline processes, reduce costs, and provide better, faster service to their customers. Additionally, the use of digital services can improve the transparency and accountability of government operations, leading to increased trust and confidence in government institutions. However, as with any transformation, success in this endeavor isn’t without its challenges.
Challenges Faced by Federal Government Organizations in Meeting Demand
Despite these benefits, federal government organizations are facing numerous challenges when it comes to meeting rising demands for digital service.
Difficulty in Adapting Legacy Systems
Many government agencies have been using outdated systems for decades, and upgrading them to modern technology can be a complex and costly process. In addition, the integration of these legacy systems with new technology can be difficult. They may not be compatible with the latest digital services.
Lack of Resources and Budget Limitations
Upgrading technology and modernizing systems can be expensive, and many government agencies have limited budgets for these types of projects. The shortage of skilled personnel who are able to implement these upgrades further complicates the process.
Security and Privacy Concerns
Governments are responsible for safeguarding sensitive information, such as personal and financial data, and ensuring that this information is protected from unauthorized access and use. They must also be able to detect and respond to cyber-attacks and data breaches. This can have significant impacts on the security and privacy of their customers and citizens.
Strategies for Meeting Rising Demands for Digital Service
Despite these challenges, there are strategies that federal government organizations can use to meet rising demands for digital service.
Leverage Existing Technologies and Resources
One strategy for meeting the demand for digital services is to leverage existing technologies and resources. Government organizations can take advantage of existing systems and infrastructure to implement digital services and improve their efficiency. For instance, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) can be a valuable tool for the US government in meeting the rising demand for digital services. By integrating RPA, the government can automate routine and repetitive tasks within its existing infrastructure. This will improve efficiency and free up resources to focus on more valuable activities.
The success of such initiatives has been experienced by the US government when battling COVID-19 challenges. The US federal government adopted Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to help its agencies, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development, National Institutes of Health, and the Internal Revenue Service, increase the efficiency of their staff. RPA allowed these organizations to shift their personnel from low-value tasks to more important activities. They could effectively manage a surge in demand for their services. In a similar way, the US federal government can utilize its existing systems to provide efficient digital services to citizens.
Invest in Modernization
Another strategy is to invest in modernization by upgrading technology and modernizing systems to meet the changing needs of their customers and citizens. This can include the development of new digital services, the implementation of cloud computing and data analytics, and the use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.
A key example of such an initiative is the inclusion of AI-powered virtual assistants and chatbots that can assist government agencies in providing efficient digital services.
On the other hand, cloud technology has the ability to scale quickly, allowing federal government organizations to make a seamless transition to digital services. For instance, in 2020, 90% of California’s 200,000 state employees were able to easily switch to telework due to the state government’s early adoption of cloud technology. This shift not only allows employees to work remotely but also helps governments reach citizens through omnichannel cloud-based communication tools.
For example, Singapore utilizes “postman.gov.sg” to send bulk messages with critical updates to citizens. Leveraging cloud technologies in this way can further improve citizen satisfaction and enhance the quality of government services in the US as well.
Upgrade Security and Privacy Standards
Finally, upgrading security and privacy standards is a critical component of any strategy for providing digital services to the public. Government agencies must invest in robust security and privacy measures. This is essential to protect sensitive information and ensure the safety of their customers and citizens. This includes implementing strong encryption, developing security policies and procedures, and investing in cyber security and data protection technologies.
One major point of concern is that, despite numerous proposals, there has yet to be a comprehensive federal law created to govern data privacy in the U.S. that has been accepted by federal government organizations. Developing and implementing data privacy policies, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe, can help ensure that sensitive information is collected, stored, and processed in a manner that is secure and compliant with privacy laws and regulations.
Conclusion
As we enter the digital age, citizens are expecting consumer-grade experiences from the federal government. All generations are now looking to the government to provide a streamlined digital experience. The US federal government has the opportunity to meet these demands and enhance its services. However, it comes with plenty of challenges.
