But cooperative and piggyback contracts are providing value in the procurement space even if that part of the gov tech world faces workforce challenges, the report found.
The 2024 State of Public Procurement report, based on more than 100 survey responses, serves as an updated look at one of the more vital fields of gov tech.
The report also is a reminder that Euna — whose business covers such areas as grants, payments and budgeting — earlier this year expanded its own procurement capabilities via the acquisition of EqualLevel, a procurement marketplace.
“In our 2024 State of Public Procurement report, it’s evident that adopting end-to-end, network-powered procurement is not just a forward-thinking strategy but a necessity for modern procurement teams as they are tasked with doing more with less,” said Tom Amburgey, CEO at Euna Solutions, in a statement. “By leveraging technology, public procurement teams can establish a powerful network that enhances supply chain efficiency, fosters knowledge sharing and opens up co-procurement opportunities.”
Workforce challenges often keep procurement professionals up at night, at least judging by the results of the Euna survey. For instance, 51 percent of respondents report not being confident in their “ability to manage increasing project volumes” because of staffing shortages and the complexity of procurement processes. That is up from 46 percent in 2023.
Collaboration with peers, however, happens on a weekly or monthly basis for 54 percent of survey respondents, helping to ease those anxieties, according to the report, which also recorded a 265 percent increase since 2023 in those professionals seeking peer insights or support.
Help comes from other areas as well.
“Procurement professionals find the most value in cooperative and piggyback contracts, peer RFx templates and insights gathered across other public procurement teams,” the report added.
Supply chain worries and higher costs also command attention from people running government procurement, and lead the list of top concerns for survey respondents.
“These issues are compounded by the looming fiscal cliff, which is the result of persistent deficits and growing debt that, if not addressed, can lead to abrupt, severe economic disruptions,” according to a statement from Euna. “To navigate these challenges, procurement teams are increasingly turning to their peers for support to share best practices, gather insights and leverage their collective buying power.”
Indeed, the survey found that purchasing costs can decrease by up to 7.5 percent for agencies that use cooperative contracts — another area in which Euna is involved.
