In Pursuit #7 | Mike Vichich & Jim Colangelo — A CPO’s Guide to Selling into Government

Former Michigan CPO Jim Colangelo breaks down how government procurement really works — and what vendors must know before the RFP ever drops.Timestamps:00:00 The Triangle of Customers in Procurement00:51 Introduction — Jim Colangelo's Background01:55 20 Years in Procurement: What's Stayed the Same03:34 Who Are Procurement's Real Customers?05:05 How JetBlue Shaped Jim's Customer Service Philosophy06:55 Public vs. Private Sector Procurement: The Real Differences09:41 Why Working in Public Sector Is a Privilege11:04 Why Government Procurement Takes Longer13:13 The Real Sales Cycle: Rec to Check14:43 Vendor Management & Stewardship of Taxpayer Dollars16:29 Best Value vs. Lowest Bid18:00 Can You Shortcut the Government Procurement Process?19:55 The Formula — and Why Everyone's Is Different21:30 RFP Thresholds and How Co-ops Work24:35 What the Ideal Vendor Sales Cycle Looks Like27:35 How Procurement Plans 18 Months Ahead30:07 When the Business Knows Exactly What It Wants31:39 Bid Protests: What Happens and Who's Accountable34:44 How Scoring Committees Work37:46 Small & Diverse Businesses in Government Procurement39:10 Teaming & Subcontracting Strategies for Small Businesses42:56 How to Change a Procurement Law or Code46:30 How Jim Turned Around Michigan's Procurement Office50:07 Leadership Lessons: Listening Before Leading51:41 Simplifying Complex Organizations57:36 AI in Procurement: What Should Change, What Should Stay1:00:03 How to Break Into Government Sales — Jim's #1 Advice1:01:41 The Biggest Mistake Vendors Make: Going Around Procurement