If you’re in public sector sales and feel like you’re constantly chasing bids that already favor your competitors, you’re not alone. Paige Mockler, GovSpend’s Director of Relationship Management & Revenue Recovery, recently hosted the first session in our Beyond the Bid webinar series—this one tailored specifically for vendors working in the Education Technology sector. The goal? Helping you break free from reactive sales cycles and start winning business before the bid even goes public.
Below, we recap the most actionable takeaways and insights from the webinar that can help you reshape your EdTech government sales strategy.
Why Going “Beyond the Bid” Matters
Many vendors enter the conversation too late—after a bid has been posted, scoped, and sometimes even pre-decided. As Paige explained, the EdTech landscape is filled with pain points like:
- Reactive bidding on pre-written specs favoring competitors
- Poor timing, leading to bids missed entirely or found too early to be useful
- Funding constraints, especially with looming budget cuts in K–12
- Low visibility into purchasing cycles, spending trends, and key decision-makers
The solution? Shift from reactive to proactive by harnessing GovSpend’s data modules to uncover opportunities, get ahead of contract expirations, and build meaningful relationships.
Tactics That Work: How to Use GovSpend Effectively
1. Use filters to let the platform prospect for you
Skip cold searching. Instead, set up smart filters that track bids, contracts, and spending activity tailored to your solution—whether that’s student information systems (SIS), learning management platforms, or classroom technology. For example, Paige demonstrated a search using 95 EdTech-related keywords, producing over 150 open opportunities specifically in K–12.
Pro Tip: Include descriptions as well as titles when searching—many school districts combine multiple tech needs into one RFP.
2. Leverage historical spend for competitive advantage
Want to know who’s been winning contracts in your category? GovSpend’s historical purchase order data can show you:
- Past vendors
- Purchase amounts
- Frequency of renewals and tech refresh cycles
- What’s bundled in the offering (e.g., SIS + applicant tracking)
This context lets you price competitively, tailor proposals to agency needs, and identify agencies ripe for a switch.
3. Track contracts coming up for expiration
Knowing when contracts expire helps you start the conversation early—months before a formal bid. Paige showed how to search for expiring contracts within the next 6–12 months and layer in decision-maker contacts for highly targeted outreach. For instance, Clayton County Public Schools has a SIS contract expiring in August. Vendors who engaged with them in February would have the advantage.
4. Use AI to quickly analyze bid opportunities
GovSpend’s new AI feature lets you quickly summarize bid requirements, identify student population sizes, and clarify contact roles without manually reading long bid documents.
Ask questions such as:
- “What services are being requested?”
- “What’s the student count?”
- “Who’s the contact for this RFP?”
This means faster decisions as to whether or not a bid is the right fit for your business, as well as better prioritization of your sales efforts.
5. Anticipate tech refresh cycles
Devices like Chromebooks have warranties—usually 1–3 years. When those warranties expire, schools often purchase replacements. By filtering transactions to find Chromebook purchases from 12–36 months ago, you can identify schools likely due for a refresh now—perfect timing to engage. Then, use GovSpend contact filters to create personalized call or email campaigns that reference actual purchase orders.
Pro Tip: Reference the PO number and ask relevant questions to grab the attention of decision makers.
6. Listen in on what schools are discussing
With Meeting Intelligence, GovSpend lets you search school board meeting transcripts for real-time conversations about student outcomes, budgeting for new tools, safety concerns, grant approvals, tech expansion, or new school construction. Hearing what’s being prioritized helps you align your message—and your timing—before RFPs are ever written.
Action Plan: What You Can Do To Get Ahead
- Audit your pipeline using filters to find bid-ready and near-future opportunities
- Explore expiring contracts in your niche
- Start tracking agencies’ tech refresh cycles
- Set up alerts for board meeting topics like student performance, ESSER funding, or tech infrastructure
- Use GovSpend’s AI to rapidly review bid opportunities
- Ask for help! Your GovSpend Relationship Manager can build custom reports, and our data team can submit public record requests for missing contracts
As Paige said in the webinar, “Let the data prospect for you. Let the filters do the heavy lifting. Then you can show up to the conversation informed, credible, and ready to win.”
Turn Insights Into Action
The tactics and strategies Paige shared can be repeated across industries, tools, and agencies. Whether you’re selling SIS solutions or smart boards, this proactive approach positions you to influence—not just respond to—procurement decisions.
If you missed the webinar or want to dive deeper, you can watch the recording. You can also click here to register for the next sessions in the Beyond the Bid series, which will cover the Cybersecurity (4/25) and Police & Fire (5/9) sectors.
Request time with our experts to learn how GovSpend can help you go beyond the bid and win more contracts.
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