Four strategic sourcing guidelines for public sector IT departments

It's a rare thing to come across a news story detailing how a government organization is increasing its budget.

Nowadays, authorities are looking to cut costs in a number of ways, one of which involves purchasing software capable of optimizing certain practices. However, spend analysis endeavors hamper the procurement of technology necessary for the public sector to keep up with the pace of enterprises.

So, where do government CIOs start? There are a number of steps these professionals should take in order to acquire the necessary hardware and software to advance operations without exceeding budgets.

1. Keep a sustainable mindset

Eric Gies, a contributor to The Guardian, noted that procuring assets or services that were responsibly manufactured (with regard to environmental and sociological factors) will not only improve a public authority's perception, but also enable the utilization of best-in-class, affordable technology.

For example, say the U.S. Department of Defense contracts a managed IT service provider to create a scalable, secure private cloud environment. Sourcing an environment from a company known for powering its data centers with green energy will help the organization save on what would be exorbitant energy costs in the long run. Not to mention, taxpayers will favor an institution that makes a commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.

2. Search for the lowest risk

News Factor referenced a study conducted by research firm Gartner, which asserted that CIOs and IT asset managers should work together to look for the most secure solutions. Security doesn't only pertain to protecting databases from cybercriminals either, as the study maintained that new software or hardware implementations should be easily manageable.

In other words, procuring advanced software isn't the same as acquiring complicated implementations.

3. Look for flexibility

Gartner also regarded the importance of searching for malleable service-level agreements. The more accommodating an IT services provider can be to a public organization, the greater the return on investment will be. However, that's not to say organizations should get lost in the number of provisions offered - only invest in those applicable to operations.

4. Look for additional financing

Although one branch of the DoD may only have a certain amount of money to allocate for a certain project, procurement process specialists should network with other teams that may benefit from using a specific IT implementation. Sharing information regarding a supplier is the first step to making this process a success. It's important not to push the idea on parties - investment should be seen as an opportunity, not an obligation.

Share To:

Strategic Sourceror

Post A Comment:

0 comments so far,add yours