To ensure success, federal government organizations must rise to the occasion. Fortunately, there are strategies that organizations can use to overcome these challenges. This includes leveraging existing technologies, investing in modernization initiatives, and upgrading security and privacy standards. By taking these steps, organizations can create a more efficient system that meets the needs of citizens in the digital era.
TechSur Solutions leverages the latest technologies to help you overcome your challenges and gain a competitive advantage in this digital era. Reach out to us today for more information about our enterprise solutions and our dedication to optimizing governmental operations.
In the modern digital world, the way organizations manage their security has dramatically changed. As a result of the increase in remote work, cyber threats, and the adoption of cloud-based technologies, organizations are looking for new ways to secure their data and systems. This is where zero-trust architecture comes into play.
On May 2021, an executive order was issued that required the U.S. Federal government agencies to invest in technology and personnel in order to make it easier to access cybersecurity data, migrate to secure cloud architectures faster and work towards a zero-trust architecture.
Following this, government organizations are constantly striving to implement and strengthen a zero-trust architecture. Fortunately, as one of the leading cloud-based platforms, ServiceNow can provide invaluable assistance in this endeavor, allowing for the integration of people, processes, and systems within a secure framework.
Why is Zero-Trust Architecture Important
Zero-trust architecture is a security approach that assumes that all network traffic, whether internal or external, is untrusted until proven otherwise. The aim of this approach is to reduce the attack surface and prevent unauthorized access to the network. This is particularly important for federal government organization. These organizations handle sensitive information and must maintain a high level of security. With the increasing number of cyber threats and the complexity of modern networks, traditional perimeter-based security models are no longer sufficient.
A zero-trust architecture provides a more comprehensive and flexible security solution, allowing federal government organizations to better protect their critical assets and data. By implementing such a security architecture, organizations can reduce their risk of security breaches and improve their overall security posture.
Improving Zero-Trust Architecture in Federal Government Organizations
Federal Government Organizations can enhance their zero-trust architecture through the utilization of ServiceNow. The Now Platform offers several solutions and integrations to support a comprehensive security strategy. This includes automating processes and streamlining security operations. Here are some prominent ways federal government organizations can leverage the capabilities of ServiceNow to augment their security architecture.
Establishing a ServiceNow Platform
Establishing a ServiceNow platform can significantly improve the zero-trust architecture of government agencies. The platform offers a centralized, unified data model and powerful cross-functional workflows. This can streamline security operations and enhance communication between people, functions, and systems. With the ability to automate security processes, ServiceNow makes it easier for government agencies to enforce their zero-trust policies and reduce the risk of security breaches.
Additionally, the platform provides a variety of security-focused solutions and integrations. This includes multi-factor authentication, encryption, access control, and continuous monitoring. These features support government agencies in their efforts to improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of their security operations. In turn, this helps to ensure the protection of sensitive information and assets.
Integrating with Existing Security Tools and Systems
Another way to improve zero-trust architecture is by integrating ServiceNow with existing security tools and systems. This integration enhances network visibility. Better visibility allows for quicker identification of potential threats and enabling organizations to secure a robust zero-trust environment.
The combination of security tools and the Now Platform provides a coordinated response to security events. With this organizations can set up automated processes to alert security personnel and quarantine devices that may be compromised. Further, they can patch vulnerable assets, and suspend accounts that appear to be suspicious. Also, the Now Platform provides a unified view of security information and risk. This enables administrators to make informed decisions with the help of streamlined, real-time data.
Implementing Policies
By implementing security policies, federal government organizations can ensure that only authorized users have access to sensitive data or systems. This will help protect critical assets from malicious actors by establishing a secure zero-trust architecture with defined security policies. These policies include controlling hardware and software configurations on the production network, onboarding new capabilities, software packages, services, IT hardware, cloud providers, and personnel roles.
