Systematic’s best advice for preparing and procuring IT solutions in the public sector
In the preliminary phase of a large public tender for an IT solution, it is essential that the customer aligns the needs and values of the organisation and creates a transparent plan for solving issues that might arise along the way, says Systematic’s Group Senior Vice President, Flemming Thomsen in a response to Danish Tech media, DigiTech.
In the article, Flemming Thomsen emphasises how public customers must focus on their organisation’s needs when preparing a public tender for an IT solution – but at the same time he warns them not to become overly detailed on the solution itself.
Misunderstandings and unforeseen events are unavoidable in the process, and it is important that both parties agree on how to resolve these along the way.
Flemming Thomsen notes that public tenders can turn out too detailed, in the sense that if the customer decides on too many minimum requirements, they run the risk of creating obstacles that prevent them from getting the best possible solution. Flemming Thomsen also recommends that public customers recognise that innovation entails a certain degree of unpredictability, even though transparency in the public sector has led to an understandable fear of failure.
"In our experience, the best results are achieved when the customer embraces an open dialogue with potential suppliers very early in the process," Flemming Thomsen writes in his reply to DigiTech.
