These are the Tech Capabilities Government Needs Next 

Federal technology leaders say the next phase of government modernization will depend less on technology alone and more on whether agencies can build the workforce capabilities, delivery models and operational efficiency needed to move faster. 

Officials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Coast Guard, the National Weather Service and the Department of Health and Human Services outlined the specific capabilities they believe federal agencies must prioritize to successfully scale AI and deliver mission outcomes in a rapidly changing environment. 

Andrés Colón Perez, chief technology architect at CMS, said compliance authorization timelines need to be more efficient. 

“In the world of AI in particular, we see very powerful models. They’re changing very, very quickly. And so if you have a process that just takes months to approve the latest models, then that’s going to have a ripple effect,” he said. “To have a successful environment that nurtures those bold ideas, you need one proper infrastructure. You need to remove barriers to entry.” 

Alberto Colon Viera, chief health technology officer at CMS, said the agency has done well creating a strong IT and data infrastructure capacity, but the most important capability is developing in-house tech experts capable of rapidly prototyping ideas, testing proofs of concept and moving successful projects into production. 

“I think what we’ve been missing is a team that can really hyper-focus and specialize on product delivery and building digital products in government,” he said. “You need to bring in doers and bring them to the government. So you have the techies, the nerds, the people that can prototype things, right? Like do the proof of concept, very low risk, very low cost. You need to have some of that capacity in house.” 

Coast Guard Cloud and Data Branch Chief Cmdr. Jonathan White added that agencies need to stop over-engineering governance processes over a fear of failure. 

“A lot of what’s buried in bureaucratic planning is worry,” he said. “Worry that we’re going to fail, worry that we’re going to waste money, worry that we’re not going to meet the requirements.” 

Instead, White said agencies should focus on “minimum viable governance” that creates processes that allow teams to begin work quickly, iterate continuously and improve products over time. 

“What do I need in order to start doing?” White said. “How do I minimize the amount of time it takes me to get from the idea stage to the work stage?” 

White pointed to the Coast Guard’s software yard initiative as an example of institutionalizing commercial-sector practices, including platform engineering that reduces the need to rebuild infrastructure from the ground up for every project.

Perez said federal agencies are entering a period of significant technological advancement and urged agencies to reduce barriers to information sharing and empower the workforce to rapidly try new ideas. 

“I see a world where, if we empower our workforce to be able to maximize the use, if they’re properly trained, if they know how to use AI, if they have an allocated amount of money every month that is there for them to enhance their work … try bold ideas and do it safely, that’s going to be important,” Perez said. 

George Jungbluth, National Weather Service director in the Office of Dissemination, said he would like to see more federal product owners who can oversee delivery and vendor management. 

“I need federal product owners. I’ve got a bunch of program managers who are great at process. Weather Service is great at process. I need someone who can ship every two weeks and manage a vendor team. I need federal product owners trained and agile,” he said. 

Shannon Howard, lead IT specialist in the HHS Office of the Secretary, said agencies should turn their focus to AI adoption to better equip the workforce. He said that while many technical teams are already experimenting with AI tools, agencies now need structured efforts to help program managers, grants specialists and operational staff integrate those tools into everyday workflows. 

“What is the point of giving somebody a hammer or a nail or an actual car, but they don’t have a license or don’t know how to drive?” Howard said.