Three municipal procurement tips

Three municipal procurement tips when purchasing “new to you” technology. – By Joni Eros, PayByPhone.  

Municipal procurement plays a crucial role in ensuring public funds are spent responsibly and transparently. So then what do you do when you want to purchase technology that is new to your organization and its value is not immediately apparent to the stakeholders (taxpayers)?

More and more, evolving transportation and mobility technology can provide better data to inform more economical capital spending and municipal “future proofing” for the curb and other public transportation assets. So, the question becomes: Should we have updated procurement practices for purchasing “new to you” technology?

To optimize procurement processes when wading into tech not before held by your agency, municipalities can focus on the following 3 key strategies:

1. Prioritize Transparency and Fair Competition

• Ensure procurement policies comply with local laws and promote open and competitive bidding. This means advertising released bids in more than one way making sure it will be visible to all potential vendors and not just those who happen to have bid in the past.
• Maintain clear documentation of all decisions to build public trust and reduce the risk of disputes or corruption.

2. Leverage Data and Technology for Smarter Decision-Making

• Make sure part of the process includes a shortlisting where you can see the product in a live, real-time demonstration.
• Implement automated procurement tools to streamline bid evaluations, reduce manual errors, and speed up approval processes.
• Utilize AI-driven market analysis to assess pricing trends and vendor reliability.

3. Focus on Long-Term Value Over Lowest Price

• Evaluate bids based on total cost of ownership, not just upfront pricing—consider maintenance, lifecycle costs, and quality.
• Assess vendor reliability and past performance to minimize project delays or failures.
• Incorporate sustainability and social impact criteria to align procurement with community goals. Vendors who are looking to provide your community with the most user-friendly solutions, often can come in at a different price point than those who set it and forget it.

By adopting these best practices, municipalities can enhance efficiency, accountability, and value for taxpayer dollars. Understanding that a thoughtful procurement process was implemented can also help to achieve ultimate stakeholder buy in for the “new to you” tech being added to your environment.