In Pursuit with Mike Vichich — Government Technology & Public Sector Sales

Pursuit
  • 5.0 (1)
  • TECHNOLOGY

In Pursuit is a podcast about how government really works — how decisions are made, how procurement actually functions, and how progress gets built inside public sector systems. Each episode features candid conversations with government officials, procurement directors, policy practitioners, and private sector leaders navigating the intersection of business and government. We cover the decisions that happen long before a contract goes public, the relationships that shape policy, and the strategies that move the needle in public administration. If you work in government, sell to it, or want to understand how public sector decisions shape the world around you — In Pursuit gives you the access and context to navigate it.

Episodes

  1. In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Jocelyn Benson — Modernizing Government with Data

    MAY 2

    In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Jocelyn Benson — Modernizing Government with Data

    Michigan's Secretary of State turned around the DMV and broke voter turnout records. Here's the data-driven playbook she used to modernize government. Visit pursuit.us 00:00 Intro 00:35 Meet Jocelyn Benson — from civil rights to running Michigan's DMV 04:32 What was actually broken at the DMV 07:35 Was it a funding problem, a process problem, or neglect? 09:08 Why government incentives don't work like the private sector 12:28 Moving transactions online: from 28% to 60% 15:27 Kiosks in grocery stores — meeting citizens where they are 17:41 Government tech procurement: the right way to structure a vendor contract 19:19 What didn't work: why one-size-fits-all solutions fail in government 21:06 Building a feedback loop with an Office of Continuous Innovation 22:10 Michigan election security: from 34th to 2nd in the nation 24:43 How to distill a complex goal into two words: "turnout up" 25:22 Annual strategic planning — the one thing no other state agency does 27:37 Why Jocelyn is running for governor: costs down, wages up, rights protected 29:10 What it means to invest in "place" — and why Michigan's talent is leaving 30:51 Clean energy, AI, and the economic case for Michigan's future 34:23 Closing vision: high-speed rail and keeping Michigan's kids home

    38 min
  2. In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Milton Dohoney — 40 Years in Public Service: What Vendors Must Know

    APR 17

    In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Milton Dohoney — 40 Years in Public Service: What Vendors Must Know

    Milton Dohoney, Ann Arbor City Administrator, shares 40 years of public service insight on how cities buy tech, what vendors get wrong, and how government really works. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:21 Milton's 40-year career across five cities 01:34 Council-manager vs. strong mayor government 02:41 Writing "It Always Begins With Leadership" 04:06 The four layers of city law: charter, ordinances, resolutions & policy 06:09 Who's the "Supreme Court" for a city? 07:46 How charter amendments get proposed and approved 09:23 Administrative regulations and how policy gets changed 13:50 When well-intentioned rules create unintended consequences 15:27 How Milton shortened council meetings from 7 hours to 3 18:57 How cities buy technology: the ideal procurement process end to end 22:56 The role of finance in a tech purchase 23:38 When to bring in procurement (and when it's too early) 25:16 Co-op contracts and piggybacking on existing RFPs 28:21 Budget reality: what happens when you don't have the money 31:40 How grants factor into purchasing decisions 33:45 Vendor win rates and the myth of the predetermined bid 36:00 The #1 mistake vendors make: going straight to the city administrator 38:06 When it does make sense to reach out to the city administrator 41:31 When should a department actually pull in procurement? 42:57 Do your homework: why 50 of 60 vendor emails get deleted 45:43 Travel approval and bureaucratic sign-off chains 47:17 How Ann Arbor builds its brand without local TV 49:11 The city's relationship with the University of Michigan 52:32 Practical advice for vendors selling into local government 56:27 The RFP cutoff: when vendor engagement must stop 57:58 What happens when a vendor implementation fails 59:37 Where to find Milton's book

    1 hr
  3. In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Jim Colangelo — A CPO’s Guide to Selling into Government

    MAR 27

    In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Jim Colangelo — A CPO’s Guide to Selling into Government

    Former Michigan CPO Jim Colangelo breaks down how government procurement really works — and what vendors must know before the RFP ever drops. Timestamps: 00:00 The Triangle of Customers in Procurement 00:51 Introduction — Jim Colangelo's Background 01:55 20 Years in Procurement: What's Stayed the Same 03:34 Who Are Procurement's Real Customers? 05:05 How JetBlue Shaped Jim's Customer Service Philosophy 06:55 Public vs. Private Sector Procurement: The Real Differences 09:41 Why Working in Public Sector Is a Privilege 11:04 Why Government Procurement Takes Longer 13:13 The Real Sales Cycle: Rec to Check 14:43 Vendor Management & Stewardship of Taxpayer Dollars 16:29 Best Value vs. Lowest Bid 18:00 Can You Shortcut the Government Procurement Process? 19:55 The Formula — and Why Everyone's Is Different 21:30 RFP Thresholds and How Co-ops Work 24:35 What the Ideal Vendor Sales Cycle Looks Like 27:35 How Procurement Plans 18 Months Ahead 30:07 When the Business Knows Exactly What It Wants 31:39 Bid Protests: What Happens and Who's Accountable 34:44 How Scoring Committees Work 37:46 Small & Diverse Businesses in Government Procurement 39:10 Teaming & Subcontracting Strategies for Small Businesses 42:56 How to Change a Procurement Law or Code 46:30 How Jim Turned Around Michigan's Procurement Office 50:07 Leadership Lessons: Listening Before Leading 51:41 Simplifying Complex Organizations 57:36 AI in Procurement: What Should Change, What Should Stay 1:00:03 How to Break Into Government Sales — Jim's #1 Advice 1:01:41 The Biggest Mistake Vendors Make: Going Around Procurement

    1h 3m
  4. In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Rick Snyder — Cybersecurity & AI for State Government

    MAR 3

    In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Rick Snyder — Cybersecurity & AI for State Government

    Rick Snyder, Michigan's 48th Governor, shares how he built MEDC, led the nation in cybersecurity, and why AI is government's next big frontier.

    59 min
  5. In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Kevin Smith, MI Deputy Treasurer — Rescuing Distressed Cities

    FEB 16

    In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Kevin Smith, MI Deputy Treasurer — Rescuing Distressed Cities

    Michigan’s Deputy Treasurer on distressed communities, trust, and the evolving landscape of emergency management laws.

    1h 2m
  6. In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Sandra Yu Stahl, Detroit CPO — How Cities Buy Technology

    FEB 6

    In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Sandra Yu Stahl, Detroit CPO — How Cities Buy Technology

    Detroit CPO breaks down what vendors often misunderstand about government procurement and how cities really buy.

    41 min
  7. In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Jared Ambrosier — Winning Government Contracts from Inside

    FEB 6

    In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Jared Ambrosier — Winning Government Contracts from Inside

    Michigan procurement leader on timing, cooperative contracts, and building the right relationships to win public sector deals.

    1h 8m
  8. In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen — Innovating Inside Government

    FEB 6

    In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen — Innovating Inside Government

    Dr. Z reflects on NASA, risk management, government culture, and what it takes to drive innovation at scale.

    1h 1m
  9. In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Mayor Christopher Taylor — How Cities Make Decisions

    FEB 5

    In Pursuit with Mike Vichich | Mayor Christopher Taylor — How Cities Make Decisions

    A conversation with Mayor Taylor on Ann Arbor’s biggest challenges and his vision for the city’s future.

    1h 4m
  • 9 Episodes

About

In Pursuit is a podcast about how government really works — how decisions are made, how procurement actually functions, and how progress gets built inside public sector systems. Each episode features candid conversations with government officials, procurement directors, policy practitioners, and private sector leaders navigating the intersection of business and government. We cover the decisions that happen long before a contract goes public, the relationships that shape policy, and the strategies that move the needle in public administration. If you work in government, sell to it, or want to understand how public sector decisions shape the world around you — In Pursuit gives you the access and context to navigate it.

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