Led by Nagaraj Garimalla, Protech Solutions, Inc., is a driving force in the development of next-generation child support systems that feature elements such as real-time data sharing and AI. This was highlighted at a 2025 presentation given by the Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) and the National Council of Child Support Directors (NCCSD) Systems and Data Committee. They displayed a nationwide map that revealed just how far states have come in modernizing their child support systems.
No two states are exactly alike, with some implementing full system replacements and others re-platforming or refactoring. Still others are pursuing hybrid approaches. In all of these cases, the aim is setting in place modern platforms that are compliant and reliable, and that offer robust performance. Such systems often take the place of outmoded legacy systems and provide improved service delivery for families.
Nine states were singled out as having certified and implemented groundbreaking systems since 2008, including Protech’s completion in 2010 of a child support system for New Jersey. Five of the state systems highlighted are Protech designs (two in collaboration with Conduent), with the additional four Protech systems being in Delaware, South Carolina, New Hampshire, and Nevada. The remaining four systems are Accenture and Deloitte projects.
In all five of its projects, Protech attained certification with almost no new findings. Findings are areas that compliance officials flag as needing attention or correction. This nearly unblemished record is a testament to accuracy and rigor in meeting state and federal requirements, as well as families’ on-the-ground needs.
Protech’s approach includes a commitment to engaging closely with states for the long haul. The company strives to update and improve functionalities in ways that reflect a balance between what is technologically possible and what is best from the human interest perspective.
Protech hosted its first ever NJKiDS Innovation Lab in March 2025. This well-attended event welcomed policymakers, technology executives, and leaders in the child support sector in re-envisioning the case management landscape.
One of the key elements of this process was applying Stanford d.School design thinking principles to the ideation and brainstorming activities. Participants gained assurance that all voices were heard equally, with each presented concept given space to grow. Protech facilitators actively encouraged unconventional ideas, deferring judgement in ways that amplified creativity. They also sought to build on participants’ ideas through collaborative input. Valuing quantity over quality, they only gradually winnowed ideas down into those that could be practically adopted.
Within an open, encouraging environment, participants took on problem-solving tasks such as automation brainstorming, or asking what tasks NJKiDS should automatically handle. Attendees also worked to devise smarter reporting pathways that generate more actionable data. They were asked to take a big-picture perspective and envision an eight-star experience (if the program had an unlimited budget). They also focused on ways of simplifying navigation, in much the same way that consumers experience apps such as DoorDash “Track Your Food” or Amazon “Buy Now.”
With these concepts in mind, Nagaraj Garimalla and the Protech team are proactively working to implement leading-edge solutions into an automated computer system that performs vital functions, such as applying for and tracking child support accounts and monitoring and verifying payments.