The recent federal government shutdown — which lasted 43 days, from October 1 to November 12, 2025 — was the longest in U.S. history. It brought federal operations to a halt, disrupted mission-critical programs, and created financial uncertainty for thousands of workers across the country. Despite these challenges, Nationwide IT Services, Inc. (NIS) took swift and deliberate action to protect both our people and the missions we support.
The Impact Across Government
When Congress was unable to pass the FY 2026 appropriations, the government entered a funding lapse on October 1, 2025. Almost immediately, agencies began issuing furloughs, programs were paused, and contract work across multiple departments slowed or came to a complete stop. Federal employees and contractors faced weeks without pay as operations continued to stall. While many organizations were forced to scale back during this period, NIS remained fully committed to continuity, stability, and the people who power our mission.
How NIS Responded
1. We Protected Our People
NIS continued employing approximately 35 affected staff and preserved full benefits and pay — even when billable work was paused. This decision provided stability for families and ensured our talent remained intact.
2. We Sustained Mission Continuity
Teams stayed closely connected with program managers and agency leaders to maintain cybersecurity vigilance, support essential operations, and prepare for rapid restart once funds were restored on November 12, 2025.
3. We Communicated with Transparency
NIS leadership held regular updates, offered one-on-one employee support, and shared resources to help staff manage the uncertainty of the shutdown period.
Why It Mattered
For our clients, NIS’s continuity planning meant that cloud, cybersecurity, IT modernization, and support activities remained ready to resume without delay. For our employees, this commitment meant financial security and peace of mind during a time when many federal workers and contractors faced furloughs or loss of benefits.
Moving Forward
The shutdown reinforced three core truths: resilience must be intentional, and organizations must proactively plan for funding disruptions; people are the foundation of every mission, and retaining talent is essential for long-term success; and mission assurance matters most, as agencies depend on contractors who can remain steady in a crisis. At NIS, we are proud that during this historic funding lapse, we maintained employment for the affected staff, protected benefits, and continued to uphold our commitments — a reflection of who we are as a resilient, mission-focused, and people-centered organization.
