Humantouch Insights Blog

Insights

What it Takes to Accomplish Effective Grants Modernization

Federal grants modernization is more than an IT upgrade. It is a fraud prevention, workforce enablement, and mission performance priority. With billions lost each year to fraud, fragmented systems, and manual oversight gaps, agencies need flexible, AI-enabled technology that connects legacy systems, strengthens compliance, and gives teams real-time visibility before funds go out the door. In this blog, we explore what effective grants modernization really takes: grounded agentic AI, integrated data, adaptable systems, and change management that turns modernization into lasting adoption.

Hung Cao Inherits a Fleet in Crisis. Here Is What He Needs to Confront.

HumanTouch President Kelly Bent examines the urgent challenges facing Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao as he inherits a Navy shipbuilding system marked by delays, cost overruns, and workforce strain. She outlines three priorities for closing the execution gap: stronger program discipline, better supply chain visibility, and smarter workforce transition management.

From Experimentation to Enterprise: What DHS’s FY25 AI Inventory Signals for Government and Industry

DHS’s FY25 AI inventory shows a department moving beyond isolated pilots toward broader enterprise adoption, with growing AI activity across mission, operations, research, and administration. It also reflects improved transparency around use cases, risk, oversight, and deployment status, while underscoring continued fragmentation across components.

What USDA’s AI Inventory Reveals About the Next Phase of Federal AI

USDA’s FY25 AI Inventory reflects a practical, mission-driven approach to Artificial Intelligence, with use cases centered on analytics, forecasting, and research support rather than automation. The inventory highlights both the strength of USDA’s technical foundation and the broader federal challenge of moving AI from siloed analysis into operational decision-making.

Health and Human Services (HHS) AI Use Case

The FY25 HHS AI inventory shows stronger governance and clearer oversight, while highlighting the challenge of moving AI beyond pilots and into operational use.

Resolutions Matter to Customers: Using Root Cause Analysis Drives Efficiency and Support for the Human Experience

As organizations across industries adopt Root Cause Analysis and AI-empowered automation tools, the future of work will offer a smarter and faster Customer Experience.

HumanTouch’s AI-Driven Approach to Helping Government Modernize IT

Technology promises to improve efficiency, elevate service levels and enable government agencies to meet their missions faster and better. But getting there isn’t easy.

It’s Time to Rethink GovCon Pricing to Align with Post-Pandemic Reality

Moe Jafari, the CEO of Executive 1 Holding Company, explains why the old model of pricing is not just obsolete but it is completely counterintuitive in today's work environment.

Connect2IT! Kiosk Solves the Customer Experience Technology Problem with Immediate Personalized Service and Live Technicians

Computer Help Desk & Concierge IT Service Delivers the High Touch that Keeps People Working and Supported.

What’s the Buzz around Ransomware?

News, Cybersecurity, Cloud, Infrastructure, Modernization, Government Contracting, Data Management

How HumanTouch is Responding to the Coronavirus

There are changes in how we work but our teams are strong. Virtually and in the field HumanTouch is responding by putting their staff and clients first.

Single vendor for JEDI doesn't serve or protect DOD

This Op-Ed discusses changes within the DoD that will affect the JEDI Award and how it could be better implemented by way of smaller and more timely procurements.

No-touch Kiosk and Locker: Solving IT Needs During the Pandemic and Providing Socially Distant Staffing

The legitimate threat of contracting COVID-19 at work has brought many companies to explore innovative solutions for their IT needs, but the Kiosk and Smart Locker mitigate risks that no company has done thus far.

Modernization: The Lynchpin for Effectively Managing Change in the Cloud

Why agencies should create a cloud center of excellence and program management office to oversee the transition to Cloud infrastructure.

Lightweight Program Management in a World of Heavy Hitters

Adopting a hybrid approach could help you cut waste and structure your PMO at the same time. Here's why.