Using the Now Platform, federal government organizations can create robust and secure onboarding workflows to ensure that all purchases and installations are properly evaluated for security and risk. This can provide a layer of governance to the acquisition process. Such governance will make sure that all technology purchases are in line with agency policy.
Zero-Trust Architecture for Government: A New Era of Cybersecurity
Zero-trust architecture is a critical aspect of modern cybersecurity, and ServiceNow provides an effective solution for organizations looking to augment their security systems. With its single data model, powerful cross-functional workflows, and automation capabilities, ServiceNow is a highly secure and effective solution for organizations looking to implement the zero-trust architecture. As cyber threats continue to increase, organizations must take steps to augment their security systems, and ServiceNow provides a solution that will help organizations stay ahead of the curve.
TechSur Solutions understands the nuances of governmental operations and the importance of cloud integration to enhance operations and security. Our team of experts is here to assist government agencies in cloud deployments. We work to ensure a streamlined transition from legacy systems to cloud infrastructure with no compromise on security.
Government agencies across the U.S. have rightly recognized the need for greater integration and innovation of new technologies, such as UiPath RPA, to meet the growing operational complexity. This is especially true with the significant workloads that agencies face. This includes multiple applications for government subsidies and persistent legislative changes while managing these responsibilities with limited staff.
As government agencies strive to provide their citizens and employees with the best possible experience, they increasingly turn to Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to achieve this goal. RPA technology is a powerful tool that can help automate repetitive and manual tasks, allowing government agencies to focus their resources on providing better services to their citizens and employees.
UiPath RPA coupled with AI assists public sector organizations in rethinking the quality of citizen service and discovering new approaches to local, regional, and national problems. It has provided the government with various advantages, including positive performance for citizens, more efficient processes, and increased work engagement for government employees, allowing them to devote time to more significant responsibilities.
Here are some examples of how RPA can benefit government agencies and help them deliver better citizen and employee experiences.
Crucial RPA Use Cases in the Public Sector
The Uipath service is highly applicable in many government entities and procedures, making it a valuable asset for the public sector. The advantages are evident across five distinct areas, namely national governments, municipal governments, law enforcement, medical care, and education. The following list includes some of the most pertinent use cases from various public sector operations that can provide quality citizen services.
1. Document Handling and Validation
Document management and validation are essential tasks for public institutions and government departments. Even though these routine tasks are necessary for an agency to function correctly, they may take up the bulk of a shift, leaving the staff with little time to devote to the activities that can have a positive impact.
According to a recent survey by Deloitte, 40% of Generation Z and 24% of millennials would quit their job within two years if they considered it to be uninteresting and repetitive. Quick turnover rates can cause havoc within governmental departments as quickly finding replacement employees can be costly and time-consuming. Therefore, it is essential to use Uipath RPA and AI to streamline mundane and monotonous document-handling jobs. Round-the-clock software bots can significantly speed up documentation analysis, extraction, entry, and storage. These bots can also improve the quality of service and lower the capital expenditures associated with document processing and validation.
2. Reconciliation and Reporting
All public sector organizations have varying requirements for reconciliation procedures and assets. Therefore, a robust and adaptable staff is necessary to achieve these objectives using this procedure. Automating these operations with RPA bots leads to effective resource utilization and substantial savings, and can improve comprehensive monitoring, ledger account reconciliation, and the activation of current assets. Agencies can upgrade or downscale processes using the Uipath service without issue. Optimizing efficiency can improve public services to benefit employees and citizens alike.
3. Financial Management and Audit Trail
For government sectors to succeed and provide improved citizen services, automating these rule-driven operations is essential. RPA can assist government departments in managing finances with high precision and accuracy. Eliminating keyboard inaccuracies can lead to nearly risk-free audit preparation. Uipath RPA can manage finances quickly and without error for numerous tasks such as transaction monitoring, invoicing, and expenses.
