The Stamford, Conn.-based research firm predicts that by 2010, at least half of all state governments will investigate outsourcing initiatives to support major operations.

Lovelock called the use of shared services "an enabling step" that moves a state closer to outsourcing, because it's "taking responsibility a half a step away" from the state agency that uses the service.

The data-center consolidation in Texas, for instance, is seen as a step toward improving interoperability between various agencies, setting the stage for the use of shared services.