Learning How to Remove the Risk From Your Cloud Environment

Storing your data in the cloud can be a wonderful thing, but without effective and diligent governance, it can be a risky endeavor. (5-minute read)

IT Support Services in a Covid-19 World: Adapting, Innovating and Reducing Risk for Federal Government Customer Success

As Federal Government employees telework and learn how to do their jobs in new ways, so do we as government contractors and service providers.

Government Shutdown 2019 and Protecting Our Clients and Staff

What we did to keep our employees paid during the government shutdown crisis in 2018.

Federal Health COVID Solutions for IT Support

The challenges that Federal Health agencies are facing during COVID and an innovative solution to address those needs.

Fear of AI Distracts from the Real Threat

An important discussion on why industries should be using AI/ML/NLP and how AI is not a threat but a tool with great potential.

Enhancing the Customer Experience: 7 Key Aspects of a Successful Service Desk

Discover 7 key aspects of a successful service desk that enhance the customer experience. Learn how HumanTouch LLC's expert insights can help you optimize your service desk operations for better customer satisfaction and efficiency.

Driving Cloud Adoption Requires much more than a Single Vendor JEDI Award

The JEDI award threatens impartiality within the DoD’s cloud environment. Cloud services technology can help.

Developing Websites That Empower the Needs of All Customers

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal agencies to develop, procure, maintain and use information and communications technology (ICT) that is accessible to people with disabilities.

Decision Making in the Covid Environment: Making Defendable Decisions Now

In March, we were all convinced that a return to the office was a mere two weeks away. Six months later, as some workers are finally returning to the office, while others who travel to support critical mission requirements are on the move, we must review the considerations associated with doing so.

Decision-Centric Outcomes: Removing Limits to Scale, Scope & Learning

The cost of data breaches will increase to $150 million in 2020. When your business' data is hacked, you end up paying far more in recovery, reputation damage and potential litigation with clients.

Changes Needed in IT Support to Ensure Safe Return to Work

How agencies can continue to harness technology and innovation to form a new workplace culture post-covid. Discover 10 IT support initiatives, that’ll surely trend in these new work environments.

Bad Big Data – Is it impacting critical thinking? Are we forgetting the question?

Information and the more you have of it can lead to stronger and smarter decision making. However, are we asking good questions to minimize what we need to analyze and is too much of a “big” thing detrimental to critical thinking?

AI Needs NLP to Reveal Dark Data

How NLP can help bring the speed and machine comprehension needed to harness dark data.

Case Studies

Digital Modernization in U.S. Navy Operations

Integration of AI-enabled optimization tools deliver real-time visibility and resource management for expediting ship readiness and fleet capabilities.

The Leader’s Compass: Mobile-Enabled Future for the US Naval Academy

The Leader’s Compass app revolutionizes leadership development at the US Naval Academy by providing a mobile platform for tracking, engaging, and optimizing Midshipmen education, training, and growth with full transparency and data-driven insights.

4 Advantages HumanTouch Can Bring to Your Project/Portfolio Management

Struggling with efficiency when it comes to project/portfolio management? Our solution will take the headache out of the equation by reducing the cost and time spent on your projects.

Enhancing the Customer Experience: A New Standard for Workforce Management

In an attempt to sharpen workforce management procedures, HumanTouch developed the 'IT Book of Knowledge.' This tool is now used to implement uniform, repeatable, timely processes to forecast our workload and schedule our staff accordingly.

Transforming IT financial management

HumanTouch has been key in the development of automated SharePoint-based tools for the Marine Corps.

Supported an agency’s IT Modernization for the largest ever survey of American households

We supported an agency’s IT Modernization for the largest ever survey of American households

Safeguarding the Investors

HumanTouch provides Continuous Monitoring as a Services (CMaaS) services for the United States Security Exchange Commission.

Overcoming a Significant Network Outage with a “Human Touch”

HumanTouch’s FDA Help Desk, Desk-side Support and IT Lab teams pulled together to look at the problem and determine what was causing a major network outage.

