In Pursuit with Mike Vichich — Government Technology & Public Sector Sales

Michigan's Secretary of State turned around the DMV and broke voter turnout records. Here's the data-driven playbook she used to modernize government.Visit pursuit.us00:00 Intro00:35 Meet Jocelyn Benson — from civil rights to running Michigan's DMV04:32 What was actually broken at the DMV07:35 Was it a funding problem, a process problem, or neglect?09:08 Why government incentives don't work like the private sector12:28 Moving transactions online: from 28% to 60%15:27 Kiosks in grocery stores — meeting citizens where they are17:41 Government tech procurement: the right way to structure a vendor contract19:19 What didn't work: why one-size-fits-all solutions fail in government21:06 Building a feedback loop with an Office of Continuous Innovation22:10 Michigan election security: from 34th to 2nd in the nation24:43 How to distill a complex goal into two words: "turnout up"25:22 Annual strategic planning — the one thing no other state agency does27:37 Why Jocelyn is running for governor: costs down, wages up, rights protected29:10 What it means to invest in "place" — and why Michigan's talent is leaving30:51 Clean energy, AI, and the economic case for Michigan's future34:23 Closing vision: high-speed rail and keeping Michigan's kids home

Milton Dohoney, Ann Arbor City Administrator, shares 40 years of public service insight on how cities buy tech, what vendors get wrong, and how government really works.Timestamps:00:00 Intro00:21 Milton's 40-year career across five cities01:34 Council-manager vs. strong mayor government02:41 Writing "It Always Begins With Leadership"04:06 The four layers of city law: charter, ordinances, resolutions & policy06:09 Who's the "Supreme Court" for a city?07:46 How charter amendments get proposed and approved09:23 Administrative regulations and how policy gets changed13:50 When well-intentioned rules create unintended consequences15:27 How Milton shortened council meetings from 7 hours to 318:57 How cities buy technology: the ideal procurement process end to end22:56 The role of finance in a tech purchase23:38 When to bring in procurement (and when it's too early)25:16 Co-op contracts and piggybacking on existing RFPs28:21 Budget reality: what happens when you don't have the money31:40 How grants factor into purchasing decisions33:45 Vendor win rates and the myth of the predetermined bid36:00 The #1 mistake vendors make: going straight to the city administrator38:06 When it does make sense to reach out to the city administrator41:31 When should a department actually pull in procurement?42:57 Do your homework: why 50 of 60 vendor emails get deleted45:43 Travel approval and bureaucratic sign-off chains47:17 How Ann Arbor builds its brand without local TV49:11 The city's relationship with the University of Michigan52:32 Practical advice for vendors selling into local government56:27 The RFP cutoff: when vendor engagement must stop57:58 What happens when a vendor implementation fails59:37 Where to find Milton's book

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

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