Forbes, Time Magazine, and David Letterman. What do they all have in common? Okay, so that was a pretty easy one – top lists. Don’t forget that NASCIO also has a Top 10 list for state CIOs highest policy and technologies priorities each year. The fixation we have with lists seems to stem from wondering what hierarchical arrangement we would have decided upon if given the chance, especially because most lists are based upon perceptions. Who is the most influential? Was it the funniest? Or in the opinion of the NASCIO State IT Procurement Modernization Committee, aren’t these all important factors for state IT procurement?
Over the past few months the IT Procurement Modernization Committee has been working on a series of briefs that highlight areas of concern for not only state CIOs, but also our partners at TechAmerica and the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO). The second in the series, “Leaving Performance Bonds at the Door,” highlighted the challenges associated with IT performance bonds and identified leading practices of a few states.
While we may not ever land on a list that Bill Gates has a formidable lead on, the members of the Committee have made a great deal of progress in building a list of resources that will hopefully help you navigate existing procurement challenges. In Letterman-style, we’ve given you a ranking of the Top 5 issues that the NASCIO IT Procurement Modernization Committee see as obstacles to modernizing state IT procurement.
TOP 5 LIST
- Unwillingness to negotiate RFP/contract terms and conditions during evaluation or after vendor award
- Poor articulation of state’s needs/using detailed specifications for an RFP rather than allowing industry to propose to thoroughly identified government objectives and existing government IT landscape
- Unlimited liability and reviewing Limitations on Liability (LoL)
- Poor acquisition planning/ inadequate market research (including inadequate industry-government exchange)
- Lack of enterprise standards/lack of clear process for development and enforcement of EA standards
Is this ranking accurate with the challenges you face? Please pick the option in the poll below that you see as being your biggest obstacle in state IT procurement and then compare it to others. Be sure to scroll to the bottom and press 'Done' after you've made your selection.
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