Optimizing Marine Corps Program Management

HumanTouch developed and implemented streamlined management and oversight processes that has enabled the Marines to maintain high levels of productivity.

Internet of Things & Big Data

HumanTouch was able to establish a cloud-based environment and virtual machines to collect and house VOLLTRON™️ information.

Implementing Portfolio Project Management

HumanTouch implemented an on premise PaaS/SaaS that significantly increased productivity. The client is now able to dynamically generate quarterly internal review templates, and produce scorecard-based project portfolio assessments and reporting capabilities.

Helped an organization detect and eliminate fake news

We helped an organization detect and eliminate fake news

Enhancing IT support for FDA remote users

HumanTouch innovated and provided a new Telework Support Model, aimed at putting desk-side IT support as close as possible to teleworking FDA employees.

Cybersecurity Data Management

HumanTouch implemented a cloud-based solution that consolidated spreadsheets and provided real-time dashboards. By defining and articulating overall program maturity, cyber programs and activities could be better managed and reported.

Critical Supply Delivery

The HumanTouch team leveraged a cloud-based, rapid application development environment to build a comprehensive PaaS, the UAV Mission Management Environment.

Creating a Designated 508 Branch within a Federal Agency

HT Section 508 Team created an established branch within our client to assess, provide remediation for, and certify hundreds of web sites across this Federal Agency.

Created a multi-level customer experience for an agency’s IT Help Desk

We created a multi-level customer experience for an agency’s IT Help Desk

Connect2IT! Kiosk offers socially distant support for HHS

HumanTouch created a Kiosk as a Service solution and Smart Locker, which enabled live technicians to support a vast number of employees 24/7/365, safely and effectively through centralized Kiosks.

Bringing Rigor to Enterprise Data Collection

HumanTouch developed the Portmanteau tool using CorasWorks, a cloud SAS tool that sits atop Microsoft Azure for the US Census Bureau.

Applied AI/NLP for Live Data Decision Management

We applied AI/NLP for Live Data Decision Management in an agency’s budget process

Accelerating and informing IT decisions

HumanTouch’s Business Value Realization (BVR) approach allowed the Marines to make more informed decisions at an accelerated pace.

News

HumanTouch Expands Footprint with Tampa Presence to Advance Defense Through Agentic AI and Human-Centered Innovation

HumanTouch has expanded its presence in Tampa, Florida, strengthening support for defense and federal missions near MacDill Air Force Base, SOCOM, and the region’s national security ecosystem. The expansion advances HumanTouch’s work in Agentic AI, intelligent automation, digital transformation, and human-centered innovation for mission-critical operations.

HumanTouch Appoints Kelly Bent as President

Kelly Bent has been named President of HumanTouch Bent. In her new role, she will be responsible for driving company strategy, expanding service offerings, strengthening client partnerships, and ensuring HumanTouch continues to deliver high-impact, mission-focused solutions across the federal government.

HumanTouch SVP Kelly Morrison elected Executive Women in Government Secretary

Kelly Morrison elected Executive Women in Government Board Secretary, recognizing her leadership in digital transformation and commitment to women in federal leadership.

HumanTouch Launches NavigatorAI LEAD Solution to Revolutionize Government Decision-Making with AI-Powered Insights

Leadership, Efficiency and Decision-Making (LEAD) FedRAMP High Authorized SaaS Solution is a management tool providing AI for rapid response, comprehensive decision capability, efficiencies and value

Apple Harvesting & CX: Reflections from My Fall Harvesting Trip

Spending a week harvesting apples in my parents' orchard revealed surprising parallels between nurturing an orchard and delivering exceptional Customer Experience (CX), highlighting shared principles like growth, attention to detail, and customer satisfaction.

