As the nation’s authority on health IT standards, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy National Coordinator for Health IT (ASTP/ONC) plays a central role in guiding the exchange of healthcare data across the U.S. healthcare ecosystem. To fulfill this mission, ONC maintains several critical digital resources, including the Interoperability Standards Advisory (ISA), the United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI), and the Standards Version Advancement Process (SVAP).

Unified Entry Point for Health IT Standards

To better support a growing and diverse audience, including health IT developers, clinicians, public health experts, payors, providers, and patients, the ONC launched a modernization effort focused on improving how these resources are accessed and experienced online. The goal was to create a more cohesive, intuitive platform that reflects the full scope of ONC’s interoperability efforts and supports the agency’s broader digital transformation goals. ASSYST played a key role in bringing this vision to life through the design and development of the Interoperability Standards Platform (ISP), which supports the mission.

Built using Drupal, the new ISP homepage offers a central entry point for ISA, USCDI, and SVAP. ASSYST’s work ensured that all three standards resources were more prominently integrated into the platform experience, making it easier for stakeholders to engage with the full spectrum of standards guidance in one accessible location. The updated design delivers a more consistent user experience across the three standards areas while preserving the unique structure and purpose of each resource.

Improving Engagement and Streamlining Feedback

To support its broader modernization initiative, ONC worked with ASSYST to enhance the Interoperability Standards Platform, improving how stakeholders engage with standards information and contribute public feedback through a more accessible and efficient digital experience. ASSYST applied Human-Centered Design (HCD) and User-Centered Design (UCD) principles throughout the effort, using user research, iterative design, and accessibility best practices to ensure the platform met the needs of a wide range of users and aligned with federal digital service goals.

In parallel, ASSYST worked closely with ONC to streamline the public comment submission process. Previously, comments submitted online, often with attachments, had to be manually reviewed and entered into ONC’s Jira system for tracking and analysis. This slowed down the review cycle and limited ONC’s ability to respond quickly to new or evolving input. By enhancing the Drupal interface and integrating it directly with Jira, ASSYST introduced a structured, form-based submission system that significantly reduced manual effort. Public feedback now flows directly into ONC’s backend in a clean, actionable format, often within minutes of submission.

Accelerating Speed, Insight, and Stakeholder Experience

These improvements have helped ONC become more responsive to the community it serves. What once took days to process can now be completed in a fraction of the time. Staff can focus more on analyzing and acting on public input instead of managing it. And stakeholders benefit from a cleaner, more coherent experience when interacting with one of the federal government’s most important standards platforms.

The Interoperability Standards Platform has evolved not only to be more modern but also more mission-aligned, supporting ONC’s goal of creating a connected, interoperable healthcare environment. Through thoughtful design, open-source tools, and practical workflow automation, ASSYST helped ONC turn a complex system into an accessible and efficient one, advancing its digital transformation journey and setting the stage for the next generation of digital health innovation.

On this edition of QikBits, Loren Gray, Army Program Advisor at ASSYST, discusses his journey in public service and ASSYST’s decades-long role in driving secure, AI-enabled modernization across Army and DoD IT systems. | #aifirst #modernization #govtech #DoD #army250

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ASSYST’s Homeland & National Security Practice provides integrated solutions to safeguard critical assets, ensure resilience, and enable mission success. With deep domain expertise and innovative methodologies, we help agencies navigate evolving threats and regulatory requirements.

Agency Focus

Capabilities and Solutions

Strategic Consulting and Advisory

Cyber Risk, Resilience and Compliance  

Identity and Access Management

All Source Intelligence and Analytics

Energy and Infrastructure Resilience

Law Enforcement IT and Data Integration

Regulatory and Enforcement Data Analytics

Practice Team

Joe Anderson, COO
ASSYST, Inc. | LinkedIn

Christopher David, Program Manager
ASSYST, Inc. | LinkedIn

Eugene Goldlust, Sr. Account Executive
ASSYST, Inc. | LinkedIn

William Earp, General Manager
G14-C, LLC. | LinkedIn

ASSYST’s Homeland & National Security Practice Team brings together seasoned professionals with backgrounds in the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Army, as well as state and local emergency response leadership, and law enforcement and public safety expertise. Our Advisory Council meets quarterly to provide strategic guidance on technology, encompassing AI, C4ISR, advanced intelligence solutions, and cyber resilience, ensuring our offerings remain aligned with evolving mission needs and emerging challenges.

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Background

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, plays a crucial role in promoting health equity and enhancing access to care for underserved and vulnerable communities. Central to HRSA’s digital operations is the Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) platform, a complex, enterprise-grade environment supporting program management, grants administration, compliance, and performance monitoring.

