Business intelligence procurement landscape
Published: June 20, 2013
General Government ServicesSoftware
Business intelligence (BI) is a rapidly developing market that is essential to the technology landscape. The term is vague and can encompass a great number of subsets, but is most commonly described as a process of transforming massive data sets into easily digestible reports. With the data in a condensed form, it can be used to identify trends, flaws, and opportunities.
So, who is using BI technology? Short answer: everyone. From state agencies to county governments, solicitations are being released across the county. No matter the size or function of the entity, all government departments can benefit from the ability to track and analyze large sets of data across disparate groups.
Most entities are seeking either BI consultants or implementation services. On the consulting/design side, a state or locality may have a requirement for a consultant to analyze a current system and present a needs assessment to be used in future system upgrades and/or replacements. On the other hand, some governments already have a system and simply require a vendor to aid in implementation. As Deltek’s GovWin IQ database reveals, many states and localities have already begun the procurement process.
Pre-RFP opportunities:
The Nevada Department of Transportation plans to release an RFP for a business intelligence implementation project in July 2013. Nevada is utilizing business intelligence technology by seeking BI implementation as a professional service. The state has an Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition solution (OBIEE) that it wants to implement. In the current landscape, the state has multiple data sets and needs a way to combine and utilize the information. This solicitation will effectively put the OBIEE to use and fulfill the requirement for data organization as well as provide opportunities for the state.
Post-RFP opportunities:
The Colorado Springs Information Technology Department recently released a solicitation for Oracle Business Intelligence for JD Edwards Consulting Services. The contract will last one to three years and assist the city with data analysis. Interested vendors can submit a proposal through June 26 by visiting the El Paso County Contracts and Procurement Division website.
Awarded projects:
The Ohio Department of Administrative Services awarded an $898,000 contract to American Business Solutions Inc. for business intelligence adoption and migration. The state seeks to analyze current operations and design and implement a comprehensive business intelligence solution. American Business Solutions Inc. was awarded the contract due to its experience with design and implementation of data warehouses, business intelligence, and analysis solutions across multiple vertical markets. States and localities are seeking vendors with similar experience to enforce their business intelligence systems.
Analyst’s Take:
Business intelligence procurements are going to increase in the upcoming years. States and localities across the nation are utilizing this trend to organize the data they have and put it to good use. Governments already utilizing these systems are leading the technology force, and others will follow. The majority of solicitations released tend to focus on implementation services. Vendors interested in winning business intelligence contracts should focus on gaining experience and expertise with leading technologies such as Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, IBM Cognos, Informatica, Teradata and other commonly used BI systems.
For more on the current state of the business intelligence/data analytics contracting market, see Chris Dixon’s Industry Analysis Report “Business Intelligence Market 2013”