HumanTouch and CORAS Partner to Deliver Program Objective Memorandum (POM) Automation Solutions for the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC)

HumanTouch is proud to announce a contract with the United States Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) to deliver Digital Program Objective Memorandum (POM) Automation Solutions.

HumanTouch’s Patented Connect2IT! Kiosk Wins Disruptive Tech Program Award

HumanTouch announced it has won the Disruptive Tech Award from G2X Health and FORUM (Federal Health IT) for its patented Connect2IT! Kiosk

Pat Zarodkiewicz Joins Advisory Board of Executive 1 Holding Company

Former Senior Executive Service member and Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the U.S. Air Force Will Advise Expansion within the Defense and Federal Markets

HumanTouch Issued Patent for Immediate Response Information Technology Kiosk

HumanTouch issued patent for its Connect2IT! Kiosk by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; Patent No. 11,526,862 B2.

Brian Kolo Joins Advisory Board Of Executive 1 Holding Company

NLP Technologist and Business Value Strategist to Lead Growth Mission

Kelly Morrison joins HumanTouch as Senior Vice President

Kelly Morrison, an experienced digital transformation leader, joins HumanTouch as Senior Vice President. She brings expertise in transforming how the federal government budgets for and manages IT to enable mission objectives.

HumanTouch Awarded Cloud Data Service Contract for the Army National Guard in the Northwest

HumanTouch, LLC, will be the primary recipient of a one and two-year contract with the Army Cloud Computing Enterprise Transformation (ACCENT) vehicle.

HumanTouch Reappraised at CMMI Maturity Level 3 for Software Development

HumanTouch, LLC, Supports its Workforce on Furlough - CEO Gives Up Salary

HumanTouch, LLC, has taken strides to protect its workforce that directly supports federal government contracts.

2018 Market Outlook: Moe Jafari, CEO of HumanTouch Featured in WashingtonExec

HumanTouch Achieves ISO/IEC 20000-1 : 2011 Certification

HumanTouch, LLC Awarded IRS Information Technology Enterprise Program Management Support Services (IT-EPMSS)

The IRS selected HT and its team of delivery partners to assist the IRS IT Enterprise Program Management Office (EPMO) in its mission to monitor and manage information technology spending and delivery.

HumanTouch Receives ISO 9001:2015 Recertification

HumanTouch Welcomes Wendy K. LaDuca as General Counsel

HumanTouch, LLC Wins Contract for Air Force Cloud Services Blanket Ordering Agreement

HumanTouch, LLC is one of multiple awardees to provide Cloud Services to the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/HN, LevelUP, and its developers.

Gary Kessler Joins Advisory Board of Executive 1 Holding Company

Executive 1 Holding Company, LLC (EX1) is pleased to announce that Gary K. Kessler will join its Advisory Board this week

Mid-Atlantic Innovation Awards Names HumanTouch, 2021 People’s Choice Winner

The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (Northern Virginia Chamber) and Connectpreneur have named American Gene Technologies, the 2021 Innovator of the Year, and HumanTouch, the People’s Choice Winner, during last week's Mid-Atlantic Innovation Awards (Innovation Awards).

HumanTouch Receives Prime Contract as Part of the SeaPort- NxG Award

HumanTouch, LLC, has been awarded a prime contract as part of the SeaPort-NxG Solicitation N00178-18-R-7000.

HumanTouch Implements Web and Phone-based Ethics Hotline

Michael Rossetti, Esq. Joins EX1 Advisory Board of Executive 1 Holding Company

Executive 1 Holding Company, LLC (EX1) is pleased to announce the addition of Michael Rossetti, Esq. to its Advisory Board. Michael Rossetti, Partner-in-Charge of the Washington, DC office of Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman LLP (Lippes Mathias), brings significant experience and wisdom in working with Government contracting, technology vehicles and agencies within the federal Government.

GSA Shared Services Has the Framework but it still Needs Follow-Through

Financial Modernization Is No Longer Just an ERP Project