A focused team of practitioners who have lived this work firsthand — led by the architects of one of the largest and most successful state Medicaid Enterprise System transformations in the nation.
SME Alliance LLC was formed by the team that built one of the most resilient and flexible Medicaid Enterprise System models in the country. After successfully launching infrastructure modules for one of the nation's largest state Medicaid programs — standardizing integration services and data across the enterprise — we stepped down to pursue a new mission: helping other states reduce uncertainty and accelerate toward their own modernization goals.
We're a small, focused group operating on a fractional basis. That means leadership and strategic guidance with minimal overhead and no long-term commitment. We're a trusted extension of your team, representing your state's interests at every step.
Our approach is grounded in CMS's renewed focus on outcomes-based success. Many states have experimented with agile elements — few have made outcomes the centerpiece from the start. That's where we come in.
We're not a large firm — we're practitioners. We've lived this work, and we'd be honored to help you shape a path that's uniquely yours.
We anchor every engagement in measurable, CMS-aligned outcomes — not just deliverables. We help you define what success looks like before the work begins.
Our program's strategy blended large and small vendors into a flexible, modular architecture. We know how to balance innovation with infrastructure — and how to replicate that for your state.
We've worked alongside virtually every major MES vendor. That means we understand their strengths, limitations, and negotiating positions — and we're always on your side.
No bloated teams. No unnecessary overhead. We plug into your organization at the right level and step back when the work is done. Your interests. Your timeline.
We support states across the full MES modernization lifecycle — from early visioning through procurement, implementation, and ongoing operations.
Collectively, we've led strategy, planning, evaluation, and negotiation for six major procurements and ten managed services contracts. We've had successes — and learned just as much from the approaches that didn't work.
Clear, compelling Advance Planning Documents that reflect your state's goals and meet CMS standards — written by people who have been through the process.
Help defining meaningful outcome metrics that align with CMS priorities and give your stakeholders clear visibility into program performance.
Our team has sat across from — and alongside — the full landscape of MES vendors. We know them not from a distance, but from years of working with them, evaluating them, and negotiating with them. We understand how they work, how they bid, and how to hold them accountable. That familiarity is a direct asset we bring to your state.
End-to-end support for RFP development, evaluation criteria, and scoring — structured to attract the right partners and protect your state's interests.
Deep MITA expertise and architecture guidance to help your state build a modular, interoperable, future-ready MES foundation.
Strategic visioning and sequencing to help leadership align on priorities, manage risk, and build a phased path toward lasting modernization success.
Hands-on support for planning and executing User Acceptance Testing during MES implementation — helping your team validate that the system works the way your state actually works, before go-live.
Michael brings three decades of state government experience, specializing in Medicaid Enterprise Systems, strategic management, procurement strategy, and vendor negotiations. As Program Director for one of the nation's largest state Medicaid modernization efforts, he led a $500M transformation and has worked across the full MES lifecycle — from visioning to deployment. He holds a PMP certification and is a Certified Contract Negotiator.
With over 30 years in HHS and healthcare, Michael has led initiatives across every MES functional area — from provider management to financial systems. He's a recognized expert in MITA and MMIS, known for translating complex business needs into actionable technical strategies. His collaborative style bridges business and IT teams to drive transformation.
Som has 24 years of experience in enterprise architecture, cloud strategy, and digital transformation. He has served as Lead Enterprise Architect for one of the nation's largest state Medicaid programs, guiding a $34B enterprise toward a modular, modern IT environment. His work accelerates service delivery while aligning technology with business goals.
Whether you're in early planning, facing a procurement decision, or need experienced guidance mid-program — we're ready to help. Every conversation starts with listening.
We respond to all inquiries within one business day.