A trusted technology partner can help cities and counties achieve their digital vision

If a local government wants to re-do its IT setup, its leaders should collaborate with knowledgeable teammates, says Matt Sprague, industry strategy director, local government at Trimble, a U.S.-based software and hardware firm that provides services and a variety of technologies.

“If a city or county is starting from scratch on their vision or plan for digital transformation, then we recommend identifying a trusted partner who can help guide the development of the vision. Local governments should keep in mind that digital transformation does not mean simply replacing manual processes with digital technologies, but also evaluating existing strategies and workflows—and, more likely than not, redesigning business processes for maximum efficiency and productivity to get the most benefits from the new technologies.”

Sprague adds this example of how digital transformation can enhance a government’s performance: “Updated processes, supported by new and existing technologies, can help break down silos so that data and communication can flow more efficiently across teams.”

He adds this caution: “Local governments should also be wary of ‘out of the box’ solutions that lock users into a specific way of doing things. Configurability is very helpful. Almost no one does what you do the same exact way, so being able to configure the solution to your agency’s business needs is an advantage.”

Sprague urges local government administrators to get answers to the following strategic questions as they plan an agency’s digital transformation:

• How will the new technology fit within our overall tech stack and digital transformation vision?
• Will the new technology play nicely with other solutions? and
• What other solutions does the vendor provide that can help consolidate contracting and create economies of scale?

Sprague notes that no technology solution is perfect. He urges government administrators to ask prospective vendors how their company is working to make processes better. “For example, how much does the vendor spend on development? It’s also important to get information about the types of support that the vendor provides so you will know what to expect from the support experience when you need to turn to the technology provider for help in the future.”

Agencies, says Sprague, should also ask potential vendors for proof points on how their solution has been implemented in similar agencies. “Connect with those agencies that have been successful with similar technology implementations and leverage their experiences for best practices.”

Training and procurement are two issues that stand out when cities and counties acquire new technology, according to Sprague: “Training is a very important consideration because staff members need to overcome any obstacles to adopting and using the new technology effectively to get the most value from it. End-user training is a key component of ensuring a smooth transition to the new technology.”

He says local government managers should ask what training the technology provider offers. Another question to ask: What continuing education opportunities are available to hone users’ skills? Other questions to ask the prospective vendor include:

• Does the vendor have an annual user conference and/or certification programs?
• Does the vendor offer contracted in-house resources to help with training and change management?
• Is a qualified partner network available to help support these digital transformation efforts?

Sprague says the procurement function, at times, can be the most challenging part of transitioning an organization to a new technology. He notes that the government may have decided about which solution they like best, but if the new technology is not aligned with the organization’s procurement best practices, the decision could be nullified. His conclusion: “Local government leaders should ensure a prospective technology vendor has flexible procurement options and experience in aligning with the purchasing organization’s procurement processes.”

Agency staffers and others who will rely on the new technology should have a voice as the new system is evaluated and selected, Sprague says. “First and foremost, identify how the solution will solve problems or create efficiencies for the end users. Those end users—the people who will use the solution—need to be involved in the evaluation and procurement process.

“Also, the team who will support the solution internally needs to be involved in the purchasing decision. In many cases, the agency’s IT team will be the solution support team. The CIO may need to be involved to ensure the technology fits within the agency’s larger IT strategy.”

Sprague adds: “In addition, representatives from the internal teams that use other solutions that will integrate with the proposed technology should also be involved in the purchasing discussions.”

There is one procurement tool that can aid in the tech acquisition process, Sprague believes. “Cooperative contracts are a great mechanism to streamline procurement and leverage the best pricing available. By purchasing technology through a cooperative contract, agencies can shorten the time-to-value of their new solutions and pass those benefits on to the public.”

Sprague points to success at his firm: “Many of our existing customers are leveraging Trimble contracts within their own individual municipal departments, or from other departments within the same municipality, to adopt and implement additional systems of record. Our customers have learned about our vision of Asset Lifecycle Managementand are quickly adopting those solutions that lead them toward complete control and accessibility of their asset data.”

OMNIA Partners, who sponsors this page, offers a robust portfolio of cooperative contracts in the public procurement space. The firm lists numerous cooperative contracts under the keyword “technology.”

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