Procurement is an area requiring greater attention from government leaders, reports Route Fifty, in summarizing a survey conducted by Seattle-based business intelligence company Onvia of 668 state and local government procurement staff. Issues with response agility, customer service and reputation all led to an overall decrease in procurement agencies’ overall effectiveness, according to the report.

“Smart governments recognize that strategic investments in their procurement teams translate into more value for the citizens they serve,” said Ben Vaught, Onvia for Government director, in a statement.

Successful procurement teams saw their funding increased, engaged better with stakeholders, used more efficient purchasing methods, and adopted some form of e-Procurement. Nearly 40 percent of government procurement professionals has implemented e-Procurement to cut down on processing times, according to the report.

Time-constrained buyers require more information on purchasing processes up front.

Four out of every 10 agencies reported failing to attract enough bids, a slight improvement on last year. But it remains an area requiring greater state and local government attention.