Maryland DoIT Partners for Technology Research Efficiency, Becoming Marketplace.city's First State Customer

Since 2017, we have built Clearbox for the people who buy technology for cities, counties and special districts. We are proud to announce that the Maryland Department of Information Technology (DoIT) subscribed to Clearbox Source earlier this year, making Maryland our first state government customer.

Maryland joins more than 130 cities, counties and special districts already using the platform, including Cook County, Illinois; Alexandria, Virginia; Los Angeles, California; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With DoIT on board, the same vendor intelligence local governments rely on now supports statewide technology planning and procurement.

Why Maryland DoIT chose Clearbox Source

DoIT is changing where research happens in the state's technology buying. Instead of treating procurement as paperwork at the end of a project, the department wants evidence at the front: confirm the business need, see which solutions are already proven in government, then write a better solicitation and get approved tools to staff sooner.

"DoIT is working to transform technology procurement from a legacy administrative barrier into a responsive, evidence-based solutioning process that puts approved tools in hands faster. Collaborating with Marketplace.city provides our team with visibility into proven government technology solutions—helping us validate business needs upfront, streamline solicitations, and accelerate digital service delivery. Clearbox Source puts product feature information, pricing and contract data in one place, so our teams can scope projects more quickly and make sure every technology dollar delivers real value for Marylanders."

— Melissa Leaman, Deputy Secretary & Chief Operating Officer, Maryland Department of Information Technology

What Clearbox Source gives a state agency

Clearbox Source is procurement intelligence for technology buying. It gives public-sector teams real-time market research on more than 12,000 technology companies across more than 400 Market Landscapes, backed by hundreds of thousands of government purchases. Subscribers compare vendors by functional area and review solution details, pricing and transaction data, case studies and references in one place.

Agencies use that data at every stage of a technology project:

• Planning and budgeting: see what's available and what peers have paid before a number goes into a budget request.
• Solicitation development: scope requirements against what the market actually offers.
• Sourcing: find qualified vendors beyond the familiar names to broaden the pool and increase competition.
• Price validation: check quotes against real government transaction data.
• Contract structuring: use peer contracts and references to set terms.

The aim at each stage is the same: wider vendor pools, more competition, better solutions and lower prices.

A statewide approach to technology sourcing

For a state, the stakes of getting the research right are higher. One statewide decision can shape the tools many agencies use for years.

"Through our statewide technical solutioning and sourcing strategy, Maryland is building a modern, transparent, and agile technology acquisition system. Working alongside partners like Marketplace.city empowers state agencies to easily navigate commercial software options, ensure strong solution fit, and deliver reliable, high-impact services across the State."

— Melissa Leaman, Maryland DoIT

The same pressures at every level of government

Maryland joins local governments that have already measured results with Clearbox Source. The City of South Bend, Indiana, has used the platform for more than 60 project evaluations and saved more than 50 staff hours per project. Using our contract analysis tool, another agency identified more than $2 million in public safety technology contract savings.

"We started with cities, but the issues governments encounter with technology purchasing were never unique to cities. Whether you are a town of 20,000 or a state agency serving millions of residents, you face the same pressures: limited staff time, a rapidly changing vendor landscape and the need to show taxpayers you negotiated the best value. Maryland's decision shows that data-driven research and procurement work at every level of government."

— Chris Foreman, founder and CEO, Marketplace.city

One network for state and local government

Clearbox is a Government-Only Vendor Intelligence Network (GOVIN): technology research built exclusively for government use and free from vendor influence. State and local teams evaluate many of the same vendors, and with Maryland DoIT in the network, they now do that research in the same place.

Join the network free

Any employee of a state or local government agency can create a free Clearbox Starter account with a government email address. Start with search, browse Market Landscapes, and see what agencies like yours are buying.