Today, the public sector struggles with providing the level of service that citizens expect. Legacy systems and time-consuming procedures are mostly to blame. RPA can help the public sector achieve new levels of effectiveness and accountability, allowing for more efficient and productive processes and transforming the government into a digital entity.
4. Delivery to Citizens
Government agencies must establish strategies for providing swift and effective citizen-focused services. However, it would be challenging to meet the quality of the criteria demanded by the general public. This challenge is commonly caused by the time-consuming procedures associated with processing and distributing funding, response, monitoring, and fulfillment.
Maintaining the citizens at the center of government service, RPA can decrease or eliminate numerous barriers to achieve quick and practical outcomes. The U.S. State of Federal RPA December report claimed the “federal RPA community has reduced over 1.4 million hours of low-value work across the [U.S.] government to date.” An automated system like this, for example, could handle the backlog of VA applications.
Conclusion
The public sector has been leveraging the power of robotic process automation (RPA) to increase efficiency and productivity, saving time and money. RPA can reduce the expenses associated with labor-intensive tasks such as report generation or data entry by automating them for faster completion. RPA enables staff to focus on mission-critical work over monotonous operations while maintaining compliance standards without compromising accuracy or speed. The government agencies that adopt RPA are well positioned to augment their internal processes, improving citizen and employee experiences.
TechSur Solutions uses RPA technology to automate repetitive operations to solve your challenges, allowing you to be an agency hero. Contact us today to find out more about our enterprise solutions and our commitment to enhancing governmental operations.
The current White House Executive Order on transforming federal customer experience and service delivery set a new standard for government modernization, bringing with it an array of opportunities to streamline operations. Robotic process automation (RPA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have been identified as tools that can assist in the transition. Research indicates these tools can improve employee productivity, reduce administrative burdens, and increase citizen satisfaction by delivering more accurate and timely services.
Federal agencies are already beginning to experiment with robotic process automation tools, such as UiPath, to automate operations, including data entry, content management, and contact center workflows, providing faster access to data while reducing duplication of effort. By using automation technology like RPA and AI, these types of resolutions can bring many benefits. These include increased transparency and better insights into how citizens interact with governments digitally. This leads to improved trust between citizens and their government organizations.
Understanding Robotic Process Automation for Government Agencies
RPA technology is a major efficiency driver for government agencies as it expedites data processing, manipulation, and communication activities. Software robots form an integral part of RPA technology. These are virtual agents (AI-based software programs) that users can configure to learn and interpret existing computer-aided applications, allowing them to achieve these tasks with minimal need for direct human supervision.
With RPA, government agencies can automate many processes. Processes containing structured data and those with repeatable tasks and relatively consistent outcomes are particularly well-suited for automation through RPA. This means that organizations can significantly reduce the time and costs allocated for tedious manual labor like paperwork or data entry.
Over the next decade, we can expect to see a transformation of public sectors due to the increasing RPA adoption . According to McKinsey and Company estimates, by 2025, RPA could have a global economic impact as high as $6.7 trillion based on its ability to match full-time equivalent (FTE) employee output. Furthermore, it has been noted that 30% of employee working hours globally could be automated by 2030 – an indication that RPA leads to increased efficiency and cost savings in organizations. RPA is greatly beneficial, from increasing productivity and job satisfaction in employees to improving service delivery to citizens.
The Benefits of Robotic Process Automation for Federal Government Agencies
Robotic process automation helps government agencies to meet the demands of the twenty-first century by reimagining how they accomplish mission-critical tasks, in addition to providing enhanced services to citizens. RPA can bring about numerous advancements, such as:
higher capacity for work,
lower operational costs,
reduction or elimination of backlogs,
lower errorful outcomes,
improved compliance and auditing standards,
freeing up staff to execute more rewarding tasks.
Deloitte states that further improvements can be made by incorporating cognitive technologies such as machine learning, natural language processing, and speech recognition into RPA systems. These technologies allow for automated processes that otherwise would have required the perceptual and judgment capabilities of human beings.
Federal government agencies are increasingly realizing the value of investing in RPA technology. Here is how automation proposes leading benefits for them.
1. Improved Response Time
Robotic process automation is proving to be a valuable tool in meeting the expectations of U.S. citizens for on-demand, digital, and quick access to public services. Automation improves the customer experience by freeing government employees from mundane, repetitive tasks. This also allows them to perform higher-value work, such as directly addressing citizen needs. It is an effective method for agencies to reduce call hold times and abandonment rates in their contact centers. This further increases agents’ time for problem-solving and providing quality service. Ultimately, this helps federal government agencies ensure citizens receive more personalized attention when they need it most.
Secure RPA offers an improved alternative to difficult and costly digital modernization efforts. It effectively connects disparate systems within the existing government infrastructure. RPA operates at the user level and can easily automate workflows between legacy and modern systems. This enables providing a low-cost solution that often increases the value of legacy systems. Furthermore, RPA technology allows agencies to securely move data from a legacy system into the cloud. Thus, this ensures consistent and secure data access without compromising agency compliance or security requirements. RPA serves as an effective tool to facilitate digital modernization and optimize existing systems within federal government functions.
3. Boosted Employee Experience
Automation technologies provide a way for employees to optimize and streamline everyday operation activities, providing greater agility and efficiency. RPA can identify redundancies in processes, freeing up time to create space for more meaningful tasks that add real value. As such, employees are able to spend more time focusing on projects that have direct impacts on those they serve. This shift in focus enables them to apply their skills, experience, and expertise in ways that make the greatest contribution to their organizations.
4. Better Compliance
RPA is capable of relieving pressure on existing resources that are being tasked with meeting compliance mandates. It allows agencies to efficiently and accurately review, process, and fulfill requirements by streamlining formerly manual processes. The resulting freedom from tedious manual labor results in stronger regulatory reach. Additionally, automation can dramatically reduce the time it takes to complete compliance-related paperwork. This will lead to faster resolution times for any potential conflicts arising.
Robotic Process Automation: The Transformation of U.S Government Agencies
Deloitte recently published a report showing the potential effects of utilizing robotic process automation (RPA) tools on medium-sized organizations, pointing to a $30 million savings in bottom-line impact for those organizations with $20 billion in revenue and 50,000 employees. These figures offer only a glimpse of the drastic potential this technology has to offer at an even larger scale – a government level. The U.S Federal Government boasts 2.1 million employees, many of whom are engaged in repetitive tasks that could potentially be automated to save time and money – not to mention the size of the annual budget is over $6.2 trillion. As this technology continues to improve, the fiscal implications for US government agencies could be staggering.
The future of public services has arrived. By using automation, federal agencies are meeting the demands of an ever-evolving society and creating a streamlined way for citizens to access services. By understanding the need for speed and efficiency, agencies can utilize automated systems which reduce the amount of manual labor often associated with traditional government operations. Moving forward, the adoption of automation will become increasingly essential for governments around the world looking to maintain their current services or expand into areas that weren’t possible with manual processes.
TechSur Solutions uses RPA technology to automate repetitive operations in order to solve your challenges, allowing you to be an agency hero. Find out more about the enterprise RPA solutions we offer and our commitment to enhancing governmental operations.
For many organizations across government sectors, digitization has turned into a “must-have.” In the newly released Automation Now & Next report, based on a survey of 1,000 leading organizations, nearly all participants (95%) now view automation as a critical part of their strategic initiatives. Through robotic process automation, organizational policies are sped up and streamlined to allow staff to concentrate on assignments of maximum priority.
Even though RPA has become more popular among organizations in recent years, some skeptics still have incorrect ideas about what it is and what it can accomplish. This article will address the most common myths, along with each one’s present state of reality.
