Supporting a Client State through the COVID-19 Emergency

Ikaso helped state leaders address urgent fiscal and operational challenges and helped strategize and implement recovery efforts

The Challenge

Balancing fiscal prerogatives while meeting new and changing needs during a public health emergency. Navigating a nebulous landscape of federal relief funds and prioritizing meaningful recovery efforts while innovating a more resilient health and human services ecosystem.

The Outcome

We worked closely with agency executives (Secretary, CFO, CIO, Division and Program Directors) to identify and implement program updates and new initiatives. Our team renegotiated a suite of services contracts to align with program needs and ensure service levels were preserved, while achieving fiscal targets. Additionally, our team continues to support strategy and development of targeted division recovery activities and provides valuable insight through fiscal analysis of federal COVID-19 relief funding.

Values-Centered Approach

Ikaso team members demonstrated our commitment to our core values of integrity, excellence, and resilience in understanding and balancing client and constituent needs. We also recognized the needs of the vendors and provider community in a challenging environment. We continue to complete meaningful work on extremely tight schedules given the nature of the emergency, while balancing long term strategic objectives.

Highlighted Results

Ikaso team members in partnership with our client agencies in the state provided support for establishing new agreements for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing. Further, our team collaborated with client staff to support the successful renegotiation of over two dozen contracts, helping meet fiscal targets established by the agency CFO. The process resulted in two new contracts and 25+ contract renegotiations. Additionally, Ikaso supported the successful award of stabilization grants to the provider community and we are currently involved in 20+ unique procurements to respond to the effects of COVID-19. To ensure we are aligned with long-term objectives, we first worked with the client agency to identify and prioritize recovery activities across multiple divisions before developing a comprehensive strategy for implementation that is federally approved. We are continuing to support emerging needs for our state client.