4.1 Contractor shall provide services, and otherwise do all things necessary for or incidental to the performance of work, as set forth below: 4.1.1 Policy and Procedure Analysis: Conduct a thorough examination of Mississippi Code Annotated Section 25-53-1 et seq. to identify provisions that impede procurement efficiency. The consultant will analyze existing statutory language, pinpoint ambiguities, and recommend changes to align with modern practices. Review the ITS Procurement Manual and internal procedures, focusing on operational efficiency, state requirements, redundancies, and other obstacles that hinder the state’s ability to procure IT solutions efficiently. Benchmark Mississippi’s procurement framework against best practices from states. Identify successful strategies these states have implemented to address challenges similar to those faced by Mississippi, such as reducing procurement timelines and enhancing vendor collaboration. Assess compliance requirements, including legal, procedural, and technical obligations, to ensure that proposed recommendations meet statutory mandates while enabling greater flexibility. 4.1.2 Stakeholder Engagement: Design an inclusive engagement strategy to ensure active participation from core PMAC members, extended members, and external stakeholders such as vendors, industry associations, and technology experts. Facilitate workshops and focus groups that address key pain points, including compliance burdens, inefficiencies, and vendor concerns. The consultant will ensure that discussions are data-driven and aligned with the state’s strategic objectives. Develop and distribute surveys to collect quantitative and qualitative insights from a broad spectrum ofstakeholders. For example,surveys may assess vendorsatisfaction, agency compliance challenges, and opportunities to adopt automation in procurement processes. Consolidate stakeholder feedback into actionable insights, ensuring that all recommendations reflect the diverse needs and priorities of Mississippi’s procurement ecosystem.
