The situation is similarly dire in many local jurisdictions all around the world, and this isn’t the problem only developing countries are facing. The sad truth is that clueless politicians are everywhere.

On the other hand, it is getting hard for businesses of all sizes to keep up with today’s novelties. Simply put – there’s a lot going on in the world.

It is our goal to serve both groups – individuals working for local governments and businesses trying to sell new ideas to the municipalities they serve.

In that sense, by signing-up for Sustainable Avenue – you get ahead of others all while helping your community grow.

The following 10 projects present a snapshot of what you can expect from the full-blown membership.

There are a few differences, though. For one thing, we haven’t included our action points as well as time and money estimates in this report. It’s free after all — but we’re also sure you’ll get the idea for yourself. And we also want you to become our paid member so we could support further research and analysis.

So take your time to go through these projects and please consider becoming a paid member. You can try us for free.

The post How to use Sustainable Avenue to advance your career & help your city appeared first on Sustainable Avenue.

Aside from these 10, there are more projects on the Sustainable Avenue website with new ones being added on a regular basis. As the site member, you will be notified via email about all new projects that get included on the site.

It is our hope that Sustainable Avenue will help your business and/or your municipality flourish.

Now, why don’t you consider joining SustainableAvenue as a regular member? There is a free trial so you have nothing to lose.

To your success!

Sustainable Avenue team

The post Conclusion appeared first on Sustainable Avenue.

Aside from these 50, there are more projects on the Sustainable Avenue website with new ones being added on a regular basis. As the site member, you will be notified via email about all new projects that get included on the site.

However, if you could not find something that could fit your unique needs — feel free to contact us and explain what you’re looking for. We’ll try our best to find something similar, something that works for you.

It is our hope that Sustainable Avenue will help your business flourish and ultimately – make municipalities you serve that much better.

To your success!

Sustainable Avenue team

The post Conclusion appeared first on Sustainable Avenue.

Aside from these 50, there are more projects on the Sustainable Avenue website with new ones being added on a regular basis. As the site member, you will be notified via email about all new projects that get included on the site.

However, if you could not find something that could fit your unique needs — feel free to contact us and explain what you’re looking for. We’ll try our best to find something similar, something that works for you.

It is our hope that Sustainable Avenue will help your career and ultimately – make your city a better place.

To your success!

Sustainable Avenue team

The post Conclusion appeared first on Sustainable Avenue.

The situation is similarly dire in many local jurisdictions all around the world. Yes, you got that right – this isn’t the problem only poor countries face; the sad truth is that clueless politicians are spread all across the globe.

We are not saying you are one of them. By signing up for Sustainable Avenue, you have made a move to get ahead of others while helping your community grow. That’s why we’ve built this site in the first place – to help local government employees find interesting projects that are, in many cases, already working in some parts of the world. And they could be, at least partially, copied to work in other places.

For every project – we provide details, takeaway and, where applicable – also some photos and a video. Links to websites and LinkedIn profiles of companies developing those projects are also included.

You get to browse projects by a few different criteria: Sections, Technologies, and Countries. From this page, you get to see all the different categories. Or you can use the search functionality.

The action on your behalf starts once you find a project you could apply in your municipality. From there, you could:

• Contact a company behind the project to see whether you could establish a partnership to create something similar (or same) in your own community
• Print the project page and mail it to your colleagues. There is an option to “Hide the action point” when printing – which you may want to use.
• Think about all the different ways how that project could be implemented in your community
• Engage your colleagues and perhaps even your boss in the project, collect their input and ideas

Upon receiving all that feedback and information — from the company that developed the project/technology, your colleagues, and perhaps even your boss — it is time to get to work. Start preparing marketing and all other materials that may be needed down the line. You may have to engage the local media or a few websites to publish stories relevant to the project to convince the public further — so be prepared.

The point is — you get access to more than a hundred projects, with more coming every month. Even if you don’t find anything relevant at this time (and we kinda doubt that), don’t worry – you will find one eventually. And if everything else fails – you can contact us and demand a project that could be used in your community. We’re here to help.

The post How to use Sustainable Avenue to advance your career & help your city appeared first on Sustainable Avenue.

The situation is similarly dire in many local jurisdictions all around the world. Yes, you got that right – this isn’t the problem only poor countries are facing; the sad truth is that clueless politicians are spread all across the globe.

Sustainable Avenue is designed to help you score government contracts by showing you projects that are, in many cases, already working in some parts of the world. And they could be, at least partially, copied to work in other places as well.

