There’s no way around it: Federal and state agencies face unprecedented challenges and extraordinarily high expectations. Managing growing data volumes, tight deadlines, and the pressure to maintain public trust adds up to no small task. Whether navigating FOIA requests, managing high-profile investigations, or responding to litigation under intense time constraints, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
At the same time, agencies are adopting one of the biggest disrupters we’ve seen in government technology: generative AI, which has rapidly grown in popularity across segments and industries. Offering transformative opportunities to modernize investigations, litigation, FOIA responses, and more, AI also introduces complexity—and the need for confidence in both the tools and the people implementing them.
As Gregory Barbaccia, chief information officer at the Office of the Federal CIO, recently noted, “AI is not just about automation—it’s about trust, performance, and enabling our workforce to meet the mission faster and smarter.” That sentiment echoes what we’ve long heard from our public sector customers: to move fast, you first need to be confident.
In legal and compliance functions—where the stakes range from national security to public transparency—uncertainty isn’t an option. Agencies need to know that the technology they adopt is secure, the data handling is defensible, and outcomes are reliable. And to make the most of all of it, they need partners who’ve earned their trust.
That’s why Relativity introduced the U.S. Public Sector competency—a formal designation that helps agencies identify proven partners who bring not just software expertise, but deep domain knowledge and a track record of success.
A Signal of Readiness for Public Sector Missions
The U.S. Public Sector competency is part of the Relativity Partner Program, designed to highlight partners who meet the rigorous demands of supporting government environments. It’s not a generic badge; it’s proof that a service provider has successfully deployed secure RelativityOne Government environments, delivered real results, and consistently met the high bar required for legal data intelligence work in the public sector.
For agencies navigating an increasingly crowded vendor landscape, this competency simplifies selection. It signals that a partner understands the nuances of FOIA workflows, litigation response, investigations, and AI adoption in a government setting.
To qualify, partners must meet rigorous standards to qualify, including:
- Active participation in the Relativity Partner Program
- Verified success on public sector engagements
- Certified Relativity professionals on staff
- Thought leadership and other consistent contributions to the community
What does this boil down to? Partners with this competency can help agencies move faster and more confidently with compliance and security assurance.
What Does This Mean for Agencies?
While the competency isn’t a federal or state endorsement, it is a reflection of Relativity’s own rigorous evaluation process. Agencies can move forward knowing that these partners have already been vetted for their ability to deliver.
This competency is earned through proven performance. In practice, this means partners can:
- Deploy secure, compliant solutions using RelativityOne Government and onboard agencies faster
- Deliver predictable, measurable outcomes rooted in repeatable, defensible processes
- Navigate the unique challenges of legal data intelligence use cases and workflows in the public sector
Bottom Line: The U.S. Public Sector competency is more than a credential—it’s a signal of trust, capability, and proven impact for government agencies seeking partners who understand their world.
How Partners Rise to the Top
For partners, the competency offers, beyond simple recognition, a meaningful way to stand out in a crowded field. It validates their deep expertise in legal data intelligence for government, their ability to implement secure RelativityOne Government environments, and their proven success collaborating with agencies to drive real-world outcomes like faster reviews, earlier insights, and reduced resource strain.
Ultimately, the U.S. Public Sector competency helps connect government agencies with partners who understand the gravity of their work—and have proven they can deliver. It bridges the gap between mission and execution, giving both agencies and service providers a common framework for trust, accountability, and results.
Real World Examples
How JND is Raising the Bar
Take JND, the first partner to earn the US Public Sector competency. Their team combines deep domain knowledge with practical technical execution. They’ve helped agencies accelerate investigations, surface key evidence faster, and deploy generative AI solutions like Relativity aiR for Review to drive efficiencies without sacrificing trust or transparency.
Their success reflects exactly what this competency stands for: trusted partnership, secure implementation, and measurable outcomes in high-stakes environments.
"The public sector is under immense pressure to move quickly while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and transparency,” explains Ben Sexton, senior vice president of innovation and strategy at JND. “Earning the U.S. Public Sector competency reflects our commitment to meeting that challenge head-on, bringing the technical expertise, security rigor, and deep understanding of public sector workflows that agencies need to succeed."
Perspectives from CDS
Similarly, for Complete Discovery Source (CDS), establishing meaningful, insights-driving relationships with public sector customers is a key to successfully supporting their unique projects.
“Earning one of the first U.S. Public Sector competencies is more than a milestone for CDS, it’s validation of the work we’ve been doing alongside government agencies for over a decade. For more than 10 years, federal agencies like the FTC, as well as state and local governments across the country, have relied on CDS to support mission-critical matters with precision, speed, and absolute trust,” says Matt Milone, director of public sector strategy at Complete Discovery Source.
“Our team brings deep expertise in data management, secure RelativityOne Government deployments, and high-stakes investigation and matter-specific support. This competency reinforces what our agency partners already know: CDS delivers measurable results, protects their data, and helps them meet the mission with confidence,” he continued.
Raising the Standard Across the LDI Ecosystem
The US Public Sector competency also raises the bar for what agencies should expect from their service providers. Whether serving federal agencies, state governments, or local municipalities, partners with this competency have demonstrated they can meet mission-critical demands with confidence.
Whether you’re an agency seeking a trusted partner, or a provider aiming to stand out in a crowded field, the US Public Sector competency is a signpost of credibility and results.
At Relativity, we’re committed to helping public sector teams solve their most pressing challenges. And with our growing network of verified experts, we’re here to help make sure they never have to do it alone.
If you’re a public sector agency looking for a trusted partner, explore Relativity service providers with the U.S. Public Sector competency here.
If you’re a Relativity partner with a focus on the public sector, this is your opportunity to stand out and be recognized. You can apply for the US Public Sector competency via the Relativity Partner Portal. If you have any questions about this application process, reach out to partnerenablement@relativity.com.
Graphics for this article were created by Sarah Vachlon.
