State and local government and education (SLED) markets have specific challenges—and opportunities—for hybrid work in 2022 and beyond. For these segments, there are opportunities to leverage a huge influx of federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and other government initiatives to support hybrid work and related initiatives, such as upgrading cybersecurity and modernizing call centers and emergency services.
In addition, continuing uncertainty around pandemic-related regulations and requirements is putting pressure on business and IT teams to be prepared for anything. This article focuses on the value of an integrated, cloud-based unified communication and collaboration platform to support hybrid work and other key IT initiatives in the SLED market. It also examines what to look for in working with a cloud communications service provider (CCSP) and why the portfolio of solutions and services from NWN Carousel is breaking new ground in supporting the needs of SLED organizations.
While the pandemic has been a huge challenge for organizations in the SLED market, the next phase of pandemic relief could turn out to be an opportunity to use federal dollars to achieve critical business objectives. Such projects could be migrating more services to the cloud, empowering hybrid work, accelerating delivery of virtual services to students and constituents, upgrading cybersecurity, modernizing call centers, enriching emergency services, improving health-related services and much more.
With the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), there are enormous possibilities for investment in mission-critical IT infrastructure, communications and cybersecurity for government and education sectors.
For example:
- The IIJA calls for $1 billion in grants to improve state and local government cybersecurity, plus another $250 million to fund the Rural and Municipal Utility Advanced Cybersecurity Grant and Technical Assistance Program.
- ARPA includes $350 billion in emergency funding for state and local governments, and the potential for billions of dollars in grants for public sector and educational institutions for initiatives such as empowering work-from-home capabilities, modernizing remote call centers and emergency services, strengthening cloud and communications infrastructure, and investing in K-12 classroom technologies.
Applying for and getting approval for funding takes skill, knowledge and a clearly articulated plan. For example, to receive IIJA funds, applicants must describe how they will handle a list of comprehensive cybersecurity measures, including use of cybersecurity frameworks such as NIST and implementing continuous processes for vulnerability assessments and threat mitigation practices. Similarly, ARPA has a stringent list of eligible projects, requirements and processes to receive approvals and manage each project throughout its entire lifecycle.
Public Sector Innovation and Digital Transformation with NWN Carousel
The pandemic has forced public agencies to rethink their approach to hybrid work. This paper explains how NWN Carousel enables state and local governments to fully realize the benefits of work from anywhere.
Download NowThe Benefits of Working With NWN Carousel
Navigating the complexity of choosing an eligible project, applying for grants, leveraging the best technology and deploying the technology solution can be overwhelming for many SLED organizations—particularly at a time when IT budgets are under pressure and IT personnel shortages are commonplace. In choosing suppliers, municipalities and school systems must also consider vendors that are on lists of approved government contractors.
Working with a CCSP can ease some of the burden on SLED IT organizations. The provider can offer insight into the types of projects that are eligible for funding and deliver technology solutions to meet the objectives of each initiative. However, when it comes to the SLED market, not all CCSPs are created equal. In fact, NWN Carousel offers an integrated suite of solutions, services and capabilities that clearly differentiates it from its competitors.
NWN Carousel has services to help SLED organizations apply for funding, including grant writing and adoption and lifecycle services. NWN Carousel is already an approved provider for SLED organizations in cloud communications, cybersecurity and other services essential to supporting remote work and other initiatives.
And, critically, NWN Carousel offers the most comprehensive and innovative integrated cloud communications and collaboration portfolio in the industry, including Device as a Service, Unified Communications as a Service, Contact Center, Integrated Security, Visual Collaboration & Workspace, and Advanced Technology Solutions for connectivity and networking. The services are unified and supported by an industry-leading Experience Management Platform that delivers a unified view of your environment—from core to cloud.
The time to act is now! The funds that are available today will not be there forever. For more information on how NWN Carousel has helped other SLED organizations maximize their opportunity to leverage federal dollars to support key IT initiatives—including hybrid work—and how it can help you, please visit NWN Carousel.