For every project – we provide details, takeaway and, where applicable – also some photos and a video. Links to websites and LinkedIn profiles of companies developing those projects are included, as well.

You get to browse projects by a few different criteria: Sections, Technologies and Countries. From this page, you get to see all the different categories. Or you can use the search functionality.

The action on your behalf starts once you find a project you could copy/sell to the (local) government. From there, you could:

• Contact a company behind the project to see whether you could establish a partnership to offer something similar (or same) in the communities you serve
• Print the project page and mail to the local official who may be involved in procurements (to gather interest). There is an option to “Hide the action point” when printing – which you may want to use.
• Think about all the different ways how that project could be implemented in communities you operate in
• Engage other employees into the project, collect their input and ideas

Upon receiving all that feedback and information — from the company that developed the project/technology, your colleagues and perhaps even someone from the (local) government — it is time to get to work. Start preparing marketing and all other materials that may be needed down the line. You may have to engage the local media or a few websites to publish stories relevant to the project to further convince the government — so be prepared.

The point is — you get a few dozen projects with more coming every month. Even if you don’t find anything relevant at this time (and we kinda doubt that), don’t worry – you will find one eventually. And if everything else fails – you can contact us and demand a project that could be used by a company like yours. We’re here to help.

The post How to use Sustainable Avenue to score government contracts appeared first on Sustainable Avenue.

Myth 1: Local governments give notice of upcoming projects 21 days in advance

…and that isn’t enough time to respond.

By the time a local government has worked through all the details of what they need to buy and publishes a bid or RFP online, vendors might have seen the public bid deadline (often 21 days out) and concluded it is not enough time to respond.

However, you can learn about upcoming projects long before the bid or RFP is published. Tap into local government’s spending and planning data such as past procurement history, agency budgets, capital improvement plans and term contracts – and learn about upcoming work months or years in advance.

Vendors can also utilize publicly available information to identify key agency contacts such as the procurement officer, buyer or decision-maker on the project — then connect with these individuals by email or phone to build relationships.

In addition, as a vendor, you can learn about upcoming projects in advance and become a valuable resource to those agency contacts to help them better construct their next bid or RFP. Establish yourself as an expert in the market and position your business for success in your next bid or RFP response.

Myth 2: State and local agencies only buy from big corporations

This could be true in some instances, but not all. Local utilities seldom buy equipment from small and medium enterprises, but there is no good reason why would they procure every single item from a major corporation.

For one thing, many local governments aim to support small and even minority-owned businesses and one of the ways they do that is through their procurement processes.

In the United States, federal agencies have a goal of reserving 23% of contracts for small businesses. There is no uniform goal across state and local governments; however, many agencies publish their goals on their websites. For instance, the State of New York’s target is 30% for state contracting and New Jersey has a goal of 25%.

At the city level, one example is the City of Chicago that offers a business certification process for disability-owned businesses for municipal procurements.

A different option, if these types of agency goals or set-asides are not available, is to team up with other vendors who are adept at handling large contracts and inquire about working as a subcontractor on their next project. As they say it – “if you can’t beat them, join them” and work as a subcontractor.

Myth 3: State and local agencies are only looking for vendors who can supply huge volumes

Related to the previous point, you may think that state and local agencies are only working with companies that can supply huge volumes. That is not necessarily true with various agencies making regular smaller purchases throughout the year. It is during these procurements that you get the opportunity to provide lower volumes.

To make this possible, a vendor should establish their business as a reliable partner for smaller purchases. The goal here is to score a term contract under which the vendor would supply products on an “as needed” basis over the length of the contract.

In addition, many state and local purchasing agents have discretionary power to spend without approval and/or going through the official bid/RFP process — sometimes at a significant spending level. Again, the goal is to be “top of mind” with that agent so that your business shows up as a vendor of choice for the next procurement.

Myth 4: State and local governments aren’t open to the latest technology

It is true that state and local governments seldom go for the latest technology; rather, they prefer tested solutions that are easier to sell to their constituents. The old saying “nobody ever got fired for buying IBM” is still true today, except that these days IBM is replaced (in that sentence) with some other well-established company or technology.

Generally speaking, the public sector lags behind the private sector from one to five years (or more) because of an inherent bias against being the first adopter.

