The State Department, which has the federal government's most fluid civilian workforce, reprovisions devices whenever employees move to a new post. The department's 13,000 foreign service members serve in 270 countries, including what the department calls “difficult posts,” and change locations every two to three years. To help employees stay online, the State Department recently launched the Tech for Life program, which means employees don't have to leave their old devices behind to receive new ones at their next posting. State Department CIO Kelly Fletcher had this to say about the program: FedTechElizabeth News, former editor-in-chief of
FedTech: Explain what the project is and why it is needed.
Fletcher: Tech for Life is a State Department initiative aligned with Secretary of State Antony Blinken's modernization plan. It is focused on enhancing our mobile IT services offerings to better serve our customers' needs. Through this initiative, the State Department is enabling employees to keep their government-issued electronic devices as they move between locations or assignments. Previously, devices were tied to the location, not the employee. Employees were issued new phones and laptops for each new location, which they returned before moving to their next assignment, then repeated the process at that location. This meant that employees remained disconnected from the State Department as they moved from one assignment to another.
Tech for Life ties devices to employees, not posts, and retains them for the entire three-year lifecycle of the device.
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FedTech: How did the program unfold?
Fletcher: We are rolling out Tech for Life in phases: In 2023, we have provisioned over 1,000 devices as part of a semi-pilot program.
Based on employee feedback and the program's success, we have expanded this initiative. Beginning in December 2023, most of the division's national offices were offered the opportunity for new employees to take advantage of this new capability as part of their onboarding process.
Joining new employees will be given a network account and a laptop computer before their start date so they can begin working on their first day in the department, and they will take the device with them when they travel between assignments.
During the upcoming summer reassignment season, we will begin issuing Tech for Life devices to foreign military personnel who are reassigning through the Washington, D.C. area to their next duty station. Our goal is to have all personnel enrolled in Tech for Life by the end of FY25, but there will be limitations based on mission-specific requirements.
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FedTech: How will deployment work for devices not included in the Tech for Life pilot?
Fletcher: Device deployment is handled the same way whether an employee is in the program or not, but Tech for Life streamlines the process going forward. All employees will continue to receive their devices through the IT service management process. What happens to those devices when they are redeployed is at the heart of the Tech for Life initiative, a customer-centric approach that prioritizes the needs of employees.
FedTech: How does this program benefit State Department employees?
Fletcher: Tech For Life should make life easier for employees who relocate internationally or take up new roles domestically, reducing administrative friction.
For most agency employees, technology should be an afterthought, something they can rely on and use to help them get the job done. Because diplomats change locations roughly every two years, providing them with a device to carry with them for the life of the device eases the friction of moving between locations and allows them to stay connected during the move.
The Tech for Life program offers flexibility and supports a modern, mobile workforce by accommodating remote and hybrid work scenarios, helping with recruitment and retention.
FedTech: From an IT perspective, how does it benefit your department?
Fletcher: Tech for Life provides continuity: employees continue to use the devices they are familiar with, minimizing technology learning curves, enabling them to quickly become operationally competent in new roles, and reducing the downtime and overhead associated with provisioning new equipment.
2,000
How many devices were included in the original Tech for Life pilot?
Source: meritalk.com, “MeriTalk Q&A: State Department CIO Dr. Kelly Fletcher on 'Tech for Life' Pilot,” August 9, 2023
FedTech: Will this help state officials overcome issues with local IT infrastructure?
Fletcher: The State Department operates in a wide variety of environments, some of which are more challenging than others. The State Department offers Tech for Life only where resources are available, so not all positions are eligible.
While the experience of using Tech for Life devices will depend on local IT infrastructure, feedback so far has been largely positive about the ease of use, secure connectivity and mobility that Tech for Life provides.
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FedTech: What are the implications for cybersecurity?
Fletcher: The State Department is one of the most attacked organizations in the world. We have a strong cybersecurity program in place that uses methods like encryption, secure VPN connections, and multi-factor authentication to mitigate unauthorized access to our network. We also provide ongoing training to develop a vigilant workforce that keeps protecting agency assets a top priority.
