Dispatch · Insights & research

The public-facing side of the firm.

A book. A bi-weekly newsletter. An annual tool assessment. A weekly video channel. Field notes, essays, and downloadable research. All free, all open, all vendor-neutral by design.

Start at Zero by Abhijit Verekar — book cover
The book

Start at Zero

The playbook Avèro's entire methodology is built on: a field-tested approach to public-sector modernization that puts preparation, governance, and independence ahead of vendor pitches and polished demos.

Written for the CIOs, CAOs, finance directors, and city managers sitting on the buyer's side of an enterprise software decision. The frameworks in it are the same ones Avèro runs on live engagements — nothing held back.

Get the book Hardcover · eBook
Watch

Start at Zero with AV, on the record.

Long-form conversations with public-sector CIOs and procurement officers, AI-tool walkthroughs, and the builder's log from inside Avèro. Choose a playlist, it plays right here, or take the podcast with you.

@startatzeroAV · 17k+ subscribers · Weekly episodes
Playlists
Why we publish

Most consulting firms treat their methodology as proprietary. We treat ours as a public good.

The frameworks Avèro uses on a buyer-side engagement are the same ones you can read in Start at Zero, watch on YouTube, or extract from the Untangled newsletter. The firm's livelihood doesn't depend on withholding them. It depends on being the people who can run them with an agency at stake.

So the book is on Amazon, the newsletter is free on LinkedIn, the AI Navigator is free to agency readers, and the YouTube channel has no paywall. If an agency can apply the methodology without us, good. That's the public-sector outcome that matters.

The methodology is a public good. The execution is the service.

If an agency wants a partner to execute with them, that's a different conversation. It starts with a briefing.

Abhijit Verekar · Founder & CEO · Avèro Advisors
Four channels

Four channels. Four rhythms.

A book. A bi-weekly newsletter. An annual tool assessment. A weekly video channel. Each useful on its own. Each pointing at the next.

The archive

Everything we have published.

83 pieces on government technology, ERP modernization, public-sector AI, and the practice of buying software in the public interest. Written by the people doing the work.

Digital TransformationJuly 23, 2026

We Took Our Own Advice and Built the Software

Avèro faced its own build-buy-or-renew decision and built IRMA. What taking our own advice taught us about modernizing what you already own.

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ERP & SelectionJuly 23, 2026

Going to Market Is a Decision, Not a Diagnostic

Going to market is the most expensive way to find out whether you need a new ERP. Three questions that settle replace-or-optimize before you write an …

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ERP & SelectionJuly 22, 2026

Why We Built Caliber Instead of Another Spreadsheet

Why Avèro built Caliber: government ERP evaluation as durable, traceable software instead of a scoring spreadsheet that dies when the project ends.

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ERP & SelectionJuly 21, 2026

Start at Zero: The Best ERP Decision Begins by Ignoring the System You Have

Why the best government ERP decision starts by ignoring the system you have: how zero-based requirements keep you from buying the same thing twice.

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Community & InfrastructureJuly 31, 2025

Inclusive Color Palettes for Government Websites

How to design inclusive, accessible color palettes for government websites, meeting WCAG contrast standards so every citizen can use public services.

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ERP & SelectionApril 29, 2025

Modernizing Local Governments Through Leadership Alignment

How leadership alignment drives government modernization, and why executive buy-in, not software, decides whether public-sector ERP projects succeed.

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Leadership & StrategyApril 21, 2025

Driving Innovation & Modernization in Local Governments

How local governments drive innovation and modernization by aligning leadership, process, and technology to deliver better public services.

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AI & AutomationApril 14, 2025

The Evolution of AI In Local Governments

How AI is reshaping local government, from citizen services to smarter decisions and cost savings, and how agencies can adopt it responsibly.

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AI & AutomationApril 6, 2025

What it’s Like Partnering with Us: AI adoption to ERP costs

What it's like to partner with Avèro Advisors, from AI adoption to ERP costs: how independent, vendor-neutral advisory works for a government agency.

