WEBINAR: Pre-RFP Engagement: What Public Sector Procurement Leaders Really Want from Vendors and Service Providers

Understanding Pre-RFP Challenges

• Procurement often feels like a “black box” to vendors due to its structured rules, acronyms, and processes.
• The gap between how vendors sell and how procurement functions can create friction.
• Vendors are often unaware of internal planning or policy constraints that shape the procurement journey long before the RFP is issued.

Why Helpful Engagement Is Essential

• The best time to engage is before the RFP is written.
• Early engagement helps procurement professionals understand what’s possible in the market.
• Procurement officials value early discussions that align with long-term strategic goals rather than last-minute pitches.

Strategic Planning Needs

• Procurement is not just tactical (e.g., issuing RFPs) – it’s increasingly strategic.
• Jason emphasized how data helps procurement leaders identify gaps in their own processes and build multi-year plans.
• Understanding capital improvement plans and budget forecasts enables vendors to align solutions accordingly.

How Citylitics Helps

• Citylitics provides visibility into early planning documents like council minutes and utility budgets.
• This data helps vendors proactively align with procurement timelines and objectives.
• It uncovers the long runway before procurement starts drafting specifications – a phase where influence is possible.

Pain Point Identification

• Rick and Jason stressed the importance of vendors understanding not just what the agency buys, but why they buy it.
• Procurement officials face staffing shortages, policy constraints, and political oversight.
• Vendors who understand and address these constraints (e.g., with labor-saving solutions) stand out.

Educational Content Matters

• Procurement wants vendors to provide knowledge — not just sales pitches.
• Examples: whitepapers on industry standards, comparative case studies, or evolving tech trends.
• The goal is to help procurement write better scopes and make better evaluations.

Becoming a Technical Resource

• Jason shared that vendors who help educate procurement staff – without pushing a product – are remembered when specs are written.
• Procurement often lacks technical depth in emerging areas; this is where vendors can step in with expertise.

Influencing Scope and Requirements

• Engaging early gives vendors the chance to suggest best practices or even steer agencies away from flawed approaches.
• Rick mentioned how sometimes specs are copy-pasted from outdated RFPs; knowledgeable vendors can correct this cycle.

Multi-Year Planning Realities

• Government procurement works on long timelines — 3 to 5 years out in many cases.
• Budgets may be approved years in advance, especially for capital projects.

Aligning with Funding Windows

• Jason emphasized understanding federal, state, and municipal funding cycles (e.g., infrastructure grants).
• Vendors who show awareness of funding windows and tie their solution to grant eligibility are more likely to be prioritized.

Beyond the Transaction

• Procurement doesn’t just want a one-off transaction – they want trusted partners.
• Rick noted that repeatable value, clear documentation, and smooth implementation leave lasting impressions.

Measuring Success

• The ultimate metric for procurement is efficiency: fewer RFP failures, clearer specifications, and better vendor performance.
• Vendors should position themselves as long-term partners who help procurement meet KPIs like compliance, cost-savings, and time-to-contract.