City of San José opens a new Innovation Hub in the Heart of Silicon Valley
The Mayor says it will accelerate this work by turning the RFI (Request for Information) process on its head.
The City of San José, CA’s Information Technology Department (ITD) has launched the IT Innovation Hub, an always-open portal where technology companies can pitch solutions to make local government faster, smarter, and more efficient. ITD will review submissions monthly and invite selected vendors to an IT Vendor Day, where they can present their ideas virtually.
“San José is using technology to make government work better,” said Mayor Matt Mahan. “The IT Innovation Hub will accelerate this work by turning the RFI (Request for Information) process on its head – instead of the City soliciting ideas infrequently and narrowly, we will be allowing our greatest minds to propose solutions year-round. This bottom-up form of problem-solving will bring more of the innovation our region is known for into City Hall.”
The vendors selected to participate in an IT Vendor Day will have submissions aligned with the City’s Information Technology Plan (2023-2026), strategic priorities, and operational needs. Promising ideas may move forward as pilot projects, advance to a formal Request for Information (RFI), Request for Proposals (RFP), or be incorporated into future City budget proposals.
“Our IT Innovation Hub opens the door for technology companies to directly engage with the City in a fair, transparent, and structured way,” said City Manager Jennifer Maguire. “We are looking for solutions that innovate our operations and provide measurable benefits to the community we serve.”
Through the IT Innovation Hub, companies can present solutions ranging from cloud-based and hybrid services to artificial intelligence and cybersecurity tools for both internal operations and public-facing services. All proposals must meet the City’s AI Policy, Data Governance Policy, and cybersecurity standards.
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