The new procurement push in one of Texas’ most populous regions aims to bring AI to the government supply process and open more contracts to minority-owned businesses.
Civic Marketplace, a government technology supplier also based in the state, is working with the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) to provide a procurement platform for the group’s members.
The council has approximately 230 members and covers 16 counties, including the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. Meanwhile, Civic Marketplace has raised more than $3 million since its founding in 2023, according to PitchBook.
The company’s platform provides a streamlined procurement process that makes it easier for local governments to enter into joint purchasing agreements, as well as meet compliance requirements and improve transparency, according to a statement announcing the deal.
Collaborative agreements continue to drive investments and partnerships between government high-tech companies. Suppliers of procurement tools are competing to build large contract databases that provide a central source for technology buyers from the public sector, increasing opportunities to “piggyback” on existing purchasing contracts and saving time and money. This could lead to savings.
“We see tremendous value in the idea of group purchasing,” Jonathan Blackman, the council’s director of operations, told Government Technology, adding that the agreement could help NCTCOG grow its membership. He added that there is.
The agreement includes access to Civic Marketplace’s search feature, which “leverages” artificial intelligence to help users “find, evaluate, and implement the contracts and tools they need,” according to the statement. It is said to be designed to help.
The platform also includes technology that helps users comply with government procurement laws and regulations and ensure transparency in the process. This process can take six months and 500 hours to complete on older systems, said Al Hleileh, the vendor’s co-founder and CEO. he told Government Technology.
“Our view is that group purchasing is the future,” he said.
This partnership will help small, regional public agencies, work that lacks the technology expertise and workforce typically found in larger municipalities, including municipalities and counties as well as schools and special districts. may be especially helpful.
“The rest of us are having a hard time getting back,” Fraile said.
Such tools could make it easier for small businesses and women- and minority-owned businesses to secure better government contracts, she said.
According to a recent research report, this reflects another serious problem in procurement, alongside concerns about cost and the ability to manage growing project volumes.
Thad Rooter writes about the business of government technology. He has covered local and state government for newspapers in the Chicago area and Florida, as well as e-commerce, digital payments and related topics for various publications. He lives in Wisconsin.
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