Cities need to look at total picture when buying technology

Written by Michael Keating

Procurement teams need to take a holistic approach when acquiring technology, says Bill Campbell, senior vice president of North America at Hexagon’s Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial Division. Hexagon offers a variety of digital reality solutions. Its products combine sensor, software and autonomous technologies. The firm puts data to work to boost efficiency, productivity, quality and safety across a variety of industries, including the public sector as well as mobility applications. Campbell’s division works to improve the resilience and sustainability of global critical services and infrastructure.

“It’s important for governments to know that they aren’t just buying technology. They are also buying the experience and expertise of their vendors. These are often large and complex purchases of mission- and business-critical enterprise systems. On top of that, government agencies are modernizing legacy systems and digitally reinventing workflows,” Campbell tells Co-op Solutions.

Campbell says buying technology has always been a complicated process, and recent changes in government processes are expanding the complexity. He adds: Cities and counties need to partner with proven experience to navigate the complicated, changing technology landscape. He says partners should offer specific experience in the relevant sector. “For example, 911 centers are very complex. You need a partner with very specific expertise to manage that complexity, who understands the challenges public safety agencies face, can adapt when needed and foresee what’s on the horizon. This knowledge—alongside reliable technology—will save buyers time, money and many headaches in the long run.”

Campbell says the public sector should be totally transparent as they acquire new kinds of technology. “As artificial intelligence, (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), devices and sensors, drones, data-sharing platforms, and other data-centric technologies become more commonplace in government, it’s imperative that leaders are open with stakeholders on the front-end about what’s being deployed and how it’s being used. Getting feedback and buy-in from the internal and external community beforehand can lead to more successful initiatives down the road.”

He adds that as solutions become more data-centric, agencies need to think through the uses and ramifications of that data. “For example, the demand for multiple types of real-time data, such as video, text and sensors, will only increase. Having the internal solutions to provide ongoing storage, analysis and protection of that data will grow in importance.” His conclusion: Protecting against today’s cyber-threats is no longer enough; anticipating tomorrow’s hazards is also imperative.

Campbell believes cities and counties should closely scrutinize prospective vendors on tech procurements. “Do they have what you need today, and have they planned for the future? Do they have clear roadmaps for on-premise-to-cloud transitions? Do they have capabilities for integrating new innovations, for dealing with new industry and regulatory challenges and so on? Those answers should guide buying decisions.”

Campbell says governments are facing challenges that were unheard of just a few decades ago. These include an increasing number of cyber-threats, soaring maintenance costs of legacy IT systems, new requirements in regulatory compliance, and a workforce that is undergoing change; this workforce also has a different relationship with technology than older tech-users.

Because of these challenges, tech-buying teams in government are expanding beyond IT and finance departments to include representatives from other affected groups, Campbell believes. What’s more, as technology has become more open, enabling data-sharing within and across organizations, it has a wider reach, encompassing more roles and departments in the public sector. These expanded tech-buying teams may include business and operations staffers as well as every-day users, Campbell says. “Successful, long-term solutions require more representatives with specialized knowledge and skillsets who can contribute their expertise to the buying process.”

Depending on the project, a tech-buying team should include a little bit of everything as far as skillsets. Several key players belong on the team, Campbell says. These include:
• Representatives from the CIO or CTO office who focus on innovation
• IT staffers who keep the trains running on time
• Information security experts who worry about threats
• Business systems administrators who think about other core systems
• Law enforcement officials
• Telecommunications systems planners

It’s not just about the technology, Campbell explains. “You need the people who know about the business processes that you are trying to enable with the technology.” He adds that team members need to be able to untangle pesky challenges. “As the scope and capabilities of technology broadens, it’s vital to have team members who are not only up to speed on the latest technologies and regulatory requirements, but who also understand the problem at hand and can work with others to see it resolved.”

The public sector needs to update its technology, but it must overcome several barriers, including archaic acquisition strategies, tough political climates and resistance to change, Campbell tells Co-op Solutions. He says government administrators need to understand the inherent risks associated with outdated technology, such as cyber-threats, exorbitant costs of legacy systems, fines for noncompliance and poor service delivery. Understanding those risks can help governments gain the momentum needed to get IT upgrades underway.

Campbell concludes: “From there, you need to focus on removing any ongoing hurdles. Stakeholders need to be kept informed of progress. Users need to be trained, and trained again. Again, the common theme is to remember the people involved and not just the tech.”

Campbell believes cooperative purchasing agreements to acquire technology can be effective tools for governments. “For example, two or more public safety agencies can aggregate their technology needs for the present day and long-term into one solicitation. The agencies receive the benefit of pooled resources to define requirements versus multiple independent efforts trying to accomplish the same goal.” Co-op deals, adds Campbell, “not only eliminate procurement redundancy but also foster forward-looking technologically based requirements.”

He is also convinced that co-op deals can potentially aid public procurement staff. “One group of pooled resources working on a solicitation effort that benefits multiple agencies over a defined period can save time and resources.” He notes that public safety agencies are in a unique position where they do not compete with one another and are required to collaborate with each other daily. “Hence, collaborating from a procurement standpoint is a natural progression of how agencies already collaborate within their communities performing first-responder functions.”

Hexagon’s Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial division partners with local governments across the U.S. and around the globe to help them make fast, more informed decisions for public safety, utilities, transportation and more. Campbell says cities and counties use his firm’s public safety solutions, including computer-aided dispatch, law enforcement records management and advanced analytics to better manage incidents.

One case study he offers is Washington, D.C.’s Office of Unified Communications (OUC). It uses the company’s dispatching software in the communications center and in units to coordinate response among dozens of agencies, including police, fire, emergency medical services and the city’s non-emergency customer service operations. “As D.C. has introduced new initiatives to better serve citizens, such as alternative dispatching programs involving behavioral health professionals, Hexagon’s flexible solutions have helped facilitate these programs.”

Michael Keating is senior editor for American City & County. Contact him at [email protected].