Misconception #1: RPA Is Only Applicable to Document-Heavy Processes
When speaking with CIOs, we frequently encounter this misconception. And it all began based on what, back then—15 years or more ago—existing systems could or could not accomplish. The major problem was that spreadsheets, PDFs, and other varieties of documents could not be analyzed by the solutions available at the time.
Then Robotic Process Automation (RPA) entered the picture, and without realizing its true potential, many believed this was expressly created for document-heavy processing. Due to such misconceptions, robotic process automation tools may have fallen victim to stereotyping.
Early automation of rule-based procedures, such as data extraction from workbooks, had limited application early on. Today, current RPA technologies have radically changed the way organizations operate. Because the transformation is simpler now, a non-technical individual can automate processes without the aid of specialists.
In recent years, RPA is becoming more intelligent. Intelligent automation, or intelligent RPA, is when the capabilities of computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) combine with RPA to automate a wide range of processes, both basic and complicated. It raises the bar for automation. With intelligent RPA, organizations can automate almost any front- or back-office function.
Misconception #2: RPA Promotes Bad Processes by Automating Them
Consider a finance department that is awaiting a significant ERP rollout. They currently have several gaps, and they are filling those discrepancies using Excel alternatives. The finance team is informed by the IT division that, once the ERP program is implemented, all templates will be eliminated. When? Two years hence. So what occurs in the interim? The finance department is drowning in bad spreadsheet procedures. With these two factors added, meeting expectations becomes difficult.
Until ERP digitization is implemented, robotic process automation tools can assist organizations in its place, giving them some breathing room. It has the ability to automate procedures based on the given documents, including worksheets. And the implementation period can be much shorter—usually just a few weeks. In this instance, one is not using a harmful procedure but rather providing a stopgap measure until the long-term fix is ready.
Even during ERP implementations, RPA has shown to be a tremendous help because it makes automating ERP workflows much simpler than using the workflow options provided by the ERP. Moreover, modern RPA platforms often feature an agile development tool to help identify the finest, most eligible procedures to automate.
Misconception #3: The Citizen Development Model Is Against IT Best Practices
The popularity of citizen development is rising quickly. Many embrace the idea of citizen developers; and agree that educating citizen designers is the biggest priority to forge ahead on expanding automation throughout the organization.
Citizen development is a concept that is occurring as a result of factors such as:
The utilization of RPA technology is becoming simpler.
The average user is growing more technological.
IT departments are overburdened by a lack of qualified personnel and an excessive number of initiatives.
The concept of citizen development is enduring. It can also function without jeopardizing IT best practices. The key? You must have administration, disclosure, management, a division of responsibilities, and accountability in place in order to employ the appropriate technology in the right way. Let democratization begin after that.
Misconception #4: Robotic Process Automation Will Take Away Jobs
Rather than replacing workers, RPA more effectively frees people from tedious, repetitive activities. Employees can concentrate on innovative and strategic tasks that call for human intelligence by using Digital Co-Workers. Employees may become more content with their jobs as a result, increasing productivity. RPA has also given rise to fresh opportunities. Organizations and agencies are looking for RPA developers, analysts, architects, engineers, and other professionals who can assist them in implementing and managing automation.
Robotic Process Automation For Government Agencies
RPA technology has a lot to contribute to a range of government agencies, and we hope this piece has inspired you to take advantage of everything it has to contribute. For agency executives who are looking to consolidate their operations for increased agility and responsiveness, these misconceptions about RPA can create a lot of needless hassles. Robotic Process Automation is unquestionably a realistic alternative as you start looking for that “next edge” to stay current and effective in your field.
RPA adoption makes the most mundane and tedious tasks easier to accomplish while also strengthening IT infrastructures across different sectors of government. TechSur Solutions solves your problems with RPA technology to automate many repetitive tasks. Learn more about our enterprise RPA solutions and how dedicated we are to improving government operations.
