Today, the office is building on that progress with a set of new strategies aimed at further streamlining the procurement experience for agencies and vendors alike.
Strengthening the Process Through Insight
As part of its continuous improvement work, Statewide IT Procurement closely analyzes the patterns that contribute to longer procurement times. While process improvements are the primary focus, understanding the root causes of delays remains essential, both for the procurement team and agency partners.
A common delay occurs when solicitations are not uploaded promptly into the eProcurement system. In other cases, award committees may need additional time selecting a final vendor. Revisions to solicitation documents and contract wording can also require multiple rounds of updates, while legal negotiations, particularly those involving data handling and security requirements, can extend timelines as all parties work to ensure protections for citizens are strong and enforceable.
By identifying and studying these bottlenecks, the office can better target improvements, provide clearer guidance, and support agencies in completing key steps earlier and more efficiently.
New Tools and Support to Reduce Procurement Timelines
To address these challenges and further enhance the process, Statewide IT Procurement is introducing several new resources:
• An option for agencies to consult with the procurement team and use AI tools to develop solicitation documents and scopes of work.
• A streamlined early-engagement process designed to reduce document revisions and accelerate reviews.
• Updated training materials to help agencies make informed decisions throughout the procurement lifecycle.
• A new AI tool, Evaluating Vendor Agreements (EVA), which assists with legal negotiation and contract review.
In addition to these new resources, the team has implemented automations, redesigned internal steps, and onboarded new professionals to help distribute workload and improve turnaround times.
A frequent reason procurements are delayed is that agencies need additional guidance on required activities – such as completing a privacy threshold analysis, incorporating vendor licensing agreements, or selecting the appropriate procurement method. Statewide IT Procurement continues to partner with agencies to provide this assistance and ensure each procurement moves forward efficiently.
Getting the Assistance You Need
As the office works to streamline processes and eliminate common bottlenecks, equipping agencies with the right knowledge and real time visibility has become just as essential as internal process improvements
Ensuring that teams understand required steps, have clarity on documentation expectations, and can monitor procurement progress helps prevent delays before they occur.
Training: For additional training on systems, processes, or specific procurement steps, agencies may contact Melinda Williams, statewide IT procurement training and compliance manager, Melinda.Williams@nc.gov. Additional sessions will be made available for statewide staff and agency teams seeking support.
Procurement dashboard access: To request access to procurement dashboards – and to see how they can help increase visibility into your procurement status, contact James Tanzosch, chief deputy statewide IT procurement officer, james.tanzosch@nc.gov or Swarnam Anand, project manager, swarnam.anand@nc.gov with your agency name, email, title, and a brief explanation of your needs.
Statewide IT Procurement remains committed to enhancing the procurement experience. Your feedback is valued, and your partnership is essential to ensuring timely and effective technology procurements across the state.