Kristen Darby, Tennessee’s chief information officer for Strategic Technology Solutions (STS), told the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee on Oct. 28 that the state used a mix of federal and state dollars to modernize IT infrastructure, strengthen cybersecurity and migrate many applications to cloud services.

Darby summarized STS accomplishments since FY2020: cybersecurity grants to local governments, migration of roughly 250 applications (about 60 percent of eligible apps), adoption of the myTennessee (myTIN) app offering access to 87 state services, deployment of roughly 145 business process automations and a net reduction in STS headcount of 74 positions.

Why it matters: Several large technology projects funded in whole or in part by ARPA remain in the multi‑million dollar range and must be delivered within the federal spending window. Committee members asked about timelines and the risk of not drawing down all ARPA tech funds.

Projects and status reported to the committee
- Cybersecurity grants for local governments: STS reported more than $1 billion in cybersecurity grants since FY2022 applied to assessments, training and licenses for local government employees.
- Cloud migration and service automation: STS said it migrated roughly 250 applications and deployed automations that saved an estimated 140,000 hours of manual work.
- ARPA‑funded projects and status (as reported by deputy director and CIO):
- TDOC offender management system (Thomas replacement): $8.5 million spent to date; expected completion in 2026 and ARPA funded.
- Edison ERP replacement (Phase 1): requirements gathering underway; $767,000 spent to date; RFP expected mid‑2026.
- Tennessee Department of Children Services CCWIS (Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System): $6.5 million spent to date; expected delivery October 2026.
- Administrative Office of the Courts e‑filing and case management (new system): $1.1 million spent to date; estimated project budget $75 million; RFP selection planned for January 2026.

ARPA technology spending
- STS reported $196 million budgeted for technology ARPA projects, with about $144 million spent as of an update given in committee; the CIO said STS currently does not expect to fail to spend the remainder within the federal deadline but conceded the margin is narrow.

Questions and oversight
- Lawmakers asked how STS plans for AI and rapid technology change. Darby described an enterprise AI policy and governance process, a recently formed AI advisory council, and efforts to design architectures that can evolve as AI capabilities do.
- Committee members pressed on timeline risk for large projects and whether STS will be able to deliver before ARPA deadlines. Darby and F&A staff said they are tracking project schedules and will coordinate with FSAG as necessary.

Ending note: STS described a visible shift in IT spending away from physical hardware toward end‑user services and software‑as‑a‑service, while emphasizing governance work for AI and cybersecurity as priorities going forward.