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Washington, D.C. – The majority of local government technology leaders experienced mostly positive impacts to their digital transformation efforts because of the pandemic and its effect on the public sector, according to the “2021 State of City and County IT National Survey,” a report on city and country technology and workforce trends published annually by CompTIA’s Public Technology Institute (PTI).

In addition to the 54% who said they saw positive impacts because of COVID-19, 92% of respondents stated they had expanded the use of collaboration platforms and remote meetings and 91% stated that their organizations expanded options for remote work. About half (52%) of respondents stated that they had made investments in virtual/digital services for citizens; 42% stated that they made investments in business continuity and resilience; and 35% made changes to local government offices, to include reduction of office space and reconfigurations.

“Over the past 15 months local government technology executives have been dealing with the challenges of the pandemic: implementing a remote work environment; expanding the types of citizen services that could be provided virtually; and tackling broadband and connectivity issues for employees, residents, and businesses, said Dr. Alan Shark, Executive Director of PTI.

“Technology executives have demonstrated the vital role the IT organization plays within the local government. While IT has accomplished amazing tasks, the challenges local government IT face are far from over, particularly when it comes to dealing with an increasingly hostile cyber environment, competition for internal resources, and the day-to-day challenges of managing IT performance.”

The 2021 study was divided into 10 sections: Impact of COVID-19 on IT Operations; Technology Priorities; Budgeting; ROI and IT Services; The Cloud and Managed Services; IT Management; Cybersecurity; Smart City/County Strategies; Emerging Tech; and State of Skills of IT Personnel.

Throughout the report, 2021 findings are compared to those from last year’s survey to provide additional understanding of the constantly shifting world of local government IT. The 2021 survey was conducted between December 2020 and February 2021. Sixty-five local government technology executives participated in the survey.

PTI collaborated with Deltek, a provider of public sector intelligence and research, on the survey.

“The stature of the city and county CIO has increased and executives are being recognized for the leadership role they played throughout the pandemic,” said Shark. “The pandemic has proven the value and absolute need for technology support and IT will be recognized as a strategic asset and a trusted and valued partner.”

To view and download the “2021 State of City and County IT National Survey,” go here.

About PTI
Established in 1971 by several major national associations representing state and local governments and now powered by CompTIA, the Public Technology Institute (PTI) has been viewed as the focal point for thought leaders who have a passion for the furtherance and wise deployment of technology. PTI actively supports local government officials through research, education, professional development, executive-level consulting services, and national recognition programs.

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the more than 50 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world’s economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce. Visit Connect.Comptia.org to learn more.