Supporting and evolving the EHBs platform involves a vast, distributed network of internal and external stakeholders. HRSA’s enterprise IT operations span dozens of systems, hundreds of modules, and multiple teams working in tandem. This includes parallel efforts across Development, Maintenance, Operations, and Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) vendors, each using different toolsets, timelines, and goals. The scale and complexity of managing quality assurance and coordination in such a multivendor landscape demanded a shift from traditional, manual approaches to one powered by automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and DevOps integration.

Challenge

HRSA required a scalable, consistent, and independent IV&V capability to support its growing EHBs platform, which includes enterprise modules, microservices, and system-to-system integrations. Manual testing approaches have struggled to keep pace with the continuous delivery models adopted by various teams. Inconsistent validation processes, fragmented reporting, and siloed tools created duplication of effort and risked missed defects in critical releases.

The lack of centralized oversight and intelligent testing made early defect detection, particularly visual regressions and accessibility issues, very difficult. Furthermore, coordinating validation activities across multiple vendors added complexity and delayed alignment on release readiness.

HRSA needed a unified, intelligent testing solution that could scale across systems and teams, enforce standard practices, accelerate defect resolution, and support its vision for agile, automated DevOps delivery.

Solution

ASSYST implemented a centralized, AI-powered Test Harness Platform (THP) purpose-built to meet HRSA’s enterprise validation needs. THP functions as a shared automation and collaboration hub for all development, operations, and IV&V teams. It streamlines test management, execution, monitoring, and reporting through a single, web-based interface.

Key elements of the solution include:

• AI-Driven Regression and UAT Automation: Leveraging AI and machine learning (ML), THP dynamically prioritizes test execution based on historical defect data, risk patterns, and recent system changes. This enables smarter and more efficient validation during every release cycle.
• ML-Based Visual Testing: Traditional scripted tests often overlook nuanced UI issues. ML-powered visual testing algorithms now detect layout shifts, styling anomalies, and other user interface defects across various screen types, roles, and configurations.
• DevOps Integration and Continuous Testing: THP is embedded into HRSA’s DevOps pipelines and CI/CD workflows, enabling continuous testing with tools like Azure DevOps, Jenkins, and Jira. Automated tests run as part of code deployments, and defects are fed back into workflows for immediate triage and resolution.
• Cross-Vendor Collaboration and Transparency: THP serves as a common testing foundation across all vendors, aligning development, operations, and validation teams. It enforces consistent standards, promotes collaboration through shared dashboards, and ensures unified quality metrics across the EHBs ecosystem.
• Reusable and Scalable Automation Frameworks: Built on modular, data-driven principles, THP supports large-scale test execution, parallel runs, and dynamic data generation with tools like Redgate, allowing rapid onboarding of new test scenarios and minimizing rework.
• Automated Accessibility and Compliance Testing: THP includes both automated and manual support for Section 508 validation, ensuring inclusive and accessible digital services across HRSA applications.

Outcomes

HRSA’s investment in centralized, intelligent test automation has transformed its digital validation processes:

• Scalable Automation with AI Optimization: Regression and UAT test cases are now automated, with ML-enhanced prioritization accelerating testing while increasing accuracy and coverage.
• Accelerated DevOps and Release Velocity: With automated testing fully integrated into the CI/CD pipeline, HRSA teams benefit from continuous quality feedback, faster deployments, and improved agility.
• Centralized Oversight Across Vendors: Real-time dashboards, standardized metrics, and centralized execution provide a single source of truth for test results, facilitating better decision-making and reducing validation silos across the enterprise.
• Stronger Quality Assurance at Scale: THP ensures consistent validation across the complex, multivendor EHB environment, improving stakeholder alignment and system readiness for mission-critical public health programs.

Innovation and Future Readiness

ASSYST continues to evolve THP to support HRSA’s modernization roadmap. New capabilities include intelligent validation for microservices, test automation for data migration efforts, and enhanced support for cloud-native architectures.

By combining AI, automation, and DevOps principles, ASSYST ensures that HRSA remains well-positioned to deliver secure, scalable, and user-centered digital services that support public health programs nationwide.

ASSYST’s innovative AI, such as ComplySyncATO, will be showcased at the upcoming Advancing Federal Innovation Through AI, Agile Acquisition, and Impact-Driven Solutions event (https://keap.page/tty439/engage-fedgov-061325.html) organized by Orange Slices AI. 

The event will bring together industry partners and federal agencies to explore the transformative shifts reshaping the public sector landscape, Including Cutting-edge AI, Automation, Data, Fraud, Waste & Abuse (FWA), and Efficiency solutions, and we're so excited to have them showcase at this event.

Focused on evolving acquisition strategies, innovative contracting approaches, and the integration of artificial intelligence and automation to drive cost efficiency, the event will provide valuable insights into how these advancements align with emerging funding programs and initiatives. ASSYST will highlight how AI-driven solutions can help government agencies overcome today’s challenges, streamline operations, and improve efficiency.

