After a couple of decades in public-sector IT management, here’s one thing I’ve learned: having vendors who are real partners can mean the difference between simply delivering work and actually achieving long-term strategic goals. Plenty of vendors I’ve worked with completed projects or provided services, hitting their SLAs and checking all the contractual boxes. But when it came to the real challenges—establishing vision, gaining stakeholder buy-in, wrestling with budget realities, and balancing keeping the lights on with building lasting value for citizens—true partnerships deliver lasting value.
Partners understood the realities of public sector leadership and how it meant straddling multiple layers of management within one role—from front-line supervision to executive direction. They recognized the resource gaps, saw the impact of shifting policies and recurring stakeholder turnover, and shared a sense of pride in serving the public interest.
These partnerships were less about what was promised and more about what was achieved. They were relationships framed by contracts and compliance, yet focused on outcomes and built on trust.
Being a Partner
As the agency customer, my part in these relationships included being transparent about shifting priorities. I shared my goals, constraints, and requirements as openly as possible, helping my partners understand how these fit into the larger agency or statewide context. I wanted them to understand the forces which shaped my timelines so they could help achieve them. I needed them to understand the broader risk landscape so they could help mitigate it. I expected them to be meaningful stakeholders in our shared work.
While vendors attended recurring meetings to report stats, partners showed up even when they weren’t contractually obligated. They collaborated with me to think through challenges—and not just the sales reps or account managers, but people with real domain experience, knowledge, and skills. We were invested in building lasting value together, not just checking boxes.
Together we made sure we always had the right people in the room from both sides. We shared responsibility when things got hard, gave each other space for mistakes, and celebrated successes as a team.
Why This Matters Now
The challenges facing public sector IT aren’t exactly new: legacy systems, evolving cybersecurity threats, and technology-driven constituent demands—all with less money and more scrutiny. But today the stakes feel higher, the budgets tighter, and the needs more urgent. In this environment, transactional vendor relationships fall short and order-taker interactions won’t move the needle. Partnership is the best way to deliver:
- Faster timelines
- Improved strategic alignment
- Lower long-term costs
- More innovative solutions
- Improved citizen outcomes
Getting Started
In my experience, the path to partnership starts with honest conversation. Both vendors and customers need to share their vision, goals, concerns, and hesitations. Find out where they intersect, where they diverge, and start thinking of new ways to align. Talk about the barriers, past conflicts, and disappointments you’ve never voiced. Remember the wins, think about when things really clicked, and share the credit. The goal is to establish trust as the foundation for true partnership—and that takes effort from everyone.
Robert Bishop, Senior Program Manager