Ten years in, WaTech isn’t just marking time, it’s using what it’s learned to build what’s next.
Formed in 2015 to streamline technology operations and reduce duplication across government, WaTech has transformed into the driving force behind Washington’s most innovative digital services.
For years, WaTech operated with a divided identity. Formed from several different agencies, old ways of working stuck around from the merged the organizations, making it harder for teams to collaborate and get things done efficiently. Even the agency name was confusing. We did business as WaTech, but our legal name remained Consolidated Technology Services.
Change began with the OneWaTech campaign, launched to break down silos and unify agency teams. This new approach brought together cybersecurity, privacy, infrastructure, and enterprise architecture under a shared commitment to work as one in service of partners and the public. That concept was reinforced in 2024, when the Legislature formally renamed the agency and confirmed the OCIO as part of WaTech.
Today, OneWaTech is not just a name but a guiding principle. Teams operate with shared standards and common goals. Whether deploying cloud services or responding to cyber threats, WaTech works as one team focused on modernizing Washington’s IT landscape.
At the center of this work is a clear idea – connected government. Residents should not have to navigate a patchwork of systems to access state services. Government should feel like one organization working seamlessly.
WaTech is turning that vision into reality.
In 2022, the agency launched a redesigned WA.gov, replacing an outdated portal with a mobile-friendly, user-focused site. With plain language, task-based navigation, and strong accessibility, it is making it easier for residents to renew a license, get updates, or find resources.
Now, WaTech is building on that work with the Washington Resident Portal. This secure, single sign-on system will give people access to a personalized dashboard of services through one login, rather than managing multiple agency accounts.
The portal is guided by a clear roadmap and supported by WaTech’s Identity Access Management modernization. Together, they are creating the foundation for faster, simpler, more inclusive digital services.
Wherever someone lives, and whatever their needs, government services should be easy to access.
As part of this effort, WaTech’s is also helping build a stronger, more resilient and connected public IT community.
Through governance boards, advisory groups, and strategic forums, WaTech brings together CIOs, technologists, and public leaders to shape priorities and solve challenges. These partnerships drive statewide efforts like the enterprise data strategy, responsible AI guidance, and coordinated cloud adoption.
At the 2025 Washington State IT Industry Forum, for example, hundreds of public and private sector leaders gathered to share insights and build momentum. The event reflected WaTech’s approach: listen, convene, and move forward together.
That collaborative culture is now embedded in how Washington approaches technology.
WaTech began with a simple question: what if government IT worked as one?
A decade later, the answer is taking shape in shared cybersecurity tools, a unified Resident Portal, cross-agency infrastructure, and collaboration that puts the public first.
From privacy protection to digital equity, WaTech is building the systems and relationships that modern government depends on.
This is not just a 10-year milestone. It is the start of what comes next.
