in collaboration with:
Faculty from NC State University's Supply Chain Center
Barriers to Entry
in Government Markets
A Public Spend Forum “Open Government Markets” Initiative
Barriers to Entry Findings Report
As part of our mission to create “Open Government Markets” around the world for over $10 trillion in public procurement spending, we initiated a survey and interviewed government leaders and suppliers across Federal/State/Local US governments. Our goal was to start to build an evidence-base to understand barriers faced by suppliers and even more importantly, solutions being pursued by government.
This report is just the start of our work. Please join us as we build a toolkit of solutions that can be leveraged by government, suppliers as well as highlight case studies we can all learn from.
Barriers to Entry in Public Sector Markets
Barriers As Highlighted by Suppliers
Entry Barriers
Source: Public Spend Forum Barriers to Entry Survey, 2021
A guide for reducing barriers and improving supplier diversity in the government market
Engage Suppliers
Early
Early
Meaningful and collaborative supplier engagement early in the procurement process.
Examples include Reverse Industry Days and better designed RFIs.
Simplify Requirements
and Align Supplier Evaluation
and Align Supplier Evaluation
Streamline requirements including more use of “problem statements”; align supplier
evaluation criteria to goals and differentiators
Target Programs for New,
Innovative, Emerging Suppliers
Innovative, Emerging Suppliers
Actively develop and implement programs and procedures targeted specifically at
innovative and emerging suppliers
Simplify and Cost Manage
the Procurement Process
the Procurement Process
Remove unneeded terms and conditions and onerous paperwork that increases costs
for both suppliers and government
Invest in Marketing
and Outreach to Suppliers
and Outreach to Suppliers
Improve messaging, materials and resources; provide more transparency into public agency
opportunities & aggressively market to non-traditional suppliers
Source: Public Spend Forum Barriers to Entry Survey, 2021
Stay tuned for resources, including templates, tools and case studies, to shatter
barriers.
Sign up to stay informed!
Get Involved
FAQs
What is the purpose of the Barriers to Entry and Supplier Diversity study and survey?
To identify barriers faced by diverse and emerging small businesses, based on facts and data, that exist across government markets worldwide. Also, the goal is to identify solutions in the form of case studies and tools that can be used by government agencies and small businesses.
How can barriers to entry and supplier diversity be improved?
There is no single answer to this but there are a number of approaches that can be taken. Watch these videos where experts discuss solutions.
How can i participate in the supplier diversity study?
You can take the survey and/or participate in an interview to share your insights. Please send us a request below to set up a time with our team to share your perspective.
As a corporate or government leader, how can I make an impact?
You can sign up your company to our corporate members or sponsors program to demonstrate your commitment as an organization to supplier diversity. The membership also allows you to benchmark your organization as well as participate in regular symposiums where you can learn from your peers and access tools and resources to improve your organizations metrics..
Additional Resources
Barriers to Entry Survey
To better understand the barriers faced by all companies, large or small, new to government or incumbent, Public Spend Forum and GovShop are proud to work Ivalua and the Director of the Supply Chain Resource Center at North Carolina State University to launch a Barriers to Entry in Government Markets global study and survey.
By gathering input from thousands of suppliers across industries, our goal is to identify the top barriers faced by suppliers. In addition to the survey, the study team is conducting extensive secondary research and interviewing government leaders and suppliers to gather deeper insights and examples.
Complete SurveyComplete 5 Minute Survey Today!
The data collected through the interviews and survey will remain anonymous and will be aggregated and
analyzed into what we believe to be a groundbreaking report. We expect the report to highlight issues
and solutions that can be used by policymakers and practitioners to plan for lowering barriers and
opening up the government market.
For your participation, you will be the first to receive a detailed report of the findings as well as
invitation to related discussions. Your responses will be aggregated into our overall findings, with no
reference to you or your organization.