Helping a state client develop a central procurement organization from a clean sheet approach
The Challenge
Implementing broad-based procurement reform legislation with an incoming state administration.
The Outcome
The state contracted with Ikaso to provide strategic guidance, both for rationalizing and improving procurement statutes, rules, and procedures, and for designing a purpose-built central procurement organization. They further engaged Ikaso to assist with the execution of the recommended strategies, including hands-on implementation support for the organizational transition.
Values-Centered Approach
The project mandate required consolidation of existing procurement organizations located within different agencies and operating under different statutes, rules, policies, and procedures. Our team relied on the value of excellence when conducting this work, beginning by developing a central framework of principles for success in public procurement that guided the entirety of the project. We then conducted extensive benchmarking of best-in-class practices and organizations to develop a set of recommendations that were tailored to address the state’s unique circumstances in achieving framework principles.
Highlighted Results
The central procurement office is a high-performing, nationally-recognized organization, having won multiple national awards for procurement excellence. It is a model for other states to follow, enjoying high levels of customer agency engagement and internal staff camaraderie, low levels of staffing vacancy, and proactively pursuing an agenda of innovation and continuous improvement.
