On technology buys, it's important that agency stakeholders work together throughout the process

Teamwork is essential when cities and counties plan to buy new systems and equipment, says Gary Mitchell, director of SLED (state, local and education) business development at Iron Mountain Government Solutions, a company that provides secure management of data and assets; it works to protect, connect and activate high-value customer data.

“The single most important factor for any organization to consider when buying technology is collaboration, both internally and with potential solution providers. With public sector organizations increasingly adopting remote- and hybrid workforce policies, it is critical to ensure that all of the potential internal stakeholders have a seat at the table. Once the internal team has a clear vision and a unified desired end result, it is then time to engage with the market,” Mitchell explains.

He urges governments to keep the communications lines open with vendors. “Public sector organizations need to continue developing trusted advisor relationships with solution providers where the dialog is open, frequent and free-flowing in both directions. Share your requirements at length and ask for proof of concept or an in-depth demo.” The following link has some Iron Mountain case studies in all sectors of the economy.

Mitchell points to the following signs that show governments are making the right move when they acquire new technology. These include:
• Highly collaborative
• Hands-on engagement between agency personnel, vendors and consultants
• The project has clearly defined deliverables (with project milestones)
• All parties are fully invested and committed to providing all resources necessary to drive success.

He notes that change management for end-users is also a key component in technology upgrade projects that is often left off the internal roadmap. “Change is hard, and workforce skills may not match the day-to-day changes brought on by the new tech, so work with your vendor to plan adequate training.”

Mitchell warns that “Agencies may have poor outcomes when a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) solicitation is awarded, and the public entity then goes completely hands-off and simply expects perfection with the final deliverable.”

An agency’s tech-buying team should be highly inclusive with a variety of skills, Mitchell says. “As government modernization efforts continue to evolve, it is critical to ensure that you have the proper internal stakeholders at the table when considering a technology buy. The traditional lanes of the records manager, IT director and CISO (chief information security officer) are increasingly overlapping when considering the advantages of modernization.”

With this blurring of lines, duties and responsibilities within traditional IT roles, Mitchell says it is important to also have legal, HR, procurement, compliance and operations at the table to aid in negotiations. “These team players can help to comprehensively develop the desired end result of the project. While this does add to the overall complexity of the project, it significantly reduces unanticipated negative results and significantly increases the overall return on investment (ROI) of public sector funds. This is also a key step in the change-management process.”

No question, updating an agency’s IT setup can be a major undertaking. According to Mitchell, it is nearly impossible for just one individual to organically possess all of the knowledge necessary to successfully implement a technology purchase completely on their own. “Trying to do so makes the project seem overwhelming, far too complex, too risky and thus becomes the justification to ‘do nothing.’”

After the vendor is chosen
According to Mitchell, once a solution has been selected, it is crucial that these same internal managers and stakeholders (mentioned above) actively participate in the development, implementation, deployment and production phases of the project. “The project manager from the agency and the solutions provider working with the department project team drive success and proactively address questions.” Mitchell summarizes: “Collectively, this combined team ensures that the best outcome is obtained.”

Iron Mountain has maintained a variety of cooperative contracts with public sector agencies. The firm also has a federal GSA Multiple Award Schedule that is open to all public sector organizations. “We understand that jurisdictions have preferences towards particular contract vehicles, and we strive to keep the pricing on these contracts consistent, allowing the department to utilize their contract vehicle of choice. In nearly every case, these rates are very competitive versus commercial market rates to ensure our public sector agencies are able to maximize the impact of public funds,” Mitchell tells Co-op Solutions.

Mitchell believes that cooperative contracts can save time for agencies. “In many cases, our cooperative contracts qualify in most jurisdictions as competitively bid and awarded, making them eligible for expedited (or simplified) acquisitions processes. If the buyer does not add pages and pages of unique terms and conditions, these types of contracts are mutually beneficial as both the organization and the industry partner reduce real costs associated with the traditional RFP process. Since limits of liability, indemnification, other terms and conditions, and pricing are typically predefined, this allows for the collaboration process to begin sooner in the acquisition cycle.”

OMNIA Partners, who sponsors this page, offers a robust portfolio of cooperative contracts in the public procurement space. The firm lists one cooperative contract under the company name “Iron Mountain.” Additional cooperative contracts can be found using keyword “technology.”

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