Calvert County’s Department of Technology Services has won three national awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for work completed in 2025, the county announced Aug. 12.
The department was recognized in three categories: AI Change Champion Network, Digital Readiness and Technology Proficiency Program, and Utility Billing Self-Service Modernization.
For the AI Change Champion Network award, the county said it developed an internal model that moved Calvert from unmanaged interest in artificial intelligence to governed, measurable adoption at the department level. County officials said they approached early AI adoption with the goal of proactively managing the technology rather than letting its use develop without oversight, and adopted one of the county’s first AI policies to establish a governance foundation for responsible use — a policy the county said later served as a starting point for other counties developing their own AI guidelines.
The Digital Readiness and Technology Proficiency Program award recognized the county’s annual digital literacy training for all employees. The program includes baseline training for staff each year, standardized onboarding for new hires, assessments of employees’ technology skills against practical expectations, and assigned remediation when gaps are identified.
The Utility Billing Self-Service Modernization award recognized a more user-friendly billing system that added new features for residents. The county said online payments increased significantly in the first three months after the system’s implementation, improving convenience for residents while reducing the administrative burden on county staff.
The NACo Achievement Awards have recognized outstanding county government programs and services since 1970. Programs are submitted through a noncompetitive application process and awarded across 18 categories covering a wide range of county responsibilities. Roughly 85 percent of the nation’s 3,069 counties, boroughs and parishes are NACo members.
The awards come two days after a separate national recognition for the county’s technology work: the Southern Maryland Chronicle reported Aug. 10 that Calvert County ranked sixth nationally in the under-150,000-population category of the 2026 Digital Counties Survey, marking its fourth consecutive year among the nation’s top-ranked digital counties in that category.
More information on Calvert County Government services is available at CalvertCountyMd.gov, and residents can stay connected through the county’s mobile app, newsletters and social media at CalvertCountyMd.gov/StayInformed.
