Modernizing Municipal Software Procurement: A Practical Path Forward

Cities rely on software to run essential services—utilities, permitting, public works, and more. But buying and launching these systems is often slow, risky, and costly. One of the most vulnerable points is the gap between writing system requirements and going live. In that time, staff workflows, regulations, and community needs can shift—making the final system outdated on arrival. The result? Poor adoption, high costs, or outright failure.

This pattern is well-documented. Fewer than a third of large software projects succeed on time, on budget, and with the features people need CHAOS Report. Traditional procurement tends to be rigid and isolated from frontline reality. Systems are hard to update once deployed, locking cities into outdated ways of working.

Jennifer Pahlka’s Recoding America explains why this happens: government builds technology around policy rules, not around users. Her core message—start with people and adapt—is echoed in a more practical model now emerging in local governments.

A Better Approach

Instead of designing from scratch, cities can adopt proven processes and platforms already in use by peer municipalities. These systems are built on real workflows and tested configurations, providing a stable foundation from day one. Local adjustments can follow, informed by actual use.

Once live, staff and residents help guide improvements. This turns the software into a tool for continuous learning and evolution, not a one-time fix. It’s faster, lower risk, and more responsive.

Contracting for Flexibility

To support this adaptive model, procurement strategies also need to evolve. Instead of rigid, fixed-scope contracts, municipalities can use more flexible contracting types—like time-and-materials or modular contracting—to enable rapid delivery and iterative updates. Learn more about contracting types

Licensing for Collaboration

Licensing matters too. Public-interest technology works best when cities can collaborate, share improvements, and avoid vendor lock-in. Open source and open-use licenses (like those used in many civic tech projects) make this possible by allowing cities to reuse code and adapt it for local needs. Explore licensing models.

Start with What Works

This approach—adopt a working process-platform pair, deploy quickly, and improve continuously—aligns directly with Recoding America’s call for more human-centered, responsive government. It's not about perfection at launch. It's about delivering value early, learning from users, and improving over time.

Cities don’t need to go it alone or reinvent the wheel. They can build on the success of others—and build better, faster.