Nevertheless, there are bold cities and bold leaders that are willing to bet on new technologies. That way they can sell themselves and their city as modern, one that is open to young and innovative individuals and companies. As someone looking to sell to the public sector, you should emphasize that. There is no reason why places like San Francisco or Stockholm in Sweden must be first — other cities can join the high-tech ride, as well.

After a few years, many of those technologies will find their place in most cities around the world, and there are (or could be) benefits to be in the first batch.

Myth 5: Public sector only makes purchases according to the fiscal year

While it is true that the public sector tends to be more organized in their spending — in many cases they have to vote on their budget every year — there are exceptions and the money left for unexpected purchases that is not timed with the fiscal year or the previously agreed on buying plan. Depending on what you’re selling, you can get under the radar and score a contract with a novel offering.

The way to do this is to track local government spending and potentially identify buying patterns. For instance, there are cities and agencies that front-load spending at the beginning of the fiscal year once the budget is approved and also those that back-load, save their cash and make the majority of their purchasing decisions in the final quarter of the fiscal year. Others spread their spending evenly across the year. Vendors should know the buying habits and fiscal years (calendar) to better strategize, plan and focus on the right time for sales and marketing efforts to win more contracts.

…

The bottom line is – ignore the myths, and rather focus your efforts on sales and networking. Presuming you have an offering that could be the right fit for the city or public agency you’re targeting, engage with local representatives and start selling them your offering.

The post 5 Myths About Selling to Local Governments appeared first on Sustainable Avenue.

On your end, that process involves a multi-stage approach; start with…

1. Define your buyer persona

Just like in any enterprise sale, you’ll want to first define the buyer persona. There are a few caveats when we’re talking about someone from the government, though. You should answer the following questions:

• Who is my buyer? Is he a male/female in his 40s? Or how old he/she is?
• Is he/she a politician or a professional who will stay in his/her position after the government changes? (after elections)
• Which points from your offering will make him look good in the eyes of the public?
• If he/she is a politician, which points from your offering will help him/her advance in his/her party?
• What are his/her other interests you can tap into to make a sale?
• Is the buyer an expert so you need to prepare tech materials for him/her or a “numbers guy/gal” and would rather appreciate the spreadsheet?

By answering these questions, you will be able to define the person you need to speak to in order to push your agenda forward, and ultimately make a sale.

Or you may need to speak with more than one individual — which is all based on the solution you’re selling and the way the local government is structured.

2. Phone calls work better than emails

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use email, it’s just that you won’t be able to rely solely on electronic communication. Have your spreadsheets, animations, graphics, documents and other files ready — and send some of them. You must, however, follow-up with a phone call.

Many local politicians are swamped with emails from both citizens and other companies looking to sell something to the city. In your phone call, you can remind them about that email and sum things up for them. Then, ask for a personal meeting where you can present your plan, using the previously prepared PowerPoint and other presentation material like videos to impress the potential client.

3. First talk about the problem

You got your meeting, now what?

You’ll want to first highlight the problem the city has and, if possible, have some numbers to back your claims. These could also be things that are not necessarily problematic but could be improved with the product you’re offering.

Then, talk about your solution to the problem and some estimates if you can provide them. Technical details should come last and in most cases – they should be presented on demand. You can use some fancy tech features but, again, make sure to focus on benefits.

Keep in mind that a majority of local government employees are not that tech-savvy, so fine-tune your vocabulary and use only the terms they will understand — if we’re talking about a tech-based solution.

And, as we’ve noted above, make sure your PowerPoint rocks.

4. Mind the gap but stay on top of it

There could be a (legal) gap between the government saying “yes” to your proposal and eventually making the procurement. You’ll have to mind that gap but you will also want to stay on top of it.

Procurement is complicated and takes time. In many cities, there are all sorts of different checks and balances that regulate the procurement process, and they differ from government to government. You need to find out the specific procurement process for the government or agency you’re dealing with, and follow it to the letter each time. The more you know, the more control you have over the entire sales process.

Nevertheless, you will also want to check in with your contact(s) how things are progressing and if there is anything you could do to help them out to speed things up. Try not to be too pushy, but helpful.

Bottom line

Governments are, by nature, skeptical of new solutions and entities. Many of them don’t like to be first to anything. Sell them on benefits and efficiencies your solution will bring. Use social proof in your sales process to help alleviate their concerns. Show them how others benefited and how they can do the same. And ultimately, try being patient — these things take time.

The post 4 Stages of Closing the Government Contract appeared first on Sustainable Avenue.

1. Understand what’s top of mind for your prospect

Government institutions typically have strategic planning documents prepared to spell out their priorities, investment plans and challenges. Locating these may not be that easy but it’s well worth the effort. You may have to dig through the local government’s website and use search, presuming such capability is included.

Another source of information could be good ol’ newspapers and their online editions. You’ll want to find what local politicians have been talking about to better understand their agenda, so you could pitch them with a relevant project.

2. Promote new ideas

If you’re trying to sell something new, chances are such a product or service hasn’t been added to the procurement plan. So in order to even begin selling your offering, you should start building the interest for it.

In order to do this, you are best off organizing practical demonstrations that could include trade shows or “industry days” which some jurisdictions have from time to time. Your potential customers need to SEE and EXPERIENCE your offering so they would recognize the need for or effectiveness of it.

Alternatively, depending on the product/service you’re selling, you may be able to launch a limited pilot project with a cooperating jurisdiction to ensure they understand their problems and issues which your offering could successfully address or improve.

3. Find out who’s influencing the purchasing process

After determining the needs of your potential clients, the next step is to figure out who to engage with. Know your contacts and where they sit within the organization. Understanding this will help you identify interrelationships and responsibilities, so you can get to the person with a significant (if not crucial) influence in the purchase process. This is especially important for projects that involve ongoing maintenance that may be partly performed by people employed by the local government.

Most local governments publish an organizational chart that will break this down for you. That chart may also extend to other organizations functioning within the city — make sure to check that out, as well.

4. Get to know the rules of the game

In most countries, the public sector has a very defined, often complicated procurement process you will need to understand in order to be successful. This process is complicated for a reason, with one of its goals being to prevent wrongdoings and corruption.

Be prepared to disclose information about your company’s financial status to the specifier. Also, be aware that all information in a public contract is subject to the Freedom of Information Act in the U.S. or similar acts in other countries.

Generally speaking, there are four different procedures when tendering for a contract to provide goods or services.

• The open procedure, widely used by local authorities, is where all interested suppliers are asked to return tenders by a specified date, which are then evaluated, and the contract duly awarded.
• The restricted procedure is where a shortlist of expressions of interest is drawn up and those companies on it are then asked to tender for a contract.
• The competitive dialogue procedure is for more complex contracts and a negotiated procedure is where the buyer negotiates with a shortlist of sellers.
• Framework agreements are where an authority draws up a list of approved suppliers and individual contracts are awarded during the lifetime of the agreement, usually about four years.

No matter how cool the project you’re offering is, you will have to fit into the procurement process. So, do your homework and learn what’s required from you upfront.

5. Pitch solutions, not products

We live in a tech-enabled world but not everyone is up to date with the latest technology trends. In many countries, local officials can be out of date and they may not appreciate the latest tech mumbo jumbo. Heck, even if they’re already familiar with tech novelties, it is smarter to sell them on benefits rather than features. After all, it will be those benefits they will later sell to their constituents. By helping them, you help your business score a potentially valuable contract.

6. If you can’t score big, try scoring small

In some instances, you may not have enough previous experience to score a big government contract. That, however, doesn’t mean you should just give up. Perhaps you could get some subcontract work through prime contractors. This too could be a viable business — which is already the case for many companies.

Then, you could slowly grow from there with a few subcontract jobs helping you grow your portfolio that could ultimately help you play in the “big league.”

…

The bottom line is – the better your project sounds to the local official’s constituents, the easier it will be to sell it to them. It is one of those must-know rules.

The post 6 Things to Know to Successfully Sell to Local Governments appeared first on Sustainable Avenue.

There is a takeaway (summary) for every project as well as what we call the “Action point” that justifies launching the same or similar project in other parts of the world (where applicable). In addition, we also provide links to relevant parties that have been included in every project — or those that are offering solutions related to the project.

It is our hope that this list will provide the reader with enough ideas to make his/her city a better place while also helping his/her own goals.

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We have taken great care in collecting and processing the data contained in this report. Nevertheless, we cannot guarantee that there are no errors. Statements concerning future developments that are contained in this report are based on the information available today and on assumptions drawn from current forecasts. Even if these forecasts have been meticulously made, there is still a wide range of influencing factors that cannot be predicted now and that can lead to deviations. Therefore, any forecasts in this report are not to be taken as guaranteed. The contents of the report have been checked and approved by the staff responsible for the relevant areas. An examination of the contents by an external body was not done. Instead, external consultants were involved in the drafting and compiling of the report.

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