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Digital TransformationMarch 28, 2025

Public Sector IT: Cutting Costs and Modernizing Effectively

How public-sector IT can cut costs and modernize effectively: practical strategy to upgrade aging government systems without the chaos.

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AI & AutomationMarch 28, 2025

AI Governance in Government: Trust Requires Transparency

AI governance in government starts with transparency. How public agencies adopt AI responsibly through disclosure, data privacy, and vendor accountabi…

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ERP & SelectionMarch 14, 2025

Why Public Sector ERP Training Fails—and How to Fix It

Why public-sector ERP training fails, and how to fix it: the training mistakes that sink government ERP go-lives, and a better approach to user adopti…

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CybersecurityMarch 7, 2025

Legacy System Security Risks: A Growing Cybersecurity Crisis

Legacy system security risks are a growing cybersecurity crisis for government: why unsupported software endangers public agencies, and what to do abo…

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ERP & SelectionFebruary 21, 2025

5 Steps to Address ERP Resistance in Government Organizations

Five practical steps to overcome staff resistance to a new ERP in government, from early involvement to training, so public-sector rollouts actually s…

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AI & AutomationFebruary 15, 2025

What The Stargate Initiative Means for Local Governments

What the $500B Stargate Initiative means for local governments: the AI infrastructure, opportunities, and risks public-sector leaders should prepare f…

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Leadership & StrategyJanuary 30, 2025

6 Digital Transformation Mistakes to Avoid

Six digital transformation mistakes public agencies make most often, from skipping discovery to underestimating change management, and how to avoid ea…

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Digital TransformationJanuary 22, 2025

Overcoming Government Workflow Automation Challenges

How to overcome government workflow automation challenges, from legacy systems to siloed data and change resistance, to streamline public-sector opera…

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ERP & SelectionJanuary 14, 2025

RFP Masterclass for Public Sector Success

An RFP masterclass for public-sector success: how to write a government technology RFP that attracts strong bids and leads to the right vendor.

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AI & AutomationJanuary 9, 2025

Scaling AI in Public Sector Decision-Making

Explore how public sector agencies can effectively scale AI to enhance decision-making and improve citizen services amidst existing challenges.

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Digital TransformationJanuary 8, 2025

Why Government Agencies Can’t Ignore Digital Transformation

Why government agencies can no longer ignore digital transformation: rising expectations, aging systems, and the cost of standing still in the public …

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AI & AutomationJanuary 2, 2025

AI Risk Frameworks for Public Sector Leaders

Public sector leaders must navigate AI innovation while managing risks like bias, security, and public trust using structured frameworks.

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AI & AutomationJanuary 2, 2025

AI in Public Sector Planning: Key Trends

Explore how AI is reshaping public sector planning, enhancing decision-making, and addressing challenges for smarter communities.

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ERP & SelectionJanuary 1, 2025

ERP Optimization Checklist for Public Sector Leaders

Optimize your ERP system to enhance efficiency and reduce costs in the public sector. Learn key strategies and best practices for success.

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AI & AutomationJanuary 1, 2025

AI Risk Assessment Tools for Public Sector

Explore essential AI risk assessment tools for the public sector to ensure safety, compliance, and effective integration.

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Leadership & StrategyJanuary 1, 2025

6 Steps to Successful Change Management in Government IT

Learn effective strategies for managing IT change in government, from leadership support to continuous improvement, ensuring successful modernization.

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ERP & SelectionDecember 31, 2024

Smart Cities Checklist: 10 Essential Technology Requirements

Explore the essential technology requirements for transforming urban environments into efficient, sustainable smart cities.

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Community & InfrastructureDecember 31, 2024

Public Safety Technology: Top 8 Trends for 2025

Explore how technologies like AI, IoT, and analytics are revolutionizing public safety by enhancing emergency response and community trust.

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Community & InfrastructureDecember 31, 2024

Common Digital Transformation Questions in Public Housing

Explore how digital transformation can enhance public housing operations through modernization, improved services, and stakeholder engagement.

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Community & InfrastructureDecember 30, 2024

Public Sector Master Data: Benefits and Best Practices

Explore how Master Data Management enhances public sector efficiency, improves citizen services, and supports data-driven decision-making.

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Public Sector TechDecember 30, 2024

How to Implement Master Data Management in Public Sector

Learn how to effectively implement Master Data Management in the public sector to enhance decision-making and improve service delivery.

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Public Sector TechDecember 30, 2024

Going Digital in the Public Sector

Why It’s Time for Government Agencies to Go Digital Going […].

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CybersecurityDecember 30, 2024

Cloud vs. On-Premise: Choosing the Right Solution for Government

Government agencies face crucial decisions between cloud and on-premise solutions, balancing control, cost, and security needs.

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ERP & SelectionDecember 28, 2024

Ultimate Guide to ERP Post-Implementation Success

Learn essential strategies for post-implementation success of ERP systems in government agencies, focusing on user engagement and data management.

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Digital TransformationDecember 6, 2024

Driving Innovation and Modernization in Local Government

Innovation, Collaboration, and Modernization in Local Government This time of […].

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Digital TransformationNovember 21, 2024

Navigating GovTech Trends for 2025

A Guide for Modern Governments 2025 isn’t just another year—it’s […].

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Digital TransformationNovember 11, 2024

6 Digital Transformation Mistakes to Avoid

Avoiding Problems in Public Sector Digital Transformation Projects Digital transformations […].

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AI & AutomationOctober 28, 2024

The Evolution of AI in Local Government

The Evolving Role of AI in Local Government: Opportunities and […].

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Public Sector TechSeptember 23, 2024

The Human Side of AI: Fairness, Bias, and Decision-Making

by Klay Brooks Human beings and our institutions are collectively interacting with artificially intelligent systems every day.

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Leadership & StrategySeptember 5, 2024

Grills and Gantt Charts: The Artful Juggle of Hibachi Chefs, Project Managers, and Change Management

What hibachi chefs teach project managers about change management: keeping government technology projects moving without dropping a plate.

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Public Sector TechAugust 21, 2024

Sizzling Success: How a Hibachi Chef and a Project Manager Master the Art of Multitasking

What a hibachi chef teaches project managers about multitasking, a memorable take on juggling priorities in government technology projects.

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ERP & SelectionAugust 9, 2024

Building Trust in Government with ERP Systems

How a modern ERP builds public trust in government: transparent finances, faster services, and accountable operations across the public sector.

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CybersecurityJuly 26, 2024

Local Government Technology is Stepping Up for the 2024 Olympics

How local government technology stepped up for the 2024 Olympics: the public-sector systems behind security, transit, and crowd operations at scale.

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Leadership & StrategyJuly 19, 2024

The Evolution of IT Professional: From Basement to Business

How the IT professional evolved from the basement to the boardroom, and why technology leadership now drives strategy in government and the public sec…

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ERP & SelectionJuly 3, 2024

Celebrating Independence and Technology in Local Government

How independence and the right technology strengthen local government, and why vendor-neutral advice keeps public-sector IT decisions in the public in…

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ERP & SelectionJuly 1, 2024

Top 10 Lessons from GFOA 2024: Future of Government Technology

Top 10 lessons from GFOA 2024 on the future of government technology: AI, ERP modernization, and finance trends shaping the public sector.

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Community & InfrastructureJuly 1, 2024

Enhancing Emergency Response: What are Rescue Management Systems?

What are rescue management systems? How emergency response technology helps public agencies coordinate faster, safer incident response and save lives.

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Community & InfrastructureJune 6, 2024

Empowering Governments: Understanding GovTech

What is GovTech? A plain-language guide to government technology and how it helps agencies modernize services, operations, and citizen engagement.

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Public Sector TechSeptember 23, 2023

Celebrating 8 Remarkable Years in Business

We’re excited for the opportunities and challenges ahead as we celebrate this milestone.

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Digital TransformationSeptember 12, 2023

Transformation Through Technology: Reaching Operational Sufficiency by Leveraging Tech

How government reaches operational sufficiency through technology, using the right systems to do more with less across public-sector operations.

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Leadership & StrategySeptember 12, 2023

The Evolving Role of City Managers: Navigating Innovation in Local Government

The evolving role of the city manager: how public-sector leaders navigate innovation, technology, and change in modern local government.

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Digital TransformationSeptember 12, 2023

How to Cut Through the Noise of Government IT

How to cut through the noise of government IT: a clear framework for public-sector leaders to prioritize what actually moves modernization forward.

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Digital TransformationSeptember 12, 2023

7 Steps to Success with Electronic Document Management

Seven steps to a successful electronic document management rollout in government, from records policy to search and retention, for a paperless public …

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Leadership & StrategySeptember 8, 2023

Strategic City Management: Staying Innovative During Rapid Growth in Pearland, Texas

Strategic city management during rapid growth: Clay Pearson on staying innovative while scaling public services in Pearland, Texas.

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Public Sector TechSeptember 8, 2023

Smart Cities: Providing a Higher Level of Service Through Innovation

Smart cities: Bob Wilson on providing a higher level of public service through innovation, data, and connected technology in local government.

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Digital TransformationSeptember 8, 2023

Leveraging Technology to Enhance Communities Like Dayton, Texas

How technology enhances communities like Dayton, Texas: Theogene Melancon on modernizing services and connectivity in local government.

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Community & InfrastructureSeptember 8, 2023

Leveraging Internet of Things in the Public Sector

CIO Nicole Raimundo on leveraging the Internet of Things in the public sector: connected infrastructure and smarter services in local government.

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Digital TransformationSeptember 8, 2023

Leading Major City Modernization Efforts in the Midst of a Pandemic

Leading major city modernization during a pandemic: John Juech on keeping public services running and technology moving under pressure.

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Community & InfrastructureSeptember 8, 2023

What is Pavement Management? Maximizing Tax Dollars on the Road.

What is pavement management? James Golden on maximizing tax dollars on the road with data-driven road maintenance for local governments.

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Leadership & StrategySeptember 8, 2023

Leadership in Technology: How to Navigate Innovation and Management in Government IT

Leadership in government IT: how public-sector technology leaders navigate innovation, document management, and modernization without losing the basic…

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Community & InfrastructureSeptember 8, 2023

How to Become COVID-Resilient Through Shovel-Ready Projects: Defining the Basics & Utilizing CARES

How local governments become COVID-resilient with shovel-ready projects: defining the basics and using CARES Act funding effectively.

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Community & InfrastructureSeptember 8, 2023

Building a Smart City: How Technology Can Be Leveraged in Public Service

What makes a smart city? How local governments leverage IoT, data, and connected technology to deliver better public services and quality of life.

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CybersecuritySeptember 7, 2023

Why Government Organizations Need to Modernize Their ERP Systems

Why government organizations need to modernize aging ERP systems: the cost, security, and service risks of legacy platforms, and the case for change.

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Community & InfrastructureSeptember 7, 2023

Public Housing Authorities, Systems, and the Challenges That Get in the Way of Efficiency

The systems challenges that hold public housing authorities back, and how the right technology removes barriers to efficiency and better resident serv…

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Community & InfrastructureSeptember 7, 2023

How to Build COVID Resilience in Your Municipal Organization

How to build COVID resilience in your municipal organization: continuity, remote services, and technology strategy for local government.

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Community & InfrastructureSeptember 7, 2023

How Knoxville is Leveraging Innovative Technology in the Public Housing Sector

How Knoxville uses innovative technology in public housing, modernizing operations and improving resident services across the public sector.

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Community & InfrastructureSeptember 7, 2023

How Do We Make Internet Access More Equitable?

How can we make internet access more equitable? What local governments can do to close the digital divide and expand affordable broadband.

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Community & InfrastructureSeptember 7, 2023

How Blount County, TN Quickly Implemented a Virtual Circuit Court System During COVID-19

How Blount County, TN stood up a virtual circuit court system during COVID-19, a rapid public-sector technology response case study.

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Community & InfrastructureSeptember 7, 2023

How Blount County, TN is Making Internet Access More Affordable

How Blount County, TN made internet access more affordable: a local-government broadband case study in closing the digital divide.

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CybersecuritySeptember 7, 2023

Going Away for the Holidays? 6 Quick IT Tips Before You Take Off

Six quick IT tips for government offices before the holidays, covering backups, security, and access, to keep public-sector systems safe while staff a…

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Community & InfrastructureSeptember 7, 2023

How City Managers Can Bring Innovation to Their Community

How city managers bring innovation to their communities: Greg McClain on broadband, from T1 to fiber optic, and modernizing public services.

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Leadership & StrategySeptember 7, 2023

The Future of the CIO Role: Being Brilliant at the Basics

The future of the government CIO role, with Kimberly Bailey: why being brilliant at the basics, reliability and service, still wins in public-sector I…

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ERP & SelectionSeptember 7, 2023

Design Thinking and Business Process Redesign in Enterprise IT

How design thinking and business process redesign improve enterprise IT in government, putting user needs ahead of legacy workflows in the public sect…

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CybersecuritySeptember 7, 2023

The Executive’s Guide to Cybersecurity and Enterprise Risk

An executive's guide to cybersecurity and enterprise risk in government, with Robert Kornovich, on protecting public agencies from a growing threat la…

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Community & InfrastructureSeptember 7, 2023

Capturing Sustainable Growth in the Public Housing Industry

Sean Gilbert on capturing sustainable growth in the public housing industry: strategy, technology, and financial resilience for housing authorities.

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Community & InfrastructureSeptember 7, 2023

Building Thriving Communities Through Public Housing Authorities

Housing leader Eugene Jones Jr. on building thriving communities through public housing authorities: leadership, technology, and resident outcomes.

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Leadership & StrategySeptember 7, 2023

Bringing Innovation To Airports

Airport CIO Trevis Gardner on bringing innovation to aviation: modernizing operations, technology, and the passenger experience in the public sector.

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ERP & SelectionSeptember 7, 2023

7 Pitfalls to Avoid During System Implementation

Seven pitfalls that derail government system implementations, from scope creep to weak governance and poor data prep, and how public agencies steer cl…

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ERP & SelectionSeptember 7, 2023

6 Traits of Poor Vendor Support

Six warning signs of poor software vendor support every government agency should watch for before and after signing an ERP or system contract.

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ERP & SelectionSeptember 7, 2023

3 Non-Negotiables to Include in Your Requirements Definition

The three requirements every government ERP RFP must define before going to market: functional scope, data migration, and measurable acceptance criter…

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Leadership & StrategyAugust 21, 2023

The 3 Pillars of an IT Strategic Plan

The three pillars of an IT strategic plan for government: governance, infrastructure, and applications, and how public agencies build a modernization …

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Community & InfrastructureAugust 21, 2023

Innovating for Efficiency and Reliability in Utility Services

How utilities innovate for efficiency and reliability: modern systems, data, and customer service for public power, water, and utility providers.

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Public Sector TechAugust 21, 2023

Avèro Advisors named to Inc. 5000 list for third consecutive year

For the third year in a row, we have been named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America.

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CybersecurityAugust 21, 2023

7 Questions to Ask Your IT Director or CIO

Seven questions every government leader should ask their IT director or CIO, covering cybersecurity, ERP roadmap, and risk, to gauge real technology r…

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Beyond the content

If any of this is useful, go deeper over a briefing.

The research, writing, and speaking happen on their own schedule. The engagements happen one conversation at a time.