Revisiting the Vendor-as-Partner Model

There are many ways vendors can get a leg up in selling to state agencies, but in doing so they must also be willing to learn, listen and remember that ultimately they are serving Texas constituents.

The vendor-as-partner model comes up regularly when public-sector IT leaders and vendors get together. During an executive panel discussion last week at the Texas Association of State Systems for Computing and Communications (TASSCC) annual conference, agency executive directors briefly discussed how vendors can be better partners.

“I truly believe if you go and look at the agency strategic plans, look at their visions and their missions … you’re going to create some links and then some connections. Here you are, by extension, part of our agency — helping to serve Texas,” said moderator Brian Francis, former executive director of the Department of Licensing and Regulation. “It’s not just a contract, it’s not just a customer. You are serving Texans.”

According to the speakers, vendors should:

• Help agency leadership understand what is successful in other states or other agencies. For example, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) had various vendors speak about AI to its executive staff as part of a “learning series.”
• Study agency documents, such as strategic plans, legislative appropriations requests and Sunset Advisory Commission reports. They include details on what is and what may be in the works.
• Understand who they’re talking to — is it the agency director, who has the 10,000-foot view of all systems, or the agency CIO who can speak directly to IT details? Understanding the audience is crucial.
• Understand that once procurement starts there is a “cone of silence” during which it cannot be discussed. That isn’t to say leadership isn’t interested in a vendor’s perspective, but Texas procurement rules don’t allow it.
• Understand Texas procurement processes. The Comptroller of Public Accounts is a good place to start.
• Follow through on pitches and complete projects as contracted. Agencies do vendor report cards and communicate who’s reliable and who’s not.

“Executive Director Perspectives on IT” panelists included Courtney Arbour of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), Ed Serna of the TWC, and Porter Wilson of the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS).

Moderator Brian Francis was the former TDLR executive director and last year served as interim executive director of the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission.