Now the county is switching things up with a “Reverse Vendors Day,” an event in which the vendors’ representatives do the pitching and the audience is made up of county CIOs, their deputies and others.
“CIOs and Departmental Information Security Officers (DISOs) receive many requests to have meeting with vendors,” Rebecca Friedman, Media Services director for the county’s Internal Services Department, told Techwire in an email. “Although these meetings can prove valuable, we understand that they are also time consuming. This event is designed to offer a venue where we can collectively hear brief and impactful presentations from vendors about their products and services. We hope that this event will also feature companies which some of us are not familiar with as well as offering an opportunity for small businesses to present.”
Friedman said the county is considering holding these events on a regular basis.
The companies presenting will be chosen by L.A. County and CompTIA, an industry trade group. Each presenter will have 15 minutes and may use PowerPoints or product demonstrations, and each should allow five minutes for questions. Vendors will be asked to address:
- Company overview (size, revenue)
- Range of products and services
- Current public-sector projects (emphasis on L.A. County projects)
- Suggested solutions to address L.A. County IT challenges
- Feedback on L.A. County’s contracting and procurement process
- Point of contact — the most effective way for IT leadership to approach you/your organization
April is a busy month for briefings: On April 23, a Techwire Industry Briefing in Southern California will feature six IT leaders from Los Angeles County government.
