Original article published on Linkedin by Dustin Lanier, CPPO, Founder/Principal at Civic Initiatives
(This article was also recorded as a podcast, give a listen here!)
Public sector CIOs and Technology Directors ensure that the sum of our technology investments are more than the individual actions. That we have a direction, that we are acting on priorities, and that we are able to be agile in rapidly evolving environments.
The idiom “where rubber meets the road” refers to the moment of truth where a plan is put into practical action and its effectiveness is tested – a critical point where success or failure is determined. The ability to procure effectively and deliver on the policy priorities, and then to establish a contract portfolio that drives the direction, is one of the most critical markers of success for a technology leader.
What are some of the ways that we can elevate procurement to meet this lofty goal while still meeting the core mission and training of procurement professionals?
Fully Align IT Governance and Procurement Processes:
Tech leaders establish governance strategies such as Investment Review Boards to ensure projects are consistent with the standards and priorities of leadership, and to mitigate risk in delivering on these new initiatives. This process is powerful, but is often disjointed from sourcing – let’s deeply integrate them. Establish sourcing strategy in the governance process and create a flow so the outputs of governance flows directly into sourcing. Doing so drives bigger thinking about procurement events and reduces steps for agencies. Intentional alignment encourages better solutions and elevates the procurement professionals.
Make the Contract Portfolio Deliver Enterprise Architecture:
Let’s think of our contracts as assets in a portfolio, instead of dusty output from sourcing that sits in our file folders. If everything in our “contract portfolio” is consistent with our direction, and nothing conflicts with our direction, then the contract portfolio becomes the most visible part of our enterprise architecture. This is key to the technology office being an enabler rather than a gatekeeper. The shift matters: agencies stop hearing “no, wait” and instead find “yes — here’s a certified route.” This thoughtful approach to sourcing extends to our vendors – good sourcing and contracting will include limitations and incentives to vendors to act in a way consistent with our direction, and alignment reduces obvious potential headaches in operations.
Expand the Tools in the Toolkit for IT Procurement:
The traditional RFP is often a source of frustration for technology leaders, and it’s not without basis. Traditional RFPs are often slow and meticulous and are not as agile as the shifts every day in the technology landscape. It is a solid form of sourcing, but if it’s the only way to market, then it is easy to demonize as being slow. If along with the single outcome style of sourcing are thoughtful on what solves the problem most effectively – is it task order style contracts such as the DBITS (Deliverable Based IT Services) style contracts that have proliferated in multiple states, is it a co-o contract option, is it creative go to market models such as Michigan’s “Competitive proof-of-concept” approach which allows for “touch and feel” in the middle of the sourcing event. These and more are about using the right tool for the right issue at hand and not simply trying to solve everything with one tool. Creativity here will dramatically improve the connection of technology and procurement leaders.
In summary, procurement is not an impediment to technology leaders, it is where the rubber meets the road - it is where vision becomes contract, vendor becomes partner, and “no, not yet” becomes “yes, this way.”
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