Modernizing the Nation’s Disease Defense: How NITAAC and CDC Used IT Innovation to Protect Public Health

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) faced intense scrutiny for gaps in data visibility and response coordination. Determined to rebuild public trust, the agency began modernizing its digital infrastructure—integrating AI-driven predictive analytics and data automation to anticipate disease trends before they spread.

Through a strengthened partnership with the National Institutes of Health Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC), the CDC gained faster access to cutting-edge IT services and solutions that support this transformation. Leveraging Salesforce data insights and strategic engagement, I helped position and expand the relationship—turning a high-value federal connection into a $1.6 billion collaboration that’s reshaping how the nation tracks and prevents disease.

CHALLENGE:

After the pandemic exposed weaknesses in national data coordination, the CDC needed to rebuild its technology backbone—modernizing systems for real-time disease monitoring, predictive modeling, and data interoperability. Yet many federal health programs were unaware of NITAAC’s advanced IT contracting capabilities or how its Best in Class GWACs could accelerate modernization without procurement delays. The challenge was not only to demonstrate technical capacity, but to prove that smarter IT acquisition could help prevent another public health crisis.

ROLE: Business Development, Data Intelligence, and Federal Engagement

As part of NITAAC’s federal growth efforts, I led initiatives that combined analytics and relationship strategy to advance this partnership.

• Salesforce Integration: Built account dashboards to track active CDC opportunities, task orders, and spend across CIO-SP3, CIO-SP3 Small Business, and CIO-CS vehicles.

• Strategic Positioning: Developed data-driven materials aligning NITAAC’s acquisition capabilities with CDC’s AI modernization and predictive data goals.

• Targeted Communication: Partnered with leadership to launch messaging and outreach campaigns highlighting NITAAC’s role in powering public health innovation through secure, data-centric IT services.

• Federal Engagement: Coordinated executive discussions and follow-ups that positioned NITAAC as a trusted enabler of CDC’s post-pandemic technology transformation.

RESULTS:

• Strengthened the CDC–NITAAC partnership, supporting 913 active task and delivery orders totaling more than $1.6 billion.

• Positioned NITAAC as a key technology acquisition partner in CDC’s AI-enabled disease prediction and data modernization strategy.

• Increased account visibility through Salesforce reporting, improving forecast accuracy and engagement tracking for long-term growth.

• Advanced awareness of NITAAC’s IT capabilities among public health stakeholders across HHS.

OUTCOME:

By combining data intelligence, acquisition strategy, and strategic communications, NITAAC and CDC transformed federal technology into a frontline defense for public health. What began as a contracting relationship evolved into a national innovation partnership—one that now helps predict outbreaks before they start, strengthening the nation’s digital shield against future pandemics.