The event will also focus on how federal organizations and industry leaders collaborate to meet emerging needs and deliver measurable impact. It will allow attendees to engage in discussions and build partnerships that drive success.

Event Date/Time:
Friday, June 13, 2025
8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Website:
https://keap.page/tty439/engage-fedgov-061325.html

Event Location:
University of Maryland College Park
Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center

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Sterling, VA—ASSYST is proud to announce that ComplySyncATO has been named a 2025 ACCELERATE Award Winner by GOVTECH CONNECTS. The program was recognized as one of the top mission-focused programs in the Federal Government, DoD, and Industry, fast-tracking innovation adoption, enhancing efficiency, and streamlining digital transformation to deliver smart, impactful outcomes.

The ACCELERATE 2025 ( https://www.govtechconnects.com/accelerate/) award ceremony will be held on August 11, 2025, from 2 - 5 PM EDT at the Carahsoft Conference & Collaboration Center in Reston, VA. The event will bring together government and industry leaders to break down barriers, fast-track innovation, and drive high-impact results. Experts will share how they accelerate transformation and deliver real, measurable success through powerful collaborations, actionable strategies, and cutting-edge insights.

The recognition of ComplySyncATO underscores its leadership in automating Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) processes, enabling DoD and Federal Agencies to adopt leading-edge AI solutions securely. ComplySyncATO is specifically designed to fast-track innovation adoption, improve operational efficiency, and bring Agentic AI to security and Cybersecurity compliance teams, ensuring smarter decision-making and mission readiness. This solution transforms how agencies approach security and compliance, helping them stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital and AI landscape.

“We are honored to see ComplySyncATO recognized at this level,” said Joe Anderson, Chief Operating Officer at ASSYST. “This award reflects our shared commitment to securely adopting AI-powered solutions through the ASSYST Green Accelerator. We’re accelerating the adoption of innovation, enhancing efficiency, and empowering security and compliance teams to leverage Agentic AI to deliver smarter, more impactful outcomes.”

ACCELERATE 2025 will culminate in celebrating this year’s award-winning programs, followed by a networking reception.

For more information about the ACCELERATE Summit, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/accelerate-2025-tickets-1247315286599 

Visit learn more about ASSYST and our commitment to AI-driven digital transformation for Government Agencies; visit www.assyst.net

Contact:
Ram Prasad, EVP of Business Solutions
media@assyst.net | 703-230-3100

On this episode of ASSYST QikBits, Sr. Account Executive Eugene Goldlust shares how his background in law enforcement and coaching youth hockey informs his approach to federal IT services. 

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With over 31 years of proven performance, ASSYST is proud to participate in the Montgomery County Vendor Connection Summit (Event), reaffirming our commitment to delivering technology-enabled citizen services that create meaningful impact across State and Local Governments.

As a prime contractor on the Montgomery County Consulting and Technical Services (MCCATS-3) contract, ASSYST continues to support mission-driven agencies with solutions that promote digital transformation, enhance operational efficiency, and improve citizen experience.

We look forward to connecting with partners, innovators to explore new opportunities for collaboration and drive customer success through trusted, secure, and agile IT solutions.

Visit our booth on May 8, 2025, 9 am - 12 pm EST

Silver Spring Civic Building
One Veterans Place
Silver Spring, MD 20910

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About ASSYST

Established in 1993, ASSYST has built a reputation as a trusted technology solutions provider known for implementing advanced technologies and delivering proven processes that drive measurable results. Our expertise spans DevSecOps, AI/ML, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solutions, ERP integration, program and project management, test automation, and quality assurance. What truly sets us apart is our unwavering commitment to quality, passion for innovation, and a team of expert professionals dedicated to achieving client success.

Serving over 40 government agencies as a prime contractor, we ensure alignment with the technology strategies, standards, and investment priorities of Federal, State, and Local governments (Customers). Beyond technology, we are deeply committed to talent development through initiatives like the Green Accelerator Platform and the ASSYST-Talent-Network, nurturing the next generation of professionals. This dedication reflects our broader mission to lead in cutting-edge technology and contribute to the IT industry's growth and evolution.

We are excited and looking forward to the VETS 25 conference in Orlando, Florida, where we will represent ASSYST and our Joint Venture, G14C, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business.

For over 32 years, ASSYST has been a trusted partner in delivering innovative IT solutions to federal agencies, consistently driving digital transformation and operational excellence.

G14C (https://www.g-14c.com/) builds upon this legacy, bringing together veteran leadership and specialized expertise to address the complex challenges of today's government missions. Our commitment is unwavering: to support and enhance the capabilities of our nation's defense and intelligence communities.

At VETS25, we're eager to connect with customers and like-minded partners and explore collaborative opportunities that make a meaningful impact. 

connect@assyst.net

ASSYST Qik Bits, Business Analyst John Kimberl discusses cyber resilience in state and local governments and explores how to transform vulnerabilities into vigilance

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