Modernization Starts With a Clear Strategy
-Fiona McFarland, Chair of the House, IT and Policy Subcommittee
-Representative Omar Blanco
By The Florida Technology Council Anyone following the Florida
scale, and expectations of modern service delivery. Leadership within the Florida House Information Technology and Policy Subcommittee has made clear that incremental change is no longer acceptable. Under the leadership of Representative Fiona McFarland, the Subcommittee has focused squarely on structural reform in how the State procures and manages technology. Ranking Member Representative Lindsay Cross has questioned whether existing State Term Contract requirements remain fit for purpose, while Representative Lopez has pressed for answers on why other states are moving
faster through their procurement processes. Representative Miller has raised concerns about IT project scopes that are unclear, overly prescriptive, or developed without the right stakeholders at the table. Representative Omar Blanco has addressed how commodity IT purchases are being slowed by rules designed for large scale projects, underscoring the need to distinguish true commodities from complex implementations. Representative Giallombardo has emphasized the importance of clearly defining best value in statute and requiring evaluation criteria that prioritize outcomes rather than price alone.
House of Representatives’ Information Technology and Policy Subcommittee has seen a long overdue shift in how Florida is addressing IT procurement and management of government information technology. For years, state agencies have delivered essential services using aging platforms, fragmented systems, and procurement models built in a different era. Dedicated public servants have worked tirelessly within those constraints, yet those limitations have often slowed modernization, increased costs, and reduced flexibility. Technology designed decades ago now struggles to meet the pace,
– 2026 Legislative Edition – Florida Technology Magazine 22
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