Geneva County was presented with an opportunity to reduce its IT costs in 2024. Two years later, the potential savings have continued to add up.
In October 2024, I approached the Geneva County Commission with an alternative proposal for the County’s IT services.
The proposal wasn’t simply about changing IT companies. It presented the Commission with an opportunity to obtain additional services while substantially reducing what taxpayers were already spending.
At the time, the proposed savings were approximately $1,677.50 per month — roughly 21% of the County’s existing monthly IT costs.
The Commission chose not to move forward with the proposal or competitively bid the services.
The County continued with its existing arrangement.
And the potential savings continued accumulating every month.
$1,677.50 Every Month
A savings of $1,677.50 might not sound enormous when discussing an entire county budget.
But recurring expenses add up.
At that rate:
6 months: $10,065 in potential savings
12 months: $20,130
18 months: $30,195
By August 2026, the cumulative savings opportunity has grown to approximately $36,000, depending on the exact starting date used for the comparison.
That’s approximately $36,000 in taxpayer money that potentially could have remained available for other County needs.
And this wasn’t a hypothetical savings estimate based on simply eliminating services.
It was based on an actual proposal submitted to Geneva County.
The Proposal Offered More Than a Lower Price
Price wasn’t the only difference.
The proposed arrangement was intended to provide Geneva County with a more structured IT service model while lowering its overall costs.
That included defined services, professional IT support, increased accountability and a clearer understanding of what taxpayers were purchasing.
The County therefore wasn’t being asked to choose between better service and lower costs.
It was being presented with an opportunity to potentially receive more while spending less.
That should have at least warranted serious consideration.
The County Didn’t Have to Choose Us
This is an important distinction.
Geneva County didn’t have to accept my company’s proposal.
The Commission didn’t have to agree that we were the best IT provider.
And it didn’t have to replace its existing provider simply because another company submitted a lower price.
There was another option:
Put the services out for competitive bid.
Write down exactly what Geneva County expects from its IT provider.
Define the required staffing, onsite presence, response times, cybersecurity responsibilities, server management, network management, backup responsibilities and other services.
Then invite qualified companies to compete.
The existing provider could submit its proposal.
We could submit ours.
Other qualified IT companies could submit theirs.
The Commission could then compare the proposals and determine which company offered taxpayers the best combination of price, services, experience, staffing and accountability.
Instead, the existing arrangement continued without that competitive comparison.
The Cost of Doing Nothing
Government spending decisions aren’t limited to money that is directly spent.
There is also the cost of opportunities that are ignored.
If a government can purchase a comparable or better service for less money but never tests the market, taxpayers have no way of knowing whether they’re receiving a competitive price.
That’s why the 2024 proposal remains relevant today.
The potential savings didn’t disappear when the Commission declined the proposal.
The difference continued accumulating.
Month after month.
$1,677.50.
Then another $1,677.50.
Then another.
Over time, a monthly difference becomes tens of thousands of dollars.
Today, that amount is approximately $36,000.