Blog Post  Maximizing Vendor Potential Through Strategic Partnerships

The Operational Services Division (OSD) recently introduced Christopher Olive as the agency’s Director of Vendor Development, Support, and Strategic Initiatives. Chris’s vision for OSD and its Statewide Contract Vendors centers on forging powerful partnerships. In his role, he directs strategic projects that promote innovation, drive efficiency, and make it easier for buyers and businesses to work with the state. 

In a recent WOSD News: Procurement Insights podcast, Chris sits down with host Layla Palmer to discuss opportunities for Vendors to work more efficiently with buyers throughout the procurement process. His philosophy? Know who you are selling to. 

“Vendors need to know who they're reaching out to, but the challenge is that the buyer persona across the state is so different,” said Chris. “It's large organizations, it's complex, matrixed organizations. It's also individual buyers in some cases. There isn’t one answer, but OSD can help Vendors become more familiar with that spectrum of buyers.” 

Among the opportunities for Vendor development is the potential for stronger, more trustworthy connections between Vendors and OSD staff. Assistant Secretary for Operational Services, Mark Fine, joined the conversation to share his insights on maintaining public trust and the importance of fostering meaningful connections with critical partners like Statewide Contract Vendors.  

“An agency like OSD should demonstrate that the government can be trusted with public resources and make decisions in the public interest,” said Mark. “How we work with Vendors and how we treat them is critical to maintaining that trust.” 

Chris and Mark agree that maintaining strong partnerships with Statewide Contract Vendors directly benefits buyers, resulting in more efficient procurements in the long term. Learn more about Vendor development in Maximizing Vendor Potential Through Strategic Partnerships, the latest WOSD News podcast, available now on the OSD YouTube Channel.