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Procurement of Innovative Technologies by Transportation Agencies
Public transportation agencies must acquire innovative products and services to improve safety and mobility, yet strict procurement rules prevent buying from sole-source vendors. This sometimes makes it difficult for public agencies to acquire items or services supplied solely by a lone pioneering vendor.
Procurement is complicated further when innovative projects are initially supported by public funds, usually in the form of university grants or grants to start-up companies. In such cases, the trade-offs between expediency, long-term value, and adherence to a fair and open procurement process can
be difficult to navigate.
CCIT has partnered with the Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (CET) to examine some procurement challenges faced by transportation practitioners. Under the umbrella of UC Berkeley’s College of Engineering, CET serves as a platform for educating scientists and engineers about cutting-edge technology and innovative business strategy. We reviewed six case studies and analyzed the legal and institutional context for procuring innovation. We attempted to answer the following questions:
• How do administrative processes at an organization like Caltrans fit the acquisition of innovative products and services? Is legislation adequate?
• What organizational improvements would streamline innovation procurement and recapture investment in research and development?
• What is the optimal way to attract innovators and give them a head start in
developing needed products while remaining fair and open and avoiding becoming “locked-in” down the road?
We identified and illustrated, by example, several critical barriers to innovation.
While some barriers are inherent in state law, others can be addressed by applying best practices or by enhancing organizational processes.
Intellectual property is a recurring issue in the implementation of research, one that can delay the deployment of needed innovation. For example, CCIT examined licensing options in the case of the Balsi Beam, a safety device developed by personnel at Caltrans Division of Equipment in response to a serious work-zone accident involving a Caltrans employee. With support from CCIT, Caltrans plans to transfer the Balsi Beam technology, so it can be purchased and deployed among maintenance crews across the state.
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