The Greater Richmond Technology Council considers the following priorities paramount to the future success of Virginia’s technology infrastructure and economic development.

Accordingly, the Council calls upon Governor Kaine and the General Assembly to:

• Ensure that the Commonwealth’s tax and regulatory environment supports the strategic growth and attraction of technology-based industries, and provides incentives for entrepreneurial startups.
• Balance the Commonwealth’s economic development strategies to provide equal support for existing industry development, assisting technology start-ups, and attracting new business.
• Increase the Commonwealth’s investment in Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology to include level funding for CIT services and $2.5M in additional funding for the GAP program to encourage technology-based entrepreneurism.
• Support the development and assimilation of a state-wide technology industry innovation plan and performance measurement index.
• Expand Virginia's capacity for R&D and facilitate new partnerships between the private sector and Virginia's research universities in conducting and commercializing basic research, applied research and development, and university-developed intellectual property.
• Resolve intellectual property ownership issues and barriers that discourage the private sector from using Virginia’s research universities as primary providers of R&D services.
• Fund the Commonwealth Technology Research Fund (CTRF) at a minimum of $5M.
• Support a statewide higher education bond proposal with an emphasis on funding for research facilities and equipment that provides Virginia institutions with the capacity to attract cutting-edge researchers and the infrastructure to compete for high value research projects.
• Establish Virginia as a center for biotechnology and nanotechnology industries and research.
  Develop programs that inform and encourage students to pursue higher education in areas critical to the continued growth of Virginia’s technology industry. Provide financial and other incentives for students entering degree programs in math, science, and engineering, to include: continued funding for FIRST Robotics, student internships, and STEM Education
• Develop programs that inform and encourage non- college bound students to earn technology related certifications in areas critical to the continued growth of Virginia’s technology industry. Provide financial and other incentives for schools and technology companies to participate in these programs.
• Invest in e-government initiatives that incorporate information technologies and enabling procedures that enhance the services provided to Virginia’s citizens, businesses, and other arms of government.
• Support the continued transition of statewide IT resources into the consolidated Virginia Information Technologies Agency
• Promote the expanded use of private-sector expertise in addressing the technology needs of state government.
• Seek the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission’s (JLARC) involvement in simplifying the procurement process to include: changing the $50,000 PPEA proposal submission fee to a draft proposal submission fee of a lesser amount allowing more companies to participate in the PPEA process and accepting other state’s and federal government qualified vendors including those listed on the GSA schedule as Virginia qualified vendors.
• Support the Council on Virginia's Future as an effective vehicle for defining long-term objectives for the Commonwealth and championing a culture of performance measurement in state agencies. With representation from the executive and legislative branches of state government, and recognized captains of business and industry, the Council is uniquely positioned to blend the best of public and private sector organization and management.
• Encourage the use of Telework as one strategy in the Commonwealth’s efforts to: increase the potential employment pool, reduce traffic congestion, enhance disaster recovery/continuation of operations plans, avoid productivity loss from inclement weather days, and improve employee satisfaction levels.
   

Legislative Committee for 2008

Kristin Downer
CACI

Adam Hofheimer
CapTech Ventures, Inc.

H.F. Jones
Northrop Grummans

C.W. Laugerbaum (Chair)

Jeanne Laughlin
MicroStrategy

Ben Lewis
CGI

Fred Norman
Commonwealth of Virginia Consulting

Bob Stolle
Core Consulting

Rodney Willett
The North Highland Company

Charles A. Williamson
CapTech Ventures