Child Care Administrator’s Improper Payments Information Technology Guide

Download Guide in Word (993 KB) or PDF (635KB) format.

III. GUIDANCE FOR PROCURING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

A. Introduction

Once a State chooses an IT investment approach, State Agencies must then secure the products and services necessary to achieve their objectives. For those State administrators who decide to purchase information technology products or services, this chapter will provide guidance on the procurement process which sometimes can seem daunting in light of fiscal constraints; Agency and State procurement policies; and the myriad of competing opinions about what products, services, and providers to choose. In general, program managers and staff understand programs, not technology, and technology managers and staff do not always understand the business and service needs of the program.

This chapter presents a set of concepts, processes, and ideas that a State can use in conjunction with the existing procedures required by the State Agency. Specifically, this chapter outlines: the steps a State can take to prepare for procurement, an overview of Request for Proposals (RFPs), innovative procurement practices, factors that can drive up the cost of bids, and key considerations for a successful procurement.