BOSTON – Today, the Baker-Polito Administration formally announced the creation of the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS) to provide secure and quality digital information, services, and tools to constituents and service providers when and where they need them. This new secretariat will be established as a result of a 60 day review period by the legislature that ended July 31st. Governor Baker first presented the legislation on June 1, 2017 under Article 87 of the Massachusetts Constitution that authorizes reorganization of executive branch agencies.
“Establishing the Executive Office of Technology Service and Security will allow state government to streamline state services, improve cybersecurity and better serve our constituents,” said Governor Baker. “We look forward to developing this secretariat to support the Commonwealth’s focus on providing modern, secure and stable technologies.”
“Simplifying IT management will allow agencies to focus on improving their delivery of services to people across the Commonwealth,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We thank the legislature for their thoughtful consideration of this legislation as the pace of technology innovation in Massachusetts continues to accelerate.”
Mark Nunnelly, the Executive Director of MassIT, will serve as Secretary of EOTSS and Chief Information Officer for the Commonwealth and supervise all activities concerning information technology of state agencies. EOTSS will focus on centralizing IT infrastructure services across the executive department and review and update policies and procedures governing state cybersecurity, digital platforms and data management.
“The rate and pace of change have forced all large organizations to rethink their digital service approach from a security, service, and structure perspective,” said EOTSS Secretary Mark Nunnelly. “This reorganization will help equip the many talented IT professionals across the State with the right structure, tools, and platform to secure our information and provide better service to our constituents. We look forward to working with leaders from across the executive branch in making progress against these imperatives.”
EOTSS will lead the charge in transforming the Commonwealth’s decentralized approach to IT infrastructure and service delivery into a centralized technology organization laser focused on securing digital assets and providing world-class service to customers and constituents. EOTSS will also be leading the transition to the redesigned mass.gov. The new Secretariat will operate under the FY 18 budget structure for MassIT and continue to use office space currently occupied by MassIT in Boston and Chelsea.
As with any large operation, the Commonwealth must continually protect against threats to its digital infrastructure and this comprehensive legislation empowers EOTSS to strengthen digital operations across secretariats through standardization and centralization will help reduce overall risks. State governments across the country have engaged in similar efforts to standardize and consolidate technology assets in recent years, resulting in increased efficiency and security.
