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Video Conferencing Locations
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ABOUT ITCND (view ITCND brochure)
FOUNDATION
ITCND was founded in 2000 by North Dakota business, government and education leaders who recognized the need to strengthen the state’s information technology infrastructure and position itself as a national leader in IT.
VISION
Build a stronger North Dakota through information technology excellence.
MISSION
Actively encourage the use, growth and development of information technology in North Dakota.
GOALS
- Promotion and Communication - Enhance North Dakota's information technology industry identity and serve as the voice of the North Dakota information technology community.
- Knowledge Sharing and Networking - Provide forums for sharing educational, business and technical experiences among North Dakota's information technology community.
- Talent Development - Actively assist in the development of a world-class information technology education system in North Dakota, create interest in information technology careers in North Dakota, and support development and training of a world-class information technology workforce.
- Business Development and Entrepreneurship - Advocate a climate of information technology entrepreneurial opportunity, commerce activity and industry growth.
- Advocacy and Lobbying - Represent North Dakota information technology interests in public policy matters and legislative affairs.
- Infrastructure Development - Work for affordable access to state-of-the-art Internet service for all North Dakotans.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Recognized as a leading advocate for information technology in North Dakota
- Successfully lobbied in 2003 for the passage of the following:
- Maintaining a sales tax exemption for non-manufacturing primary sector businesses that invest in IT and telecommunications equipment passed in 2001
- Securing $20 million for ConnectND, North Dakota’s integrated software system
- Creating a $15 million New Venture Fund for early stage business formation
- Allowing higher education institutions to continue to provide wide-area network services to occupants of technology parks or incubators
- Creating centralized state procurement requirements for professional services
- Placing direct deposit payroll payment on the same levels as cash or check payments
- Creating open records exemptions for computer security information
- Approval of seed capital investment tax credits, $5.25 million for Centers for Excellence, and Internships for North Dakota Youth in the Department of Commerce appropriation
- Expanding the eligibility for technology occupation student loan programs to include all lending institutions
- Securing a $20 million revenue bond for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
- Increasing state funding per pupil for K-12 education
- Continuing the Higher Education Roundtable flexibility, funding and accountability
- Supported the development of five Regional IT Councils in North Dakota
- Promoted entrepreneurship and IT industry growth through Camp Cyber Prairie, the First Lego League, webinars, the IT Awards Program, and the ITCND website and TECHWIRE newsletter
- Developed an IT Business Resource Guide as a tool for the ITCND membership
- Worked with economic development professionals to bring Alien Technologies to Fargo
- Partnerships successfully established with:
- Upper Great Plains Technology Conference and Trade Show
- North Dakota Business Conference
- North Dakota Tech Expo
- Marketplace for Entrepreneurs
- Regional Council Expos and Fairs
- Business Challenge
- North Dakota Job Service
- Successfully lobbied in 2005 for the passage of the following:
- Giving preference to a North Dakota vendor in the event that two or more bids contain identical pricing or receive identical evaluation scores
- Increasing state contract opportunities for private sector businesses by providing notice of intent to registered vendors when agencies are considering making cooperative, limited competitive, noncompetitive, or negotiated purchases
- Decreasing barriers between tribal and non-tribal North Dakota businesses through payment guarantee to enhance contract opportunities between tribal and private sector businesses
- Broadening the eligibility for the technology occupations loan program, which encourages North Dakota college graduates to remain in the state and be employed in a technology-related occupation following graduation
- Published the first-ever State of the IT Industry Guide
- Coordinated and co-hosted a Federal IT Contracting Roundtable in Bismarck and an IT Contracting Roundtable in